The importance of your brand’s visual identity
IN late 2016, Coca-Cola rolled out its global One Brand strategy which stated its intention to unify all Coca-Cola sub-brands under one iconic design – white script on a bright red background, is the Coca-Cola iconography.
And now, Coca-Cola has announced the launch of a custom typeface, TCCC Unity.
First impressions count
While Coca-Cola’s campaigns have evolved over the years, its core brand assets have not.
Its strategy is simple: spend time and money getting the visual identity right from the start and spend years applying it consistently to leave a memorable impression.
Not for fonts sake
A typeface holds as much value as a brand colour. It’s a powerful asset that is often overlooked, and, as I have mentioned before, great branding is more than just a logo.
A typeface has a character and is an opportunity to reflect your company’s personality and values.
The folks at Coca-Cola know this, which is why they’ve invested in Neville Brody (one of the most iconic designers and typographers in recent history) to create their unique font. The overall feeling of the new font is nostalgic yet modern, and over time it will become as iconic and distinctive as the red disk.
These properties are unique to Coca-Cola, so it therefore leaves a memorable impression without being in your face.
Consistency
Another reason behind the creation of a new font is consistency.
Going back to its “One Brand” strategy, Coca-Cola saw the irony of harping on about unity, when there were different fonts across its assets.
It’s truly unfortunate that many view typography as an unnecessary expense, instead of an opportunity to trigger brand recall.
Invest in your identity
Brand recognition cannot be achieved overnight. It is built over time with the consistent use of core brand assets.
From typeface to colour palette, photography style to tone of voice, they make up your brand identity and reflect your brand values.
Sometimes a simple icon is equivalent to 1 000 words.
So the next time you think to overlook visual identity, think again. It’s worth investing in and sticking with to make way for a successful brand.