How to Visualize Your Brand with Visual Metaphors

You may have heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” People love visuals. We can process them quickly and they are easy for us to remember. So how can we harness the power of visuals and convey a more complex concept to our audience? The answer is a visual metaphor.

Visual metaphors allow us to use visuals that we are already familiar with, to communicate a message in an easy and memorable way. You can even incorporate visual metaphors into your brand. The trick is to find the right metaphor that complements your look and style.

For example, in my case, I use images of plants and flowers as visual metaphors. I love nature and I am always inspired by gardening, but this is not only the reason. I want to use them in my brand creative direction because like humans, each leaf has different shapes and colors. We are all one-of-a-kind. 

 
 

Much like a plant, your brand won’t grow without tending to it. For a plant to grow healthy and strong, you need to take care of it each day. I am not a gardener, but I love helping my clients strengthen their brands to attract their audience. I want my ideal clients to feel that my brand is humanistic and caring.

When you incorporate visual metaphors into your brand, your ideal clients will easily remember your brand and your business will stand out from the crowd. 

 
 

What is a visual metaphor?

A visual metaphor is the unique use of a visual to convey a specific meaning. This is achieved through the use of an analogy that your audience is already familiar with. This can include anything from people and places to concepts.

Using visual analogies allows you to tell the story of the brand. It communicates the more complex vision of your brand - who you are and what you do - by using visuals that we are already used to. A visual metaphor helps to tell your audience why you're different from your competitors. It is a powerful way to connect with your ideal clients and bring your brand to life.

An excellent example of a visual metaphor was used by the makers of the Smart car. You may remember that the Smart car was best known for its tiny size. The company wanted to emphasize the benefits of this feature in its advertisements, so the visual analogy they decided to use was that riding through crowded city streets was like trying to thread a needle and a tiny, Smart car could easily get through. So in one picture, the ad is telling you about the car and why it matters.

How to visualize your brand with visual metaphors

So how do we find a visual metaphor that perfectly fits our brand? The first step is to have a  thorough understanding of your brand. Take some time to go through the elements of your brand foundation:

  • Your brand core ( purpose, mission, vision, and core values )

  • Your brand positioning ( target client, benefits, value proposition )

  • Your brand personality ( voice and tone )

If you find you’re having trouble with any of these elements, my brand clarity workbook will help you to get clear on your brand foundation. 

Once you are comfortable that you have established a solid brand foundation, you are ready to find the brand visual metaphor that reflects your vision.

Here are some questions to help you visualize your brand. As you read these questions, try not to think too much. Just have fun with it. Remember to keep in mind that you want to attract your ideal clients.

Answer the following questions (I’ll give you an example to help you get started). 

If your brand were a color, what would it be? 

For my brand, the primary color is white. Have you ever noticed that I always wear a white outfit? White also refers to my business name, White Box Design Studio. White represents a blank sketchbook. No matter whether you’re on the computer screen or paper notebook, a visual starts from white space. White also represents simplicity and the Japanese concept of minimalism.  As a secondary color, I use green, which represents plants and growth. 

Let’s continue....

If your brand is a flower, what would it be? 

If your brand were a house, what style of house would it be?

If your brand is a person, what would she be like? 

If your brand were a restaurant, what type of restaurant? 

If your brand were a place, where would it be? 

If your brand is a chair, what would it be? 

If your brand is a magazine what would it be?

If your brand is a car, what would it be?

If your brand is a shape, what would it be? 

If your brand is an animal, what would it be?

If your brand is a song, what would it be?

If your brand is an instrument, what would it be?

If your brand was a fragrance, what would it be?

Going through each of these questions really makes you think and gives you a better understanding of your brand.

When you are doing this exercise, you can also collect photos and images.  This enhances your brand clarity and your visual brand direction. 

Conclusion

How did the exercise go? Are you getting a clear understanding of your brand? Can you see what your visual brand looks like? Please make sure to have your ideal clients in mind as your visual brand should align with your ideal clients. 

If this post is helpful, please share this blog post with your friends or leave a comment below if you have any questions. 


Previous
Previous

Branding vs. Marketing: What’s the Difference?

Next
Next

Creating Your Brand Identity: Why Brand Mood Boards Are Essential to the Design Process