Make the Most of Your Brand Imagery

How often do you think about brand imagery (or other people’s brand imagery)? While we see these kinds of visual elements every day, rarely do we stop to admire how every Target store is painted with the same shade of red paint, how Nike’s collateral always uses the Futura Condensed Extra Black typeface, or how every McDonald’s restaurant is immediately recognizable no matter what country you’re in.

That’s because when brand imagery is successful, we aren’t supposed to think about it — we just know.

If you’re involved in developing your brand’s imagery or helping other brands workshop their own, though, it’s your job to think critically about brand imagery. While there are plenty of ways to handle brand imagery incorrectly, there are also plenty of ways to do it right. To help you manage your branding components and assets, we’ve highlighted a few best practices that will ensure your branding efforts don’t go to waste.

It’s Brand Imagery (Not Brand Image)

Brand imagery should not be confused with brand image.

• Brand image is how consumers perceive your company.
• Brand imagery is the aesthetic appearance of your brand.

While brand image is intangible and figurative, brand imagery is literal, communicated through visuals and sounds, or more involved experiences that engage other senses such as taste or smell.

Example: By releasing a proprietary scent throughout each location, Abercrombie & Fitch helps shoppers associate their brand with a specific woodsy smell. IKEA and Cinnabon use similar strategies.

The goal of brand imagery is simple: communicate the right messages to your target audience so they immediately recognize your brand and associate positive emotions with it. You only have one chance to make a good first impression, so it pays to develop an accurate, memorable appearance.

Components of Brand Imagery

Most brand imagery elements are visual. While some companies can engage other senses, sight is still the most reliable way into a consumer’s mind.

Common components include:

• Logos: Graphic marks or symbols used to identify a company. (e.g., Nike swoosh, McDonald’s Golden Arches)
• Photography: Images that communicate brand values through subject matter.
• Illustration: Whimsical or playful visual styles (e.g., Slack, Mailchimp, Headspace).
• Typography: Consistent use of typefaces that reinforce brand messaging (e.g., Coca-Cola’s Spencerian script).
• Video: Branded video content with a consistent look and feel (e.g., Buzzfeed’s Tasty).
• Animation: Animated characters or sequences that extend brand identity (e.g., M&M’s characters).
• Color Palettes: Consistent use of color schemes — single color (Airbnb), two colors (Best Buy), gradients (Instagram), or multicolor (NBC).
• Design Systems: Standardized design rules for digital products that create a cohesive experience (e.g., Google, Apple).

Some of these elements — like a logo and brand colors — are essential for every brand. Others depend on your desired brand persona.

If You Wanna Do It Right…

Speak to Your Audience

The best way to ensure your brand imagery is on target is to consider it from your audience’s perspective.

• Know your audience and what appeals to them.
• Identify what might repel them from your brand.
• Review competitor imagery to understand how they target similar audiences.

Example: Car companies like Cadillac, Ford, Mercedes, and Toyota all sell vehicles but use very different imagery to appeal to distinct market segments.

Be Consistent

Brand association is built over time, through repeated and consistent exposure.

• Ensure all internal teams and external partners use the same assets consistently.
• Create a central repository for brand assets.
• Implement an approval process to maintain quality.

Use Version Stacking

Assets often go through multiple iterations as brand standards evolve.

• Store all versions in one place.
• Ensure teams always have access to the latest version.
• Allow creators to reference or reuse previous iterations.

Create Brand Guidelines

Brand guidelines ensure assets are always used correctly.

• Include rules for logo usage, color specifications, and typography.
• Treat guidelines as a living document, updated as needed.
• Make guidelines easily accessible to anyone who uses brand assets.

Don’t Let Brand Imagery Jump Ship

Creating and maintaining consistent brand imagery that communicates effectively with your audience is no small task. From brochures to social media posts, every piece of imagery should be thoughtfully considered to avoid confusing your audience.

The best way to keep brand assets aligned is by running them through the same approval processes. Whether you work with photos, illustrations, videos, or audio, Ashore can help.

How Ashore Helps

Ashore offers:

• Customizable workflows
• Automated notifications and reminders
• Proof timelines to keep projects on track
• Version stacking and version comparison
• Contextual commenting for precise feedback
• Dynamic tagging to keep assets organized

If you’d like to get all of your creative assets under control and coordinate your brand imagery, sign up for Ashore today!