Creative thinking

The Brand Identity Prism: What it is and How to Use it

The Mannequin Identification Prism is a well-known promoting model, moreover generally known as Kapferer’s Mannequin Identification Prism. It is a hexagonal prism that represents the six key elements that make up mannequin identification.

The Mannequin Identification Prism was a severe contributor to our understanding of the place of storytelling in branding. It stays an indispensable assist for firms attempting to strengthen their mannequin in strategies which may be persistently reflective of their origins and core values.

On this text, we’ll break down the 6 elements of the Mannequin Identification Prism and make it simpler to implement them into your mannequin as a complete.

What is the Kapferer Mannequin Identification Prism?

The Mannequin Identification Prism is an thought developed in 1986 by Jean-Noel Kapferera professor of selling method, in order to visualise how a mannequin is expressed via explicit sides. Kapferer honed in on six essential traits of brand name identify identification and decided that one of many easiest methods to represent how they work collectively as components of an entire was by putting them in a prism sort.

A mannequin has very explicit traits that set up it previous its emblem and completely different seen design provides. According to Kapferer, the producers that deal with to fully harmonize and categorical these traits are people who obtain developing a strong and distinctive mannequin identification. The prism’s aim is for producers to acknowledge the weather of their identification and make them work collectively to tell the mannequin’s story.

The 6 components of the Mannequin Identification Prism outlined

For the Mannequin Identification Prism to work as a complete, it is a should to start with its explicit individual components. We’re going to walk you via each facet of the prism after which current you the appropriate approach to apply these developing blocks to your private mannequin.

Airbnb photo ad showing a man staying in a loft hotel

Airbnb’s “Reside there” advertising marketing campaign speaks to what Airbnb is known for, properties away from dwelling. by Airbnb

1. Physique

Physique describes the bodily traits of your mannequin—that is, each little factor your purchasers can visually perceive about you. Emblem, trend infoiconography, shade paletteand the presentation of the product itself all go into this class.

Airbnb, as an example, has a service somewhat than a bodily product. This means their physique is critical to stress because of a tangible seen is means easier for his or her viewers to know than an thought. So in its place of a product, their adverts current the tip outcomes of using their service: of us comfortably current in areas that are not their properties nevertheless would possibly as correctly be.

Collectively, the entire seen elements create one fixed, attractive look that makes up their mannequin’s physique.

2. Character

If physique is the face of your mannequin, character is the voice. Your mannequin character not solely addresses what you say nevertheless the best way you say it, and it is not restricted to verbal communication.

Character embodies each little factor from font selections to the tone of any communication. That’s usually described as a mannequin’s “human traits.” It must reply the question “who’re you?” If a person was sitting in a room alongside together with your mannequin, what would they see, hear and speak about with you?

Nike ad showing a strong photo of an athlete paired with tagline

Nike’s mannequin character is effectively recognizable as assured, inspiring and fearless. by Nike

Nike’s mannequin character, as an example, is fixed from its well-known “swoosh” to the best way during which athletes are positioned in a physique alongside assertive textual content material. It is assured, aggressive, risk-taking and athletic. The story it tells is one amongst triumph, whatever the ranking. Nike achieves consistency in its mannequin character with the athletes they choose to portray, the positions they take, their font different and their sparse, commanding language.

3. Custom

Custom is your mannequin’s origin story. The place was your mannequin born? The place does it reside? What is the notion system and values it ascribes to and why?

“Custom” is a loads talked about facet of newer progressive corporations. It has a technique of expressing how a corporation lives its mission assertion day-to-day, and it touches on the people who work there along with the patrons who work along with the product.

The vital question to ask to seek out out your agency custom is: what does my mannequin reside for? Custom brings a aim previous the product to your mannequin.

4. Relationship

Relationship is the engagement between a mannequin and consumers.

That’s about larger than a monetary transaction: think about how your mannequin maintains a healthful relationship with its purchasers from the preliminary interaction to the after purchase interval.

illustration of customer and brand connecting via smartphone

Who’re you hoping to reach alongside together with your mannequin? Illustration by Music! by 99designs by Vista.

Counting on the character of your mannequin, a superb relationship might fluctuate from social media engagement to diligent in-store assist. On the end of the day, a strong relationship is irrespective of meets purchaser expectations and earns you mannequin loyalty.

Apple is an outstanding occasion of a mannequin that acknowledges and nurtures their relationship with purchasers. Not solely is the interface centered on usability nevertheless the Apple outlets are designed to be places the place it is easy to go looking out assist along with merchandise.

The connection emphasizes seamless familiarity, meeting the needs of shoppers and creating with out isolating the patrons.

5. Reflection

Reflection describes who you want your purchaser to be. Who would you ideally like to reach? Specificity is important proper right here. For a company that is selling biodegradable cosmetics merchandise, it may be working women of their 20s who reside in cosmopolitan areas and cling to a vegan weight reduction program.

While you get explicit alongside together with your supreme purchaser, you can confidently pivot your mannequin identification in route of that particular person when considering all the other traits of the prism.

6. Self-Image

Outdoors Ralph lauren magazine ad from the 90s

Ralph Lauren purchasers can actually really feel that they are part of the storyline. by Ralph Lauren

Self-image is how purchasers visualize their supreme selves. Understanding this allows producers to cater to their purchasers further efficiently. Take into consideration how their purchases and interactions with you improve their lives.

Self-image serves as aspirational for every the mannequin and the viewers. The patron wishes to view themselves a superb technique, and your mannequin can try to help them acquire their beliefs.

Ralph Lauren’s mannequin famously focuses on developing a storyline by which the patrons can actually really feel like characters: upscale, healthful People having enjoyable with the surface as depicted of their advert campaigns.

Inserting the prism collectively

In entire, there are six sides of the Mannequin Identification Prism: Physique, Character, Custom, Relationship, Reflection and Self-Image. These are separated on the prism nevertheless grouped collectively throughout the following greater lessons.

brand identity prism model with categories

Picture of Sender refers again to the tactic the mannequin presents itself. Physique and Character fall beneath this group.

Picture of Receiver refers to how purchasers see the mannequin. Reflection and Self-image belong to this class.

The alternative two lessons are Internalization and Externalization. Externalization addresses the entire output by the mannequin seen to purchasers akin to the model, selling, merchandise and restore and subsequently is represented by Relationship.

Internalization comprises values, human belongings insurance coverage insurance policies, administration and so forth and instantly addresses Custom.

Red brand identity mockup poster design images

Though these posters are completely completely different, a robust mannequin foundation has led to a relentless identification: vibrant pink paired with jubilant imagery. Design by goopanic by 99designs by Vista.

All collectively, these lessons full the Mannequin Identification Prism and provide a roadmap to your mannequin to efficiently discuss alongside together with your viewers.

Simple strategies to make use of the Mannequin Identification Prism

The Mannequin Identification Prism works its magic when you chart your mannequin via each of its sides. As you progress via the prism, ask your self questions like: What’s my mission assertion? Who would I resolve to represent my mannequin? What impressions do I would love of us to depart my retailer with? Take note of that your most vital goal is to create consistency in your persona, and your options ought to strengthen one another.

While you’ve created a personalized Mannequin Identification Prism, ponder summarizing your mannequin proper right into a unifying mannequin thoughtdescribing who you are as a enterprise. Bear in mind to keep up your prism helpful as a reference to info each little factor from day-to-day communications to monumental choices. Revisit and exchange it generally as correctly so that it stays associated to modifications in what you might be selling targets.

See your mannequin in a complete new gentle

The Mannequin Identification Prism is an answer to develop your mannequin so that purchasers can instantly acknowledge its character and its value of their lives. The prism is a helpful and clear technique as a way to craft a branding method that is aligned alongside together with your mission.

With the prism as your info, you can develop in line with this method and monitor how your private prism sides change over time, making certain every persistently helps your mannequin for years to return.

Creator: Zeynep Lokmanoglu

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