What is Brand Image? Where Do Visual Identity Meet Experience?

Brand image is not an automatic acceptance of everything the business says about itself. It is the perception that people form through products, services, communications and encounters. Visual identity can influence this perception; But it is not possible to fix a bad delivery experience with a new logo design alone.

Difference between brand identity and brand image

Brand identity is about how the business wants to express itself. Name, logo, color, typography and communication language are the visible parts of this. Brand image is the perception formed externally. If there is a difference between the two, the source of the difference should be investigated instead of just changing the visual.

For example, the offer files of a business that wants to appear simple and reliable may be complicated and the scope of service on its website may be unclear. In this case, the design work should address not only color selection, but also information order and clarity.

Review touchpoints together

A customer may encounter a brand first through search results, then through social media, the offer document, and product packaging. Not every touchpoint needs to look the same; but it should be understood that they belong together. While the catalog carries technical information, social media can draw attention to a new product.

• Can it be understood which service is offered at the first encounter?
• Are expectations in the pricing or bidding process clear?
• Is the product information on the packaging consistent with the descriptions on the website?
• Does the after-sales communication support the promise in the first message?

I am Selçuk Aker; As a freelance graphic designer, I evaluate these questions within the scope of brand positioning and corporate identity design. It is necessary to separate the responsibility of the design from the operational responsibility of the business.

Define the problem based on observation

“Let's look more premium” is not a measurable brief on its own. Determine what information the customer can't find, what material is outdated, or what product lines are confused. Examining incoming questions, feedback from the sales team, and existing materials together provides more concrete decisions.

After the visual change, you can follow whether the same questions decrease and whether the materials are used correctly. Don't attribute every change in sales to design; There are also other factors such as price, distribution, campaign and season.

Set the limit of refresh

If the problem is a few inconsistent templates, it may not be necessary to change the entire brand identity. If the name, target audience and business model have changed, a more comprehensive study may be required. Guide to reviewing brand identity examples helps you distinguish between taste and real need.

Social media promise must match real service

If a brand that advertises a quick response and easy transaction in its post leaves the customer's question unanswered for days, visual consistency alone does not provide trust. Social media design creates expectation; operation and communication must meet this expectation.

Product claims and campaign conditions submitted to the graphic designer must be verified by the brand. While establishing a consistent language among the images, changing information and dates should be kept up to date. Instead of being on every platform, producing accurate and regular content on manageable channels may be considered. Brand monitoring guide can be used to investigate what change in design repeated customer questions require.