Images You Hear: About Language and Identity
Imagine autumn in the American countryside where the evening light gives the landscape a distinctive glow. A road turns towards the horizon, and in the background, you can just make out a farm. In the foreground, a motorcycle shines at dusk. It is parked against a tree that has shed its leaves for the season. Pure harmony, but it does not last long. Because unexpectedly, our described motive gets a text that twists the mood towards the devilish; «Why farmers with daughters own shotguns».
The motive is taken from a classic campaign for Harley Davidson, the king of the castle among motorcycle brands. Here we get to demonstrate how the linguistic creativity, from harmony to rifle, gives the brand "Harley Davidson" its unmistakable character. The example also shows how the verbal language can give as much recognition effect as the visual design.
Design, behaviour and language are the three main factors of brand identity. The logo gives the brand a face, the typography gives the communication an accent, and the colours contribute to the energy and mood. The behaviour tells us something about the culture and the fundamental values. With the verbal language, we get the tone of voice. How a company communicates and expresses itself is of great importance for how they are perceived. The brand is both stronger and clearer when these three factors work together as a well-thought-out unit.
Language can emerge as the differentiating factor when the visual expressions among competitors begin to approach each other. It is relatively easy to recognise images taken from generic image banks when they appear with various brands. Some industries also have a habit of choosing the same colour shades. "You can choose which colour you want, as long as it is blue" - is a joke among designers. Choosing style and layout styles often follow trends and visual styles that are up to date. The target groups are bombarded with visual impressions daily, and unless you stand out very well, it all blends together rather quickly. Language, on the other hand, is more difficult to imitate without it seeming too obvious, and can therefore be left as something that sticks to the memory.
Despite this, languages are low on the priority list when new brand identities are being developed. Where professional designers work strategically to create unity in the visual expressions, the text work is usually a downgraded or forgotten task. An inadequate strategy for verbal communication also results in an unwanted wealth of language levels and tones on various communication surfaces. If we were to transfer this practice to the configuration of the design, we would get a massive entanglement of visual signals.
Specialists and professionals in various fields often tend to get stuck in something we call a "tribal language" that is both too technical and too complicated for most people. A good strategy for verbal communication can help you avoid this, and instead get the message across in a more comprehensible way. We perceive imaginative words faster than abstract words and phrases. These words send the message of the fast track into our brain for longer stays, while the abstract ones do not stick as well. If we say «table», you get the picture, if we say «optimal», your head is left empty.
The brand strategy of a company should, therefore, also include language to a greater extent. Language is not just about core messages, product benefits, price and other advantages. It is just as important to mention dramaturgy, the length of the sentences, the pictorial strength of the words, the ability of the verbs to act, the effect of the adjectives, and not least, the seductive power of the language.
Like Harley Davidson uses language to stand out, you should dare give your brand a voice.