Why it matters
The marketing landscape is more fragmented than ever, subsequently, brands exist across channels and touchpoints that can add up to less than the sum of their parts. This has an inevitable impact on marketing effectiveness with activity delivering lower ROI’s. These effects can be assuaged by designing identity systems with meaning and symbolism at their core – maximising impact and cohesion.
Takeaways
• Distinctiveness alone isn’t enough – memory matters. The most effective brand identity systems don’t just stand out; they stick in consumers’ minds by leveraging meaning and symbolism to enhance recall.
• What a brand truly means is just as important. Meaningful brand identities enhance memory by triggering associations that create deeper emotional and neural connections, making brands more persuasive and commercially effective.
• Symbols are a shortcut to memorability. The brain processes visual metaphors faster than words – brands that integrate symbolism into their identity systems strengthen impact and consumer recognition.
• Identity systems work best in threes. 60% of the top 10 most magnetic brands have at least three strong distinctive brand assets, ensuring flexibility and recognition across a fragmented marketing landscape.
• Magnetic brands are built by design, not by chance. Structuring identity systems with meaning and symbolism at their core maximises brand cohesion, mental availability, and long-term effectiveness.
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