Brand Identity vs. Brand Image

Main Difference

The main difference between Brand Identity and Brand Image is that Brand Identity is how the brand owner defines his brand, and Brand Image determines how the ultimate consumer perceives the brand.

Difference Between Brand Identity and Brand Image

Comparison Chart

Brand Identity vs. Brand Image

Brand identity is how the company presents the brand to the market, how it wants its customers to view its brand. Brand Image, on the other hand, is the total character of the brand. It is the set of perceptions that the customers have in mind about a particular brand. Brand identity expands from the source, or the receiver or the consumer perceives the company and Brand image. The brand message is bound together in terms of brand identity whereas the consumer unties brand message in the form of brand image. The overall meaning of brand identity is “who you are?” and the general meaning of the brand image is “How market perceives you?” Brand identity symbolizes the firms’ reality. Its quality is that it is material oriented or strategic. Brand image, on the other hand, symbolizes perception of consumers. Its quality is that it is aspect-oriented or tactical. Brand identity represents “your desire” whereas brand image represents “others view.”

What is Brand Identity?

Brand identity is the approach or way the company presents itself to the customers and wants it to perceived by the people. In other words, it is the firm’s face, which attests the values, personality, and concepts of the company. It includes features, attributes, trait, performance, services and support techniques that it possesses. Brand Identity is an outcome of the collective effort of the organization and its management to create an eminent product with distinct characteristics. It determines the way the organization wants it to be recognized by the focus audience in the market. For this purpose, the branding and marketing plans and techniques help a lot to the organization in communicating the identity to the people. It entails brand vision, positioning, personality, connection, etc. It is all about the intellect and operational connections with the brand, to provide familiarity and differentiation to the brand.

Appearance

• Know your objective
• Know your market position
• Formulate a competitive profile
• Take a corporate inventory
• Embrace market feedback
• Develop brand standards
• Prepare your new creative
• Execute externally
• Communicate the story of your new identity
• Get creative and tactical

What is a Brand Image?

We determine the name ‘brand image’ as the feeling of the customers (existing and prospective) about the brand. It comprises the collection of beliefs, ideas, and perception held by the customers, formed from many sources, about the brand. In better terms, it explains the way customer imagine of a brand and the feeling it reflects when the consumer hears its name. Brand image is not a one-day matter; rather it is developed over time, moreover, through promotional campaigns or direct customer contact with the concerned brand. It is anything and everything that affects a customer’s perception of the brand. The customers make a connection with the brand, as per their experiences and interaction with the products offered by that brand. Based on these connections, an image developed which can be positive or negative depending on the current market position of the brand.

Appearance

• Conduct a brand audit
• Define your brand differentiation
• Ensure leadership adoption
• Build your brand strategy
• Map all brand touch points
• Appoint brand champions
• Develop a marketing strategy
• Build a creative strategy
• Execute externally
• Monitor progress toward your end goal

Conclusion

In summary, brand identity is nothing but how a brand represents itself to the objective audience. On the contrary, brand image is the way existent, and prospective customers recognize a particular brand and connect with it.