What is Restaurant Brand Identity and Why Does it Matter?

What is brand identity?

You may hear the term “brand identity” and have a vague idea of what it is, but not a clear understanding of what that means. You’re not alone. Most people can’t give an explanation of what a brand identity is. It involves your logo, so why not just say logo design? Because involves so much more, there is a big difference between your logo and brand identity. Our goal is to help you understand the difference and how it impacts your bottom line.

When you think of Coca-Cola, do you picture their logo?

Probably, but you also think of red packaging, white lettering, sparkling liquid, the Christmas advertising campaign, refreshment, and joy.

We could go on and on with examples — brands such as McDonalds, Nike, Apple, Starbucks and many others have invested heavily in developing a complete brand identity and reaped the reward of recognition, association, and loyalty.

A brand identity is the combination of the visual elements including the name, logo, tagline, colour palette, image style, typography, textures & patterns, iconography, packaging and collateral.

All of these elements work together to form a visual identity system. An effective brand identity must be implemented creatively and consistently over a period of time to make an impact in people’s minds.

What makes a brand identity effective?

1.   Accuracy. Does you’re branding communicate the right message about who you are and what you offer?

2.   Creativity. Does your branding spike interest or is it just bland, cliche and forgettable?

3.   Consistency. Does your branding look the same everywhere it’s applied? Does it form a cohesive, intentional look that people can come to recognise and appreciate?

Whether or not you’ve ever thought about this or put any focus on it, your restaurant has a brand identity. It may not be truly representative of your values and it may not be consistent, but it’s there. You broadcast it to your potential customers every day. Logo, website, business cards, stationery, collateral, signage, social media posts, etc. Whatever is out there, be it accidental or intentional, is how your brand is represented to potential customers.

Can your brand identity affect the bottom line?

There are many times that a potential customer will see your logo and branding before they set foot in your location, taste your food, talk to your staff. It is the first touchpoint in converting the general public into a potential customer. Whether or not they give you the chance will be greatly affected by your branding.

The average person is bombarded with around 4,000 brands every day. It may seem like an overwhelming number to compete with, but the good news is that there is a very small percentage of restaurants that are actually designed well. When you see a restaurant with an interesting brand, it stands out.

If your competitors are doing well with this, then you can’t afford not to invest in this section of your business. If your competitors aren’t doing well with this, then you have that much more to gain from your investment. In either case, you have an opportunity to connect with potential customers and build trust and loyalty by developing an accurate, creative and consistent brand identity.

Think of it This Way

Imagine someone sets two plates off food in front of you. On the right, you have a clean bright white plate with beautifully arranged food that is full of colour.  On the left, you have a dirty old plate with the same food piled together haphazardly. I’m not a psychologist, but I’ll bet 10 out of 10 people will pick the one with the better presentation. (Even though they may taste the exact same.)

Presentation is huge. If a potential customer doesn’t perceive you to be interesting and trustworthy, they won’t give you a chance.

Conclusion

Take some time to evaluate your current logo and brand identity elements. Does it accurately communicate who you are? Is it creative and memorable? Is there consistency in all of your brand touch points?

 If you need some help with your restaurants brand identity or branding, get in touch today and we can have a chat over a coffee.