First things first. The brand icon is not necessarily your logo. It’s an object, a character who embodies your brand or enterprise’s values, or is central to your thought. For instance, if your firm believes in eco-friendliness, a tree could be your icon. Or if it’s about education and wisdom, an owl could do the trick.
Such icons or mascots can be fictional characters, who have the traits associated with your brand. The owl could be friendly, warm, intelligent, helping find the right answers. It could have a name too.
Why do brand icons help?
When you hear a story, don’t you try to imagine the characters in it? And doesn’t it help when you know how the characters are – tall, dark, wearing pigtails, dressed in sarongs, jovial, grumpy, whatever.
Talking about your brand is similar to telling a story. It’s just a more corporate one. But just like any other tale, here too it helps to have characters to identify with. Your brand icon fits in here.
You can build narratives around it to talk of your growth story, or ideals and values. In fact, an icon makes it easier to share brand values with employees, customers, and other stakeholders as they can be turned into believable traits rather than abstract values. They can also serve as reminders. Isn’t it easier to relate to a wise, old owl, rather than read a list of commandments which say, “thou shalt learn,” or “thou shalt share knowledge”?
Building the story further
You can get the most out of your brand icon by making it a part of your communication. The communication space is cluttered with brand ambassadors, logos, and messages. With a lovable icon, you have a chance of being spotted.
Well-thought out messages can also increase brand recall. I’d certainly remember the tale of the wise, old, owl that helped animals in the forest, than a smartly written brochure about a friendly brand.
