ARTICLE SUMMARY: Too often, brand identity gets reduced to just visuals. While it may seem similar to visual design, the two aren’t the same. Believing they are can seriously limit the impact of your messaging.
Visual design focuses on aesthetics, style, colors, fonts, and overall vibe. Branding, while using these same elements, applies them strategically to communicate a specific message to a target audience. Visual design may look great, but without the intent and direction of branding, it lacks impact.
Tifu Kelison’s piece, “Brand Design is More Than Visuals – It’s an Experience” challenges the misconception that brand identity is purely visual, revealing the deeper, more strategic side of brand design. He looks at:
- The Common Misconception About Brand Design
- What Brand Identity Design Really Is
- The True Components of a Brand Identity
A successful brand doesn’t just look good, it feels meaningful. It creates an emotional bond with the target audience, communicating its core identity: purpose, vision, mission, and values. Aesthetic alone can’t build that kind of connection.
Tifu reminds us, “Branding is the process of informing the perception of your audience about you. From this perspective, brand identity design is about the overall experience the design provides a brand.”
Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, this article breaks down the difference between brand identity and visual design in a clear, helpful way. Definitely worth the read!
