June 5, 2014

How Graphic Design Boosts Brand Recognition

How Graphic Design Boosts Brand RecognitionDo you sometimes have difficulty explaining why graphic design is crucial for successful advertising? Maybe you don’t explain your designs in terms marketing experts use? An important marketing term is “brand recognition.”

For products typically chosen at the point-of-purchase, as with many supermarket products, brand recognition becomes the goal. Brand recognition is one of two brand awareness goals advertising can aim at.

Simply speaking, ”Brand recognition” means that the targeted buyer recognizes a brand when seeing it, and she or he also knows which product category the brand belongs to. Examples of product categories are “exclusive cars,” “chocolate candy,” or “whitening toothpaste.”

To boost brand recognition when designing advertising use these five principles.

How Graphic Design Boosts Brand Recognition in Ads

1. Draws Attention to the Brand Name

The main brand recognition [advertising] tactic is to emphasize the package and the [brand] name visually in the advertising. J.R. Rossiter/L. Percy

Good graphic design creates a focal point on the brand name.

2. Shows the Product as It Will Be Seen

The ad must show the package (if any.) Otherwise there can be no recognition at the point-of-purchase.

Good graphic design makes sure there is a truthful reproduction of the package as it will be seen at the point-of-purchase, and draws attention to that image.

3. Helps Position the Brand in the Correct Product Category

The ad must also position the product into a product category.

A Colgate toothpaste could be positioned as just general “toothpaste,” but also as a toothpaste with a particular purpose, e.g. “toothpaste for sensitive teeth” or “whitening toothpaste.”

Good graphic design can help to position the brand both via visuals and copy:

Draw Attention to Primary Copy

How Graphic Design Boosts Brand Recognition: A strong visual hierarchy draws attention to the headline (and to the copy claim,) thereby positioning this product as "whitening toothpaste." Click the image to see the original Colgate ad!
A strong visual hierarchy draws attention to the headline (and to the copy claim,) thereby positioning this product as “whitening toothpaste.” Click to see the original Colgate ad!

The primary copy teaches the potential buyer to which product category the product belongs to.

For toothpaste such copy could be something like “healthy gums and teeth,” “zero cavities,” “sensitivity protection,” “fresh breath” or “white teeth.”

Positioning the brand into the correct product category builds upon teaching simple facts like those.

Good graphic design establishes a strong visual hierarchy that draws attention to headings, tag lines and other copy mentioning such simple, positioning facts.

Illustrate Why the Product is Needed

How Graphic Design Boosts Brand Recognition: Before and after illustrations are effective in positioning the product into the right product category.
Before and after illustrations are effective in positioning the product into the right product category.

The brand can also be positioned in the correct product category by visual means.

Visuals positioning a “whitening toothpaste” as such could:

  • illustrate what the product will give you, e.g. “a white smile”
  • remind you about the problem the product solves, e.g. “yellow teeth”
  • demonstrate how the product works, e.g. “animated salt and lemon micro-particles are shown attacking and dissolving stains on teeth”
  • demonstrate how to use the product
  • show how the product makes you feel, e.g. confident

4. Creates a Consistent Look

Advertising campaigns with an easy-to-recognize, consistent look create brand recognition faster.

Good graphic design creates exactly that.

5. Creates Packages that Stand Out

Brand recognition products are typically chosen at the point-of-purchase. A package design that helps the buyer to easily recognize the brand in busy surroundings becomes very important.

Conclusion

Graphic design boosts brand recognition by:

  • drawing attention to the brand name
  • showing the product as it will be seen at the point-of-purchase
  • drawing attention to primary copy
  • illustrating why the product is needed
  • creating a consistent look throughout all advertising
  • creating attention-grabbing packages

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