Key Brand Attributes: What Makes a Brand Strong

One of the important challenges facing modern companies is to ensure high brand recognition, ensuring that audiences perceive the brand visually and emotionally, and distinguish it from other companies. This means providing external cues by which customers can recognize you and your products. Such a solution already exists today: brand attributes: these reflect your company's values, directly influence trust, differentiate you from competitors, and enhance sustainability and stability in a specific niche. They can also be used to build a more positive audience attitude toward products and services.

The stronger the brand, the broader the range of attributes it utilizes. A vast number of factors can influence how potential customers perceive a company's image, ranging from the overall ideas and values displayed online, in outdoor advertising, and on the product packaging itself, to the music playing in the background of your advertising or while waiting on hold at a call center. We're talking about elements that can shape first impressions and subsequently maintain an emotional connection between the business and consumers.

Here, the challenge for company representatives will be to select the perfect brand elements, ensuring they are highly recognizable, unique, and easy to remember. How to implement all of this correctly and what brand attributes exist today will be discussed in detail in today's review. In particular, we'll discuss why they are essential for modern businesses. Let's look at the main types of attributes, as well as additional solutions that can significantly help increase brand awareness in the marketplace and beyond. We'll provide practical recommendations to help you choose the most appropriate solutions for you.

We also suggest studying the article "Tone of Voice: Choosing a Brand Voice on Social Media".

What are brand attributes?

Brand attributes are the elements and characteristics by which consumers remember a company and its image. They are what distinguish the business itself, its products, and services from similar products available on the market. Professionally designed brand elements can create lasting associations literally at the level of visual perception, feelings, and emotions. For smaller companies, basic attributes are primarily used, such as a corporate color palette, fonts, logo, packaging, or slogan. This set can be considered the minimum required to give the company and its products the distinctive characteristics needed to boost sales.

The situation is entirely different for larger, even global businesses. Here, the number of distinctive elements will be much greater. This can include absolutely any details that can influence user perception, from the brand greeting, the values and ideas conveyed to the audience, to the ringtone heard by someone calling customer support or a manager for advice on a particular product or service.

When answering the question of what brand attributes are, it's important to highlight the primary purposes of this solution. Of course, the primary objective here will be product promotion and the development of an effective and promising marketing strategy. Through detailed development, a business will be able to develop signature elements that will help create a cohesive and harmonious brand image as a whole, as well as address a number of key marketing objectives. In particular:

• Visual brand identity and its high market recognition. Corporate colors, fonts, and logos are what help users quickly and easily, almost intuitively, recognize a product and distinguish it from similar products. This is what creates truly memorable images. Surely, if you name a specific color and ask the first person you meet to name the companies they associate with that shade, several examples will pop into their minds. For example, many consumers associate red with Coca-Cola and Netflix, green with Starbucks and Wella, and yellow with Nestlé, Best Buy, and McDonald's. The same applies to logos: people easily recognize large corporations even without their names, simply by the outline or shadow of the logo. This means that the brand has firmly penetrated the audience's subconscious.
• Brand image development. When a company begins to communicate its own principles and values, these eventually become signature attributes. People share these values, which makes the business more relatable. A prime example is Harley-Davidson—a name associated with the spirit of freedom, independence, and a touch of rebellion. Based on this, motorcycles from this brand are chosen by people with increased self-confidence, those who aren't afraid to go against accepted norms and strive for self-expression. These values will be emphasized by various attributes, from the logo and color to the visual design that the audience sees in advertising and packaging design.
• Creating a unique selling proposition. By carefully considering a number of brand attributes, you can create a unique selling proposition that will be highly unique and thoroughly reflect the specifics of your company. Among all the various elements, it's important to choose those that will distinguish you from your competitors, those that you've come to consider your signature feature. Consider how Calgon demonstrates the results of using its products to its audience. Just hearing the phrase "May your machine last a long time!" is enough to immediately recall both the advertisement itself and the product it showcases. And this high effectiveness has been proven time and again in practice. The brand successfully captured the key pain points of washing machine owners in its message: hard water, which leads to appliance failure, necessitating costly repairs or the purchase of a new appliance, which is even more expensive.
• Forming an emotional connection. Research shows that the presence of compelling attributes is what can create an emotional response from the target audience, evoking feelings of intrigue, joy, friendliness, and mystery. This is what helps people feel a connection with the company. This significantly increases the likelihood that a casual customer will become a brand fan and return for purchases again and again. Cheerful, colorful, and vibrant packaging, associated with fun and joy, is most often used by food and beverage manufacturers. Just think of any store display near you: it's likely awash with bright colors that literally dazzle your eyes.
• Defining a niche in the market. Distinguishing a product from similar products through unique brands allows a business to establish a strong presence, attract customers, and convert casual buyers into loyal customers. This aspect is especially important in highly competitive niches and crowded industries, such as food, technology, fashion, and cosmetics. For example, Crocs shoes stand out from the crowd of other shoe brands. Their unique branding has led to Crocs becoming a household name. People easily identify shoes with a striking appearance and are associated with unrivaled comfort and durability. And even despite their relatively high price, the company clearly has no problems with customers.
• Building effective communication with the consumer market. Brand attributes play an extremely important role in any marketing campaign. They help to effectively convey the main message to the audience in the most accessible form, demonstrating the company's goals, philosophy, values, and mission.
• Increasing brand value. Strong attributes can significantly increase a company's importance in the eyes of investors, which automatically leads to higher stock prices. Consequently, such companies will be perceived by the market as more valuable, trusted by a large number of people. And even if the quality of your product doesn't differ significantly from that of your competitors, many will still choose you, even if the price is slightly higher.

As you can see, brand attributes are what will allow you to solve many image problems and help you establish yourself in the marketplace as a whole. Therefore, it is important to clearly understand what solutions you can use and then implement them correctly.

Key Attributes Characteristic of Any Brand

Key Brand Attributes: These are all the identifying elements that will be characteristic of a company. They are what will help audiences easily recognize the company itself, as well as the products or services it offers. These include the name, slogan, logo, brand colors and fonts, music and voiceovers, and characters. These are the elements with which the audience interacts most frequently. Their creation requires the utmost care and responsibility. Only then will you achieve a solution that will reliably establish itself in the public's mind and ensure high market recognition.

Now let's take a closer look at all the elements that can be considered essential brand attributes, that is, those that will help create a memorable image of your company.

Name

Of all the possible attributes, the name is rightfully considered one of the most important. And this is not surprising, since we are talking about the key identifier of a company. According to sociological research, over two-thirds of consumers believe that a brand name is what most influences their product choice. However, many of you know that coming up with a name isn't as easy as it might seem at first glance. It's no wonder that today's marketing profession has an entire field dedicated to solving such problems. It's called naming.

When considering your brand name, it's important to understand that it should be unique, easy to read, and pronounce. It's also crucial that it conceptually and stylistically fits your business as a whole. In practice, it's not uncommon for brand creators to associate names with the company's history, the goals and missions they set for themselves, and iconic people, places, and events. In practice, it's not uncommon for a brand's legend to be created literally from scratch, and it already contains the origins of the name itself.

Slogan

A slogan is a concise phrase that encapsulates the brand's core purpose and idea, conveying a specific message to the consumer. A good version of this phrase will be easy to remember and literally etched in the consumer's memory, helping to create an extremely strong connection with the company, increasing brand awareness, and fostering loyalty among the target audience.

Depending on their wording and purpose, slogans can be divided into two distinct categories:

1. Image-based. These are slogans aimed at creating an emotional connection with the brand in the audience. They are often based on the shared values of the consumer and manufacturer. Examples include: "Just Do It" from Nike, "I'm Lovin' It" from McDonald's, and "Think Different" from Apple.
2. Product-based. These are aimed at conveying the benefits of a product to the audience. "Take a break - there's KitKat," "Duracell. Lasts longer." "Up to 10 times longer."

Slogans are often formed as rhetorical questions. Examples include "What could be better?", statements like "We don't just say, we do," or calls to action like "Live on the bright side," etc. Regardless of the underlying idea, the essence of the slogan itself must be memorable and striking. To achieve these goals, marketers often use a variety of emotional appeal techniques, such as humor, rhyme, and metaphor.

Logo

Corporate logo - A logo is a text, graphic, or combination emblem that, in practice, becomes an instantly recognizable symbol of a company. Any business seeking to scale registers its logo as a trademark and then actively uses it for promotion. We see these small emblems literally everywhere, from commercials and online banners to office facades, product packaging, and corporate blogs. They are also always featured on souvenirs.

A properly constructed logo's shape, color, and composition create a strong association with the brand's idea and values. Again, let's look at some examples. For example, Nike, with its simple Swoosh, conveys a sense of speed and freedom. The well-known Apple symbol, meanwhile, is associated with elegance and innovation. Meanwhile, the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo symbolizes reliability and dynamic forward movement. Essentially, all these elements... A reflection of the brand's essence.

Experience shows that for the consumer market, a recognizable logo becomes a mark of quality and the main motivator for choice. For example, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and IKEA have made their logos so memorable that people intuitively trust the products: just a quick glance at them is enough.

Corporate Colors and Fonts

Corporate colors and typography are one of the main visual "languages" of a brand. Their proper combination influences how customers perceive the company on an emotional and rational level.

If we talk about the color palette itself, it will generally include from 2 to 6 shades. A certain distribution of roles is observed: one color can be dominant, the others - accent, or it can be the other way around: everything is divided equally. But in all this, the main thing is Maintaining harmony. It's also important to consider the psychology of color: cool tones (blue, green) inspire trust and calm, warm tones (red, orange) energy and passion, and neutrals (gray, beige) versatility and stability. However, it's crucial to check contrast according to WCAG standards to ensure text remains legible for all users. Airbnb is a good example. This platform uses the bold "Rausch" (coral red) to attract attention and the calm "Babu" (dark blue) for interface elements.

Now, let's talk about typography. It's important to understand that a signature font emphasizes the brand's voice; it speaks without words. Several original solutions are currently in use:

• Geometric sans-serif fonts, such as Proxima Nova and Montserrat, look modern and neutral;
• Classic serif fonts, such as Georgia and Times New Roman, lend authority and tradition to text;
• Handwritten and script fonts, such as Pacifico and Great Vibes, create an atmosphere of exclusivity and luxury;

However, it's also crucial to consider the context of use. Headings, subheadings, and body text may vary, but it's crucial to maintain a consistent principle of contrast and hierarchy. Don't forget about good readability, too. Here, it's important to consider optimal size and line spacing, as well as correct kerning and tracking. This ensures comfortable reading on any device. As an example, Intel is particularly noteworthy: the elongated geometric font Neo Sans Intel is used, highlighting its innovative nature. Brioni and Cadillac, on the other hand, rely on an elegant script associated with handcrafted workmanship and high status.

The Musical Sound of the Brand

We've already mentioned brand music several times in today's review, as it truly is an extremely important attribute. Melodies and the overall sound identity become an invisible thread that connects the brand with its audience on an emotional level. Audio marketing specialists create a company's "musical DNA." This includes not only the main melody but also a complementary set of signature sounds that create a unique sonic image. These elements are then embodied in audio logos, jingles, sound effects, and even used as soundtracks for customer calls.

Today, we encounter brand sound themes in everything from commercials and in-store music to mobile apps, exhibition stands, and customer service areas. And of course, examples. Who doesn't recognize the Netflix logo sound, the famous "Ta-dum," and instantly associate it with the start of a session? And what about the "Intel Bong"? It brings a touch of technological charm to any context. McDonald's "I'm lovin' it" is a special story. It's heard not only in commercials but also on restaurant speakers, creating a feeling of comfort and pleasure.

And let's not forget about functional sounds in products: Tesla creates a soft, futuristic sound when closing doors, and macOS startup tones convey a sense of stability and familiarity. A spray of perfume in a Dior ad makes us literally smell the elegant scent through our screens. This sound ecosystem strengthens the consumer's connection with the brand, turning listening into a memorable ritual.

Brand Character

A brand character, also known as a mascot, is an animated element of brand identity designed to establish an emotional connection with the audience and enhance brand recognition. Cartoon characters, animals, or fantasy creatures often serve this role. However, it's important to ensure that this animated figure embodies the company's character and values.

Each mascot will play a distinct role and address the specific needs of the business. For example, this could be:

• a guide-friend, like Geico Gecko: inspires trust and helps explain complex products in simple terms;
• an expert, like the Michelin Man: symbolizes authority and reliability in the industry.
• a superhero, like Tony the Tiger, is associated with energy and a "savior" attitude; In the same Frosted Flakes commercial, a character shouting the phrase "They're Gr-r-reat!";
• An antihero, be it Netflix's Stranger Things mascot, adds a touch of irony or surprise, attracting the attention of a younger audience.

In practice, animated mascots have found widespread use in advertising, on YouTube, as interactive inserts in mobile apps, and as AR filters on social media. They are widely released as branded souvenirs, featured on packaging, and in POS materials. It's also common to see life-size puppets of brand characters at exhibitions and promotional events.

The M&M's "chocolate men" characters are simply worth a look. Each has their own personality—a joker and a snob—which allows for captivating stories. KFC's Colonel Sanders combines a historical figure with a modern visual style, making the brand recognizable and human. The funny and slightly cunning Lucky Charms Leprechaun character emphasizes the product's fairytale nature.

It's important to understand that a well-designed mascot isn't just an illustration, but a living representative of the brand, telling its story, evoking emotions, and encouraging interaction.

Additional Attributes

Along with the attributes described above, brands can also use additional solutions designed to increase promotional effectiveness, remind audiences about the company, its products, and services, and encourage repeat business. Here, we'll discuss two main types:

1. Rational Attributes.
2. Emotional Attributes.

Now we'll take a closer look at the elements included in each of these groups.

Rational Attributes Brand

Rational brand attributes are those that can provide customers with justified benefits. This means we're talking about the advantages of your own business that you can back up with facts and figures. They answer the buyer's key question: "Why should I choose you?" and appeal not only to your emotions but also to common sense and logic. The following points are worth highlighting here:

• The expertise of the founder and the team they managed to build, unite, and focus on solving business problems. This includes the competence of the founders and key specialists, as this is what gives a brand its credibility. For example, Steve Jobs elevated Apple to innovator status. Elon Musk made Tesla a symbol of cutting-edge technology. Coco Chanel transformed her name into a style icon. Anyone can create something similar by sharing their unique methods, patents, and professional awards. It's best to present all of this in the form of engaging stories: short video interviews with engineers, case studies, and articles in industry publications.
• Product quality and technological advantages. Clearly identify 2-3 key features where you objectively outperform your competitors. This could be a 48-megapixel camera in a smartphone, the safety rating of a Volvo, or the enormous lifespan of a Miele washing machine, rated at 20,000 cycles. Demonstrate all of these features through comparative tests, infographics, and video tours of the production facility. This will allow you to show your audience behind the scenes of your brand, making your choice more obvious.
• Customer experience and service. Shopping convenience and warranty support are often decisive when technical specifications and product quality are quite similar. Zappos, for example, has earned loyalty with its unique free returns policy. Amazon Prime, on the other hand, emphasizes speed and transparency in delivery. Domino's Pizza's signature feature is its promise to deliver hot pizza in 30 minutes. Set standards like "delivery in 60 minutes or free pizza," and after ordering, send an SMS with the courier's number and arrival time—that's how you turn a promise into a measurable fact.
• Social proof. The most powerful solution here is testimonials from real customers and case studies with numbers. This inspires much more trust than advertising slogans. Record before-and-after video testimonials, collect statistics like "95% of customers return for repeat orders" or "over 10,000 users have already downloaded our app." Recommendations from opinion leaders and industry experts are also particularly effective. Here, you can use short quotes in the website header or more detailed interviews on YouTube.
• Origin of production and its transparency for the audience. In today's world, users are interested not only in "what it is" but also "where it came from." Here, it's worth remembering single-origin Starbucks Reserve coffee, Swiss watches, and olive oil from Tuscany. Surely many of you associate all of this with the highest quality. Therefore, when working with your brand, it's a good idea to share a little about your company: its history, supply chain, literally from the farmer to the eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging. This can all be accomplished through photos, videos, and interviews with producers. Limited editions and eco-friendly production methods will add exclusivity and integrity to your brand. Scientific research and testing. Independent testing, as well as the publication of expert materials in industry journals, will also build trust. For example, La Roche-Posay backs up its cosmetic formulas with clinical studies, Dyson demonstrates the effectiveness of its vacuum cleaners with lab tests, and Herman Miller publishes data on the ergonomics of its chairs. Infographics with key figures and links to reports create an impression of transparency and professionalism. Why not take advantage of all this in your practice?

It's important to understand that every rational promise must be supported by a solid foundation, whether numbers, facts, testimonials, or research. Such honest and transparent communication not only builds trust with the target audience but also turns the purchase into a conscious choice.

Emotional Brand Attributes

By emotional brand attributes, we mean all the feelings that your product, and indeed your name in general, will evoke in your audience. This is what will largely determine buyers' choices. Here, we're talking about the intangible associations and experiences that your product or service evokes in the consumer. Research shows that up to 95% of purchasing decisions are made at a subconscious level. This means that a strong emotional connection is often decisive.

So, the following should be considered emotional brand attributes:

• Belonging to a community. People want to be among their own. Let's return to the Harley-Davidson example. The brand sells more than just motorcycles, but also a "brotherhood of free spirits." Apple, on the other hand, has created a culture of "we think differently." How can you approach this in your business? Create interest clubs, hold offline and online events, introduce branded rituals, and launch unique lifestyle content. Perhaps you could follow the example of the Coffee House, which regularly gathers fans for get-togethers over signature drinks.
• Nostalgia and a connection to the past. The desire to return to "better times" always works well in practice. One such "eternal" story is Coca-Cola, which annually brings back the classic design of its Christmas tree trucks. Many of you will also recall Nintendo, the company that decided to simply reissue its iconic retro consoles. Analyze your audience's memories. Perhaps it will be the same vintage font in packaging, a childhood melody, or an old logo in a retro campaign. However, it is important to evaluate in advance whether such a solution is suitable for your brand.
• Status and self-expression. Through your brand, you can demonstrate who you are. Think of Rolex watches, which speak of success, or Tesla, which associates itself with environmental awareness and innovation. Help the buyer express yourself: emphasize your uniqueness, point out your participation in exclusive events, and anything else that helps you find your identity.
• Inspiration and the pursuit of excellence. When a brand communicates the highest values, people who share these passions automatically want to be part of this journey. For example, Red Bull is associated with the transcendence of boundaries, while Disney is magical, fairytale-like, and a belief in miracles. It's important to find a mission that goes beyond the product. You can tell stories about how your brand changes lives: a video series about a hero customer or a social media campaign supporting environmental protection, etc. But the key here is to truly believe in it. People are quick to spot falsehoods and immediately abandon such brands.
• Storytelling and mythology. Legends about the origins of a brand and its heroes have recently become very effective. This provides a general understanding of your company and gives it greater depth. The story of Apple's garage startup, the eco-trip of Patagonia's founder, or Ben & Jerry's "One for One" social mission fit perfectly into this concept. This is what brings the company closer to the average user. Collect and format these stories in mini-docs, blogs, and podcasts. Create narrative cycles that will capture your audience's attention and turn them into loyal fans.
• Sensory experience and pleasure. This is about engaging with literally all of your target audience's senses. This is what helps make a brand unforgettable. It's worth remembering how Audi designs the sound of a car door closing to evoke relevant associations, and how Starbucks creates a unique coffee shop atmosphere through aroma and interior design. Analyze your business's consumer touchpoints, choose an engaging tactile packaging surface, and add an app activation sound, signature flavor, or melody to your advertising to significantly enhance them.

But it's important to understand that emotional attributes must be supported by actions: every commercial, every package, and every promise can both strengthen and destroy trust. Therefore, it's crucial to learn to balance them with rational arguments so that the buyer's choice is first born in the heart and then justified by reason.

Defining Your Brand Attributes: Practical Recommendations

To create a set of attributes and brand elements that fully align with your brand's specific features, goals, and priorities, you'll need to implement three key steps:

1. Create a profile of your target buyer. You must clearly understand who you're creating your product for. This is one of the essential elements of effective marketing efforts. At this stage, it's helpful to conduct a series of surveys to identify people's interests and preferences, including those who may become your future clients. Along with identifying products and services that might interest people, also explore the questions they have when interacting with your company and the emotions they experience. All of this should form the basis for the subsequent development of an overall brand development strategy, not just the selection of the most suitable attributes.
2. Analyze your company's closest competitors. This will allow you to identify industry leaders and understand what has helped them achieve such high positions. Here, it's worth paying attention to all the key attributes discussed above, carefully examining their official social media presence and website. It's important to understand how they present their products or services to their audience. If advertising campaigns are identified, then the first thing to pay attention to is the emotions they evoke. All of this is extremely important for attracting customer attention.
3. Analyze your own product or services. At this stage, it's important to analyze the products your brand is launching as objectively as possible. You should identify their advantages and disadvantages, as well as distinctive features that effectively differentiate you from the competition. Also, consider what customer pain points you can solve. Based on these answers, you can move on to creating a vibrant and memorable company image, along with its essential attributes.

In other words, a comprehensive approach is essential when carrying out this work. Otherwise, you risk wasting time, effort, and money, and your idea of creating a strong brand will remain a dream.

Summing Up

We hope you now understand what brand attributes are and why they are considered a company identifier. They are what people use to distinguish your products or services from hundreds, if not thousands, of other products. The key here is to implement everything as accurately as possible to create a recognizable image and strengthen the emotional connection with the consumer market.

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