Chapter 2 : brand IDENTITY SYSTEM Chapter 1, on brand essence, began with the plea to focus brand communications on the

integrated connections your branding process needs to make, before contemplating various targeted news you want to convey. Readers who felt inhibited by this apparent relegation of market targeting to a secondary status may enjoy the multidimensional freedom of expression inherent in the concept of a brand's identity system. Today, powerful branding goes beyond a name, to invest in a visual design language of symbols, colours, sub-brands, flagship products, service promises and other identifying reminders which shape the way in which a brand's sphere of business is recalled by our senses. Brands navigate human associations and perceptions by a constellation of reminders, each acting as a consumer code. A powerful corporate or umbrella brand is capable of conveying multiple messages with particular relevance to different audiences, as well as other mind-expanding interpretations of its essence. In the case of global brands, identities need to be crafted as component forms in an international design language. In this chapter, we will see how analysis of the brand identity system enables us to explore the breadth and depth of the universe of associations which a brand has invested in consumers' minds. The power of a well designed identity system is difficult to over-estimate. We begin with some examples. McDonald's If you are aware of McDonald's, you are likely to make many of the following associations with the brand's identity system : Big M logo, Ronald, Big Mac, Mc named menu items, Red and Yellow... The identity system is a communications tapestry. The brander must keep on asking two questions about this: What identifying "threads" are known to everyone who knows the brand? How are they working for the branding process - both its consumer heritage and its future business? These questions should be guided by an informed belief in design impact and aesthetics. Remember: There is no point in cluttering the tapestry with another thread unless it is serving some vital purpose

The identifying threads must all fit together. As part of a pattern, they should provide overall confirmation of a brand's essence. Identities should not directly clash, but subtle tensions can be good. For example, the most fascinating human characters are those who intrigue because they are at once familiar and continuously capable of surprise. Table 1 shows some interpretations of how the identity system of McDonald's works for the brand. Interrogate this and add your own insights to our list by asking the sorts of questions tabled.

Table 1 : Exploring the identity system of McDonald's whilst confirming the essence of fast food served with home from home values WHAT? WHAT brand identifiers ( eg colours, symbols, stereotypes, slogans, platforms, famous moments in brand's history, product features, design icons, other appeals to senses etc) are in the minds of your consumers?
HOW? An identity system: casts leading identifiers with different roles; connects everything up to achieve multiple effects such as "multi-positioning", "multi-recognition"... What leading interpretations can you find when exploring McDonald's identity system? Which identifiers would you show off where if you were directing the McDonald's brand?

McDonald's integrates

M Ronald Big Mac (also Big Breakfast, Mega Mac)

Signpost for distant media; nicknamed destination (golden arches)

Mc

Children's aspect of multipositioning; local community

Moscow Red & Yellow ...

visibility; anchor of family personality Adult appetite aspect of multipositioning; Big codes (eg value); Familiarisation slogans, eg Mac Attack

Linking identity for broadening product menu

Global and local PR platform

Heartwarming impact

To obtain a greater feel of the significance of these identifers to the goodwill invested in - and stewarded by - those who direct the business of McDonald's, read our section on Benchmarking McDonald's (ThinkPiece 1), and then take a second look at table 1.