4 Vital Brand Identity Elements with HomeEd

Written by Rachel Richards

What makes you fall in love with a brand? Is it certain feelings that it evokes, like nostalgia, joy, or comfort? Do its brand identity elements, such as the logo, colours, and typography, appeal to your personality? Or, is it because you’ve come to trust and rely on its products or services in your everyday life?

The short answer: All of the above, and more. Building a strong brand identity comes down to leaving an unforgettable impression in your customers’ minds. From sharp visuals to punchy messaging, every detail matters.

So, where do you begin? Take a page out of our client HomeEd’s book. As one of Edmonton’s top affordable housing providers, they imagine a city where everyone has a place to belong. If you define and capture these key brand elements like HomeEd has, you’ll be off to a great start.

Brand Positioning

It’s a competitive world out there. Your brand needs to determine how you’re different and better than other players in your industry. Why would your customers choose you over the dozens of businesses jostling for their affection?

Brand positioning is a crucial exercise to outsmart the competition. In HomeEd’s case, we’re helping them align their position with the progressive experience they provide. Other organizations may focus on quality, price, and customer service, but HomeEd centres their brand around the community-driven cause of providing Edmontonians with better homes and brighter futures.

Logo Design

If your brand positioning is the brains behind your business, your logo is the face you present to the world. It’s one of the most important and instantly recognizable elements of your brand identity. So, how do you design a logo worthy of T-shirts and bumper stickers?

That subject has been hotly debated in the marketing world for decades. Simplicity and flexibility are, of course, key elements—your logo needs to be easily replicable on a variety of digital and print platforms. But, most of all, it needs to convey the emotional experience behind your brand. HomeEd’s logo is clean and structurally sound, but its bold lines give an air of warmth and empathy.

Brand Colours

There’s a whole field of psychology devoted to colour theory, and you’d better believe that brands tap into it to sway their audiences’ sensibilities. Red is all about power and passion, while green is associated with nature and evolution. Pink brings romance and beauty to mind, but a few shades over, purple is associated with wisdom and royalty.

Be thoughtful and purposeful about the brand colours you select. This will help you shape your customer experience in the most positive way possible. For HomeEd, we went with a range of deep and sky blue hues as their primary palette, which conveys peace, trustworthiness, and sincerity. We complemented it with pops of warm orange, balancing the brand out with notes of optimism and hope.

Tagline

If you could distill your entire brand experience into a few words, what would you say? That’s the heavy task of your tagline. We’ve heard all the greats—phrases like “Taste the rainbow”, “I’m lovin’ it”, and “Impossible is nothing” are embedded deep in our cultural consciousness.

So, what makes a memorable brand tagline? Well, it helps if it rolls off the tongue, using literary techniques like rhyme, alliteration, and metaphor. Short and sweet is also better. Like poetry, your tagline needs to communicate your brand’s purpose in a concise and profound manner. The tagline “Built for belonging” conveys exactly who HomeEd is—they’re an inclusive brand that focuses on giving Edmontonians a place to call home.

Build a bold brand identity

These key elements are only the beginning of a successful brand identity. Typefaces, graphical elements, messaging, and brand personality are also crucial pieces of the puzzle. Our strategists and designers can craft a brand that you customers will love, so let’s set up your free consultation today.