Why consistency is important in brand promotion
If you are committed to developing your brand then you need to repeat after me: Consistency, Consistency, Consistency.
Consistency means more than simply using the same logo on different promotional elements (signage, advertising, letterhead, etc.)—it means making sure that every single time your brand is published that it looks exactly the same to your audience and that it looks as good as possible.
Concepts of consistency include:
- Ensuring that the colors are perfectly matched in every application;
- Making sure that special design effects (shadows, highlights, etc.) are always identical;
- The ratio of logo size to tagline is always the same;
- Logos are consistently applied across multiple platforms (print, web site, digital, etc.);
- Never changing the typeface of a tagline that appears adjacent to a logo;
- Always placing logos in a similar location on communication elements (for example, always in the upper right hand corner of letterhead, business card and mailing labels as opposed to different corners on each piece);
- Avoiding translating a 3-color logo into a black and white treatment in pieces that will be presented simultaneously.
These techniques guarantee that your audience will see your brand in a manner that conveys integrity, professionalism and consistency.
Consider a brand such as American Airlines. Since the early 1970’s the American logo has not changed or been inconsistently applied, regardless of its use on the tail of an airplane, a ticket jacket or an email promotion. It’s always the same, always crisp and always in their signature red and blue with a stylized eagle in-between the two letters. I’m sure you can imagine it in your mind right now.
A great brand begins with good design and a strategy for it to be adaptable to many different applications. At Henry York, we specialize in helping our clients create brands, identities and taglines that are designed to provide the same legacy of consistency as American Airlines’. Contact us to learn more about our graphics and brand development services and how we can help your company develop and maintain a brand of distinction.
