A Case Study of a Company's Visual Identity Guided by Brand Values And
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Branding through visual design: A case study of a company’s visual identity guided by brand values and story Riikka Iivanainen Bachelor’s Thesis Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture Department of Design Bachelor’s Program in Design Spring 2017 1 ABSTRACT 2 Aalto-yliopisto, PL 11000, 00076 AALTO www.aalto.fi Taiteen kandidaatin opinnäytteen tiivistelmä Tekijä Riikka Iivanainen Työn nimi Branding through visual design: A case study of a company’s visual identity guided by brand values and story Laitos Design Koulutusohjelma Design Vuosi 2017 Sivumäärä 57 Kieli English Tiivistelmä This thesis is a study on how a company can use visual design in branding. A company’s visual identity has previously been studied mostly through corporate identity and from the perspective of designing individual identity elements. Visual design in all of its applications including products, environments and information has received less attention. The objective was to investigate what kind of considerations building and managing a visual identity requires and in which parts of branding visual design can play a role. Evaluating the effectiveness of the chosen approach to visual design was left outside the scope. The topic was studied through a literature review and case study. The Finnish distillery Kyrö Distillery Company was selected as the case company because of its active branding efforts and broad use of visual material. The case study was divided into visual research and interview with the company’s marketing manager. The objective of the visual research was to gain an initial understanding of the case company’s visual identity. The interview was conducted to shed light on the decision-making and challenges behind the visual identity. Since the study was a single case study of a company in the distinctive alcohol industry there are limitations to applying the findings to all businesses. In branding visual design can be used to differentiate products, create brand awareness and justify a premium price. The case study findings suggest that companies can approach creating a visual identity through their brand values and story. Companies should consider how different visual identity elements relate to each other as well as to the other senses. One of the biggest challenges is maintaining a coherent and consistent visual identity when collaborating with various other parties. Companies can benefit from clear instructions, a design manual and especially from centralizing visual design to one trusted design agency. This thesis provides a starting point for companies planning to create or redesign their visual identity as it highlights some of the main considerations and challenges when managing visual design. Visual design can be a powerful tool in branding and an alternative to traditional advertising. Avainsanat visual identity, visual design, branding, design management, case study, Kyrö Distillery Company 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................6 1.1 Motivation behind the topic.................................................................................8 1.1.1 Discovering new opportunities in branding 1.1.2 Widening the scope of visual design 1.2 Case company background...............................................................................10 1.3 Alcohol industry in Finland................................................................................11 1.3.1 Restrictions on advertising 1.3.2 A booming industry 1.4 Research problem...............................................................................................13 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................................14 2.1 Strategic brand management.............................................................................16 2.1.1 Core concepts 2.1.2 Creating and managing a brand 2.1.3 Creating value through aesthetics 2.2 Visual identity in a company..............................................................................18 2.2.1 Definition of visual identity 2.2.2 Managing visual identity on multiple levels 2.2.3 Creating a visual identity structure 2.2.4 Managing associations 2.2.5 Managing features 3 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................24 3.1 Case selection and criteria.................................................................................26 3.2 Data collection and analysis..............................................................................27 3.2.1 Visual research 3.2.2 Interview 4 4 CASE STUDY......................................................................................................................30 4.1 Visual research findings.....................................................................................32 4.1.1 Color and shape 4.1.2 Typeface 4.1.3 Imagery 4.1.4 Materials 4.1.5 Balancing elements and features 4.2 Interview findings................................................................................................40 4.2.1 Creating a visual identity 4.2.2 Managing visual design 2.2.3 Branding with visual design 5 DISCUSSION......................................................................................................................46 5.1 Visual identity creation.......................................................................................48 5.2 Management of visual design............................................................................49 5.3 A variety of roles in branding.............................................................................50 5.4 Limitations and suggestions for further research...........................................51 6 REFERENCES...................................................................................................................52 7 LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................54 Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................56 5 INTRODUCTION1 6 One year as a birthday present my friend fabrics: design work starts with a statement took me for a drink to a peculiar pop-up bar or story that is communicated throughout the called Kyrönmaan Matkailun Edistämiskeskus collection. In my bachelor thesis, I wanted to (Kyrö’s Tourism Agency). It was definitely broaden the scope from yarns to businesses. not a regular place to go for a drink. To our surprise there was a launch party on that The objective of this thesis was to research particular evening. A woman and a man the practices of using the visual identity of a in 1940s-style clothing were performing in company in branding. Although visual design midst of all the guests crammed inside the is only one part of a branding it is the most tiny space. The intimacy was emphasized by visible to consumers. It raised the question their raw performances: the man played an about what a company should consider when acoustic guitar while the woman sang into a creating and managing visual identity and megaphone. The drink list was like a brochure what kind of role it could play in branding. for Kyrönmaa – a subregion of Ostrobothnia Quantitative analysis such as measuring in Western Finland – with stories as drink brand value or the competitive advantage descriptions. With live music, a delicious gained through the visual identity was left drink and bartenders in rugged aprons I outside the scope of this thesis. The topic was was astounded by the atmosphere. It was studied through a literature review as well as definitely like a precious secret you only tell a case study. your best friends. Only later, remembering Conducting a case study enabled getting a the beautiful package design of the launched holistic idea of how one company uses visual beverage, I connected the dots: it had been design. As I was already familiar with Kyrö the launch party of Kyrö Distillery Company’s Distillery Company and had read about its unaged rye spirit Juuri. success with both products and branding, My background and interests guided me the company posed an excellent case for to choose branding and visual design the thesis. I was interested to discover as the topic of the thesis. Well-designed whether the company was branding itself experiences and visually pleasing objects as consciously as appeared in newspaper and surroundings like that of the Kyrö articles. By choosing a young but successful Distillery pop-up bar tend to peak my Finnish company I hoped to derive insights interest. Learning about creating strong and that had the potential of being applied to any distinctive brands has been my main motive company regardless of its size. for studying marketing electives. As a textile design student I have had the opportunity to create miniature versions of brands through sample collections of knitted, woven and print 7 1.1 Motivation behind the topic Visual identity is a concrete manifestation of the and Macbooks whereas McDonald’s for its yellow corporate and brand identity which makes it a and red, the big arches of the M and the clown relevant topic within the design and branding Ronald McDonald. What is characteristic of these domain. Visual design could be a useful tool when companies is that they communicate their brand building a brand that can engage consumers. values through