“Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text.”- This sounds like a powerful argument in favour of visuals but it is far from the truth. Despite being thrown away even by the biggest platforms, this isn’t the case- it's just a marketing meme based on the 1997 3M report.
It takes a brief moment to recognize a single word, but understanding a sentence takes a bit longer as we need to grasp the overall meaning, not just the individual words. Similarly, when we see images or pictures from a brand, we process them quickly, but it takes a bit more time to understand the message the brand is trying to convey. This is important for brand identity as the images and pictures used need to be easily understandable, yet also carry the brand's message effectively.
So, let’s understand what role does visual identity in effective branding design when compared to textual content:
The data and the science is clear - our brains process images incredibly fast. A study from MIT found that the human brain can decode images in just 13 milliseconds. That's up to 600 times faster than reading a sentence!
Let's break down the text processing speed: On average, recognizing a single word takes 100-300 ms. An 8-word sentence would take 0.8-2.4 seconds to process. But sentences take even longer, with a 50% per-word "penalty" to extract meaning. So that 8-word sentence may need 1.2-2.4 seconds to fully understand.
Now compare that to visual processing. In the MIT study, images flashed for just 13 ms were processed. Another study showed 150 ms or less to categorise unseen photos. So our brains can "read" images in 13-150 ms, while sentences require over a second.
With crisp, high-resolution images full of recognizable details, our visual processing may be even faster today. This lightning fast speed allows visuals to instantaneously convey messages that would take much longer in text.
And these rapidly processed images stick better too. Visuals are memory magnets, etching themselves more vividly and permanently than words alone.
For brands, this science spotlights the immense power of visual identity. Bold, recognizable images can imprint a brand on audiences' minds in milliseconds, and linger there clearly. A strong visual identity conveys the essence of a brand at lightning speed.
So while text has a place, the statistics show images are unmatched for quickly conveying and imprinting messages. A picture is not only worth a thousand words - it's delivered and remembered 600 times faster!
But, if you master the art of harmonizing all graphical elements to craft a bespoke visual identity, it will make the “recall” far easier. This means less money spent on “awareness” and a higher conversion ratio for both organic and paid marketing efforts.
A strong visual identity is crucial for establishing a memorable and recognizable brand identity. Here's why:
Consistent use of colors, fonts, logos and other visual elements trains customers to associate those visuals with your brand. This boosts brand recognition as people can instantly identify your brand.
In a crowded market, visual identity sets you apart from competitors. Unique, bold visuals make your brand more distinguishable and memorable.
Visual aesthetics like color palettes, typography and mascots can reflect your brand's personality. This helps customers perceive your brand identity accurately.
Familiar visuals feel comforting and build affinity. When customers recognize your visual identity, it feels like seeing an old friend, fueling brand loyalty.
Thoughtful visuals like images showing diversity can communicate brand values non-verbally. This attracts customers who share your values.
Using the same visual identity universally provides a consistent brand experience across touchpoints. This strengthens your brand identity.
Let me tell you the story of how Alpino Health Foods pulled off a major branding win.
Alpino aimed high - to revolutionise India's healthcare with delicious high-protein peanut snacks. Problem was, their old-school packaging totally failed to convey their ambitious mission. It looked dated and blended into the background on shelves.
Clearly, a packaging makeover was needed to showcase Alpino's unique value and connect with younger consumers.
But this redesign faced some major hurdles:
So how did we take on these challenges? With strategic storytelling and eye-catching visuals!
First, we introduced fun archetypes like "The Everyman" and "The Hero" to craft Alpino's personality - sincere, honest, and down-to-earth yet ambitious. Instantly relatable!
Next, we gave the logo a refresh - now youthful and modern but still featuring the iconic mountain as a nostalgic element. Customers connected instantly with the new crunchier, "can-do" Alpino.
The color palette using vibrant greens and secondary colors made the packs pop on shelves. Irresistible!
Illustrations of farmers against the backdrop of Junagadh's natural beauty helped customers appreciate the origin of these tasty peanuts. A great storytelling touch.
Clean, flexible designs accommodated different products while keeping things consistent. Recipes on pack showed the versatility of Alpino's offering. Mouthwatering!
The results? A big fat success! From abundant positive reviews to soaring sales, Alpino's rebrand was a smash hit. As Umesh, Co-founder of Alpino put it, this redesign had a huge impact on both brand image and the bottom line.
Alpino's packaging makeover proves the immense power of strategic branding and design in connecting with consumers. This is one for the branding playbook, folks!
A strong visual identity is crucial for effective branding. Here are some key principles outlined for designing a visual identity that builds your brand:
Before developing visual assets, clearly define your brand personality, values and messaging. This provides direction for visual elements that align with and reinforce your brand identity.
Start by perfecting primary branding elements - logo, color palette, typography. These core visuals establish recognition and set the tone for other elements. Keep them simple yet distinctive.
Build out secondary visual elements like patterns, illustrations, icons and photography. These should complement primary elements and add visual interest across branding materials.
Use core visual elements consistently across all touchpoints - website, packaging, ads, social media, stationery. Consistent use strengthens brand recognition and recall.
While maintaining consistency, adapt visual elements suitably for different contexts. For example, bold colors on packaging vs muted tones for office stationery.
Use color, typography, graphics and styling to reflect your brand's personality. For example, rounded fonts for a friendly brand or sleek visuals for sophisticated brands.
Ensure visual identity elements are legible and accessible. Use color combinations with enough contrast for easy reading. Avoid busy, distracting patterns.
Choose versatile visuals aligned with your brand identity but flexible enough to evolve over time. Avoid short-lived trendy styles that may date your brand.
Get feedback from target users throughout the design process to ensure the visual identity resonates with your audience as intended.
Here are three brands that you can look up to for their visual identity game:
Dropbox underwent a vibrant rebrand in 2017 to match its evolving product suite. The revamped visual identity features bold colors, playful illustrations and engaging photography.
This dynamic and creative aesthetic reinforces Dropbox's brand as an innovative platform for productivity and collaboration. Vibrant social media banners and posts align with the new visual identity to provide a consistent and recognizable brand experience.
This modern baby products brand stands out with a sophisticated visual identity uncommon in its category. January Moon combines classic primary colors and abstract geometric shapes for a clean, stylish look.
Pops of color paired with muted grays give the brand an elevated aesthetic compared to conventional pastel-hued baby brands. This aligns January Moon with its brand promise of offering discerning modern parents premium quality products.
Yogurt brand Chobani has an eye-catching visual identity that leverages the signature green color of its natural ingredients. Chobani's packaging features fruit bursting out of a green backdrop, immediately conveying its use of real, non-GMO components.
Its social media enhances the core visual identity with fun, engaging illustrations and collages in the brand's iconic green and white palette. This creates a memorable brand asset that represents Chobani's values of simple, delicious ingredients.
While visuals are processed incredibly quickly, crafting a visual identity that truly resonates requires thoughtful strategy. The science shows visuals are powerful for rapid brand recognition and recall. But the art of effective branding lies in aligning visual elements with core brand identity to tell a compelling story.
When visuals and brand strategy reinforce each other seamlessly, the result is a distinctive, memorable identity that builds authentic connections. Though visual processing is lightning fast, a strong visual identity makes an even faster emotional impact. This potent combination enables brands to convey their essence instantly, and make it stick for the long term.
Want the experts to build a compelling visual identity for your brand?
Contact our Design experts now!