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Chapter 2 : brand IDENTITY SYSTEM

Chapter 1, on brand essence, began with the plea to focus brand communications on

the integrated connections your branding process needs to make, before contemplating

various targeted news you want to convey. Readers who felt inhibited by this apparent

relegation of market targeting to a secondary status may enjoy the multidimensionalfreedom of expression inherent in the concept of a brand's identity system.

Today, powerful branding goes beyond a name, to invest in a visual design language -

of symbols, colours, sub-brands, flagship products, service promises and other

identifying reminders which shape the way in which a brand's sphere of business is

recalled by our senses. Brands navigate human associations and perceptions by a

constellation of reminders, each acting as a consumer code. A powerful corporate or

umbrella brand is capable of conveying multiple messages with particular relevance to

different audiences, as well as other mind-expanding interpretations of its essence. In

the case of global brands, identities need to be crafted as component forms in aninternational design language. In this chapter, we will see how analysis of the brand

identity system enables us to explore the breadth and depth of the universe of

associations which a brand has invested in consumers' minds.

The power of a well designed identity system is difficult to over-estimate. We begin

with some examples.

McDonald's

If you are aware of McDonald's, you are likely to make many of the followingassociations with the brand's identity system : Big M logo, Ronald, Big Mac, Mc

named menu items, Red and Yellow...

The identity system is a communications tapestry. The brander must keep on asking

two questions about this:

What identifying "threads" are known to everyone who knows the brand?

How are they working for the branding process - both its consumer heritage and its

future business?

These questions should be guided by an informed belief in design impact and

aesthetics. Remember:

There is no point in cluttering the tapestry with another thread unless it is serving

some vital purpose

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The identifying threads must all fit together. As part of a pattern, they should provide

overall confirmation of a brand's essence. Identities should not directly clash, but

subtle tensions can be good. For example, the most fascinating human characters are

those who intrigue because they are at once familiar and continuously capable of

surprise.

Table 1 shows some interpretations of how the identity system of McDonald's works

for the brand. Interrogate this and add your own insights to our list by asking the sorts

of questions tabled.

Table 1 : Exploring the identity system of McDonald's

whilst confirming the essence of fast food served with home from home values

WHAT?

WHATbrand identifiers ( eg colours,

symbols, stereotypes, slogans,

platforms, famous moments in brand'shistory, product features, design icons,

other appeals to senses etc) are in the

minds of your consumers?

McDonald's integrates

M

Ronald

Big Mac

(also Big Breakfast, Mega Mac)

Mc

HOW?

An identity system:

casts leading identifiers with different roles;

connects everything up to achieve multiple effects such

as "multi-positioning", "multi-recognition"...

What leading interpretations can you find when

exploring McDonald's identity system? Which

identifiers would you show off where if you weredirecting the McDonald's brand?

Signpost for distant media; nicknamed destination

(golden arches)

Children's aspect of multipositioning; local community

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Moscow

Red & Yellow

...

visibility; anchor of family personality

Adult appetite aspect of multipositioning; Big codes (eg

value); Familiarisation slogans, eg Mac Attack

Linking identity for broadening product menu

Global and local PR platform

Heartwarming impact

To obtain a greater feel of the significance of these identifers to the goodwill invested

in - and stewarded by - those who direct the business of McDonald's, read our section

on Benchmarking McDonald's (ThinkPiece 1), and then take a second look at table 1.