One of the most common questions a branding and design agency is likely to be asked is of the many elements that make up a brand identity, which part is the most important and should have the most time spent on it?
It is a surprisingly difficult question to answer because if you, for example, look at a list of the most powerful brands in the world, these brands often have different ways to stand out.
Some brands, such as Nike, Apple and McDonalds take advantage of an iconic and very simplistic logo. No matter where you are in the world, you have a built-up expectation if you see the swoosh or the golden arches, but could you make the same argument for Google or Siemens?
For some brands like Pepsi, Coca-Cola or McDonalds perhaps the important part is the visual identity, which in all three cases is best shown through a colour scheme that defines a particular brand.
However, with the advent of colour-agnostic branding suitable for modification for different regions, events and services, perhaps even colour scheme is not the most important part.
Perhaps it is the brand name itself both in how it is spelt, the fonts used and how it is spoken, but if that was purely the case would companies such as Nintendo, Nestlé and Chevrolet be as iconic?
Ultimately, the most important part of a brand is its consistency. All of the elements that go into every design associated with the brand should evoke your brand’s values and remain consistent for years if not decades into the future.
So long as your design can be replicated in every part of your communications, marketing and product design, what matters most is that you keep every element consistent.
