General Assembly

STUDY GUIDE

FINDING YOUR BRAND'S

IDENTITY
What is a Brand Identity?
A brand is more than the sum of its products. A strong, clearbrand identity:
- Encompasses a brand's mission, value proposition, personality, and values.
- Creates an emotional connection with consumers that builds loyalty.
- Informs everything related to a brand (product development, internal working styles, external marketing
and messaging, etc.).

Brand Identity Example: BMW

» Mission: "BMW stands for one thing — sheer driving pleasure; dynamic performance combined with
superb design and exclusive quality."
» Value proposition: "The purest expression of an ultimate driving machine."
» Personality: Competitive, discerning, decisive
» Values: Achievement, precision, luxury, exclusivity

Four Key Components of a Brand Identity

Along with intangibles, experiences, and memories, a brand’s identity is composed of the following
elements.

1. Mission
The mission explains why your company exists and how it impacts customers. Your mission statement
should go beyond the products your brand sells. Examples of great mission statements:
- Tesla: "To accelerate the world's transformation to sustainable energy."
- Google: "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

2. Value Proposition
The value proposition defines your commitment and promise to your customers. It tells customers what
problem you're solving for them and why they're better off with your brand in their lives. To develop a
great value proposition:
- Promise customers a benefit that resonates with them.
- Explain why your brand delivers that benefit without risk.
- Back up your promises with proof.

3. Personality
Personality refers to your brand's tone and style. A strong personality makes your brand more interesting
and memorable. Consider these 12 brand personality archetypes when developing your brand's own
personality traits:
- Innocent: positive, kind, optimistic (Coca-Cola, Dove, Nintendo)
- Sage: wise, omniscient, trustworthy (Google, BBC)
- Explorer: adventurous, eager, bold (REI, Red Bull, Corona)
- Outlaw: rebellious, independent, unruly (Virgin, Harley-Davidson)
- Magician: clever, alluring, supernatural (Apple, Absolut)
- Hero: brave, benevolent, virtuous (Snickers, Nike)
- Lover: idealistic, passionate, decadent (Chanel, Haagen Dazs)
- Jester: fun, hedonistic, jovial (M&M's, Old Spice, Budweiser)
- Everyman: relatable, honest, practical (Kit Kat, IKEA, Visa)
- Creator: imaginative, non-conforming, visionary (Lego, Adobe, Crayola)
- Ruler: authoritative, dependable, confident (Microsoft, Mercedes Benz, British Airways)
- Caregiver: nurturing, warm, selfless (Johnson & Johnson, Heinz)

4. Values
Your brand's values describe how you conduct business. Great values distill your brand's mission, value
proposition, and personality into a few key words. To start thinking about your own brand’s values,
consider the following questions:
- How does your customer feel when they use the product?
- Who is your brand's hero?
- What music would you play to celebrate your brand?

Here are some examples of strong sets of values:

- Virgin: insatiable curiosity, heartfelt service, smart disruption, delightfully surprising, straight up, red
hot
- WeWork: inspired, tenacious, entrepreneurial, grateful, authentic, together