Edward Boatman • Aug 1st, 2022
Your brand identity tells consumers who your company is, what you stand for and what you offer. It’s why consumers relate to a white T-shirt from Target differently than one from Nordstrom. While both products may be the same, the brand story is not.
Brand assets are elements companies use to create their brand identity. This includes both physical and digital assets. Keep reading to learn more about what brand assets are and how your company can use them to create a compelling and consistent brand identity.
Brand assets are elements that companies use to help create their unique image and identity. When used correctly, brand assets will connect consumer thoughts with your brand's values, product offerings and mission.
Brand assets should work together to tell a cohesive story. For example, Nike’s brand assets include their tagline, “Just do it,” along with their checkmark logo. These assets complement one another and help communicate Nike’s brand value of pursuing achievement.
Brand assets can be both physical and digital elements. Because companies have unique goals and brands, not every company will use every type of brand asset. Amazon, for example, will have a greater need to use brand packaging than, say, an online streaming service like Spotify.
Some of the most common types of brand assets include:
Still not sure how to use different brand assets to establish your distinct company identity? Here are some brand asset examples to help you effectively use these elements in your own company.
Apple’s logo was first designed by Ronald Wayne in 1976. Inspired by the discovery of gravity, Wayne illustrated Newton with an apple falling on his head. Although the illustration was a powerful symbol of the innovation Apple wanted to associate with the brand, Steve Jobs found the illustration too complex. In 1977, Rob Janoff created the now-famous silhouette associated with simple, sleek luxury.
Coca-Cola’s famous red logo is nearly universally recognized today, but it wasn’t always that way. In the 1980s, Coke struggled with brand consistency. In particular, the company found its signature red color varied across countries, states and even stores. Sometimes consumers even found the differences in branding so strong that they believed the sodas came from competitor companies.
After creating a consistent brand, Coca-Cola’s look became so recognizable that its signature red became known as “Coke Red.”
Your brand font can tell consumers much about your brand. Nagarro’s signature Equip and Equip Extended fonts are simple and versatile. While they remain easy to read, they can convey either a playful or serious tone depending on the context in which they are used. This versatility is a hallmark of Nagarro’s brand values.
With so many customers using social media to stay up to date on their favorite brands, it’s important for companies to maintain a consistent social presence. Creating brand assets specifically for social media use makes staying consistent quick and easy.
Nagarro’s Facebook cover photos highlight their brand values of being caring and human by showing photos of their employees. Their signature brand scribble also calls to mind their logo to help create a consistent image.
In addition to social banners, companies can also use social icons to stay consistent in their branding. Here, Pivot Point Academy uses Instagram story highlight cover photos to highlight their main program offerings: cosmetology and barbering. By using consistent iconography and colors on their Instagram page, Pivot Point helps establish their brand as professional and cohesive.
If your brand has a presence on YouTube, creating templated video slides or overlay assets can help you maintain a strong brand identity. Nagarro’s video template slides provide a great example, as they tie in the brand’s logo, colors, fonts and signature scribble.
Jingles or taglines use the power of auditory memory to make an impact. “Every kiss begins with Kay,” “Ba-da-ba-ba-ba, I’m lovin’ it,” or “What’s in your wallet?” are all taglines you probably know. These short, memorable statements quickly connect consumers to your brand story and product offering.
If your company offers a physical product or shipping services, packaging can be a great way to build your brand identity. Amazon’s famous packaging uses their A-to-Z logo to remind consumers that you can purchase a vast array of products from their company.
Mascots are personified characters that brands can use to express their personality. In Reddit’s company lore, Snoo is a time-traveling alien visiting Earth to learn about human culture. His curious personality perfectly represents Reddit’s communities, which serve as learning hubs for different groups. His name is even a play on “what’s new?” — another ode to a curious mind.
After creating your brand identity through elements like logos, fonts or mascots, it’s important to protect your brand through legal assets. These can include terms and conditions, community guidelines or copyright contracts.
As strange as it seems, your legal assets can still play a part in your brand identity. Reddit’s community guidelines are known for allowing more freedom of information than Facebook or Instagram, for example.
With brand assets spanning a range of different file types, it can be challenging to stay organized. Managing video, text, audio, code, illustrations and more may lead to companies using several different storage solutions like Dropbox or the cloud.
By maintaining multiple storage solutions, however, losing files can become a problem. Digital asset management software solves this problem by making it possible to store multiple file formats in one centralized location.
With Lingo, you can stay organized through:
Brand assets tell your company’s story through textual, visual and auditory marketing materials. Give your brand a home and try our fully featured 30-day trial today.