The brand icon is the most important, most tangible element of brand identity, and over time, it becomes a symbol of authentic brand design.
The brand icon is a symbol that can be recognized quickly, even instantly, with no pause between cognition and recognition. That symbol becomes immediately and positively associated with your company. The brand icon encompasses the essence of your company in a simple, evocatively expressive form. Your brand icon becomes the symbolic representation of your company, conveying who you are (your core brand identity) and what you sell. When you design your brand icon, develop it with the intent to advance your brand. Design a timeless icon that will wear well in the future.
Your brand icon should provoke immediate and positive emotion.
In time, it should become a visual asset that elevates brand recall and creates instant, positive images about its source. When you see the Red Cross’ red cross brand icon, what feelings are evoked? Perhaps that the Red Cross is empathetic, caring, and altruistic, helping people in need without expecting anything in return. And the red conveys urgency, like a red STOP sign.
Brand icons make a brand’s life easier. When designing a brand icon, your objectives should include:
• Making it easy to build brand equity
• Making it easy for the customer to buy
• Making it easy for the sales force to sell