In a world where so many brands are present, each brand needs to maintain its own and unique identity in order to distinguish itself from the others. Nowadays, it has become extremely difficult for brands to either differentiate themselves or to maintain their true essence.
However, what makes every brand shield itself against such challenges is having its own identity, elements, and schema.
Having a brand identity of your own means that there are certain characteristics or features that sets you apart from the rest. A brand identity consists of the visible elements that make up a brand. This could include a logo, a design, or simply a colour or a colour palette. It could also consist of other elements such as a slogan, a symbol, a character, or a jingle.
These can aid in making a single brand concrete and solid in the consumers’ minds. However, it is important that such various elements which resemble the brand’s identity are cohesive in order to increase concreteness and brand awareness.
So what makes a schema?
To start off, a schema is a set of associations that could drive out attitude or behaviour for the consumers towards a brand. It is basically what consumers think and feel about a brand. It can entail trust, innovation, rebellion, happiness, etc. Every choice or act carried out by a brand has to resonate with its schema; the set of knowledge linked to a concept.
A brand’s schema consists off of what consumers have to say about the brand and what mental shortcuts resonate when they think about it. It describes different elements that constitute knowledge about a brand. When a brand maintains its identity or communicates a specific image about itself consistently and across various channels, it contributes in creating a certain set of associations or expectations along with it.
A brand’s image is a subset of associations stored in the brand schema. Every single touch point for a brand has to be consistent and cohesive with the overall image it’s trying to create for itself.
In every brand extension, brand alliance, or even in licensing, the transfer of such associations is essential for the brand to maintain its image and identity. It is important to note that a unique identity is not created instantly but rather, it takes up an effort throughout the years to be created and preserved.
Thus, it would be very damaging for a brand to send different signals regarding what it is and what it stands for as it might cause unwanted confusion for the consumers and alter their attitudes.
Have you ever faced such an issue with a brand? Could you possibly think of a time where a brand communicated something or created a product (like HD, previously) that did not match its identity and where it felt that it was just not right?
BBB- Buyer's Black Box 