How brands stick: Visual identity and consistent design matters
Remember the OG influencers? Think David Beckham and Adidas, George Clooney and Nespresso, R9 Ronaldo and Pepsi (yes, there was another Ronaldo before Cristiano).
These early forms of TV-heavy influencer marketing paved the way for what we now see on social media, but if you recall, it was never at the expense of the brand essence.
With or without the celebrity endorsement, you could still ‘feel’ the brand essence of an Adidas, Nescafe, Cadburys, Coke.
Sure, their budgets dwarf those of an average brand, so they can afford to get a lot of repetition. However, we can still learn from some of the key principles of visual identity and consistent design.
Let’s assume you don’t have the budget of a small country. What principles can you take away to get closer to maximising brand recall in marketing campaigns? Here are 5 practical reasons to do what it takes to have consistent assets across all channels and a strong visual identity:
1. Brand recall is built on consistency
Your audience remembers what they see far more than what they hear or read. Research shows visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text (source), making your brand assets a powerful tool for recall.
Consistency is key. The more cohesive your colours, fonts and designs, the quicker your audience will associate them with your brand. Think of Apple, Nike or Coca-Cola – they don’t just sell great products; they sell familiarity.
Tip for Marketing Managers: Audit your creative assets quarterly (or let us audit them for you) to ensure consistency across platforms. Update your brand guidelines regularly to reflect the formats your team uses most, such as Instagram reels, TikTok videos or web banners.
2. Dwell Time Drives ROI
When you’re spending ad budget, even a small increase in dwell time (the time a user spends engaging with your content) makes a difference. An extra second can boost click-through rates and engagement while feeding positive signals back to the algorithm on social platforms.
A consistent visual identity gives audiences a reason to stop scrolling – it signals professionalism and relevance.
Tip for Marketing Managers: Use heatmap tools like Hotjar to measure where audiences are lingering on your website or assets. Optimise designs to keep key visuals and CTAs in prime focus.
3. Emotionally charged storytelling sticks
Visuals have a unique ability to evoke emotion, and emotion is what drives action. Campaigns that consistently reinforce a narrative – your why – create a deeper connection with audiences. This fosters loyalty, which studies show can increase customer lifetime value by up to 85% (IFVP).
Tip for Marketing Managers: Match your design style to your story. For example, use vibrant, optimistic colours for a feel-good campaign or muted tones for a reflective, purpose-driven narrative.
4. Polished visuals build credibility
Think of your campaigns as the digital equivalent of a shopfront. Poorly designed, inconsistent visuals can make a brand seem untrustworthy or amateur. In contrast, polished, cohesive design signals professionalism and builds trust.
Tip for Marketing Managers: Invest in quality design templates that your in-house team or external agencies can use repeatedly. Tools like Canva Pro or Figma are great for maintaining professional standards without starting from scratch each time.
5. Adaptablity fuels multi-channel success
Every platform demands something different: Instagram favours short, eye-catching carousels, LinkedIn thrives on infographics and YouTube needs bold thumbnails. A robust visual identity ensures your content remains cohesive while adapting to each format’s unique requirements.
Tip for Marketing Managers: Create a modular system for your assets. Design templates for various platforms but ensure they all tie back to the same core visual identity.
Takeaways
Visual identity and consistency aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re critical to maximising ROI and building lasting relationships with your audience. Whether you’re working with a small team or a global network, the principles remain the same: consistent, emotionally resonant and polished visuals win every time.
Ready to step up your creative game? Book a demo to explore how Design on Demand can help you deliver consistent campaigns across all channels for less than the cost of one designer.
More campaigns, more channels, more consistently.
We’ve worked with a variety of brands across the globe, delivering assets that engage, inspire and convert. Here’s a small selection of our clients, along with an explainer for each on their pain points and how we’ve helped to solve them.
Liam Veitch
Head of Production at Design on Demand
Design team stacked?
Book a demo to learn about Design on Demand, a monthly subscription that allows you to deliver more campaigns, across more channels, more consistently. For less than the cost of one designer, you can choose from a whole agency-worth of tasks.
