If you're thinking about starting a business, or if you're already running one, you've probably heard the terms "brand strategy," "brand design," and "brand identity" thrown around. These terms can be confusing, but they're essential to understanding if you want to build a strong brand that will resonate with your customers. In this article, I'll break down what each term means and how they work together to create a successful brand.

Brand Strategy
Your brand strategy is the plan you create to help you achieve your business goals. It's like a roadmap that outlines what you want your brand to stand for and how you plan to get there.

Think of your brand strategy as your brand's personality. Like a person, your brand has a unique set of goals and values that guide its behavior. Your brand's personality is reflected in its mission statement, target audience, unique selling proposition, and marketing plan. A strong personality helps your brand connect with your audience and build long-lasting relationships.

Your brand strategy is like your brain that guides your behavior, your brand design is like your appearance that catches people's attention, and your brand identity is like your DNA that defines who you are.

Your brand strategy includes your mission statement, target audience, unique selling proposition (what makes your brand different from others), and marketing plan. A strong brand strategy helps you create a consistent message that resonates with your audience and builds brand loyalty over time.

Brand Design
Your brand design is your brand's appearance. It's like your brand's wardrobe, hairstyle, and makeup that make it stand out in a crowd. Your brand's appearance includes elements such as your logo, colors, typography, and overall design aesthetic.

Your brand's appearance should reflect its personality and values and be memorable to your audience. A strong brand appearance helps you create a lasting impression and capture your audience's attention.

A robust brand design helps your brand stand out from competitors and create a memorable impression in the minds of your audience.

Brand Identity
Your brand identity is the combination of your brand's personality and appearance. It's like your brand's DNA that determines how it looks, feels, and behaves. Your brand identity includes your brand name, logo, tagline, colors, typography, messaging, and tone of voice.

A strong brand identity helps your brand create a consistent message across all channels and touchpoints, and it helps your audience connect emotionally with your brand.

Differences Between Brand Strategy, Brand Design, and Brand Identity
While brand strategy, brand design, and brand identity are different aspects of your brand, they work together like different parts of the human body. Your brand strategy is like your brain that guides your behavior, your brand design is like your appearance that catches people's attention, and your brand identity is like your DNA that defines who you are.

Starting with a solid brand strategy ensures that your brand's design and identity are based on a clear understanding of your purpose, values, and target audience.

While brand strategy, brand design, and brand identity are related, they are different aspects of your brand that work together to create a cohesive message. Your brand strategy outlines your business goals, your brand design creates a visual representation of your brand, and your brand identity brings the two together to create a consistent message.

Building a successful brand takes time and effort, but understanding the difference between brand strategy, brand design, and brand identity is a crucial first step. By creating a strong brand strategy, designing a visual aesthetic that reflects your brand's values, and creating a consistent message across all channels, you can build a brand that resonates with your audience and sets you apart from competitors.