Never have brands needed to fight so hard for a small piece of people’s attention. According to some researches, we are in touch with approximately 2000 brands on an average day and from these, less than 300 stick to our memory. With so many touch points — both physical and digital — and so many experiences lived through these brands, we establish connections with the ones we can identify with the most. In a time where everything happens so fast and change is so constant, human beings are flexible, dynamic and prone to wander. Brands are demanded to follow this rhythm.
From that realization began an evolution that brought the dynamism of contemporary times to brands. We set out not to limit them to their basic, regular and symmetrical shape, but now, to consider several variations to their identity systems — known as flexible or dynamic brands. This evolution has made it possible for brands to become more human-like, more similar to people and less to corporations. If the consumer has and is able to adapt to the fast pace of life, brands must also adapt to its different audiences, platforms, vehicles and touch points.
Design variations are the starting point to dynamic identities. Although not the only way to do it, a dynamic brand accepts changes in other features of its identity, for instance, in its verbal identity. We are talking about logotypes, slogans and even names that vary in color, shape, size, messages, etc. For dynamic identities, the lack of pattern is a “rule”, but it’s important to note that, in these cases, the rule is strategically manipulated in order to provide easy recognition to the brands in any of its versions.
Almost paradoxical, dynamic identities favor the recognition of brands by its consumers, that do not rely solely in one element in order to identify their lovemarks, but instead, can count on several manifestations that represent the brand in a plural, yet cohesive manner.
There are great examples of brands with dynamic identities, such as MTV, AOL and also the brand for the London Olympic Games in 2012, among others. At the branding and innovation consultancy Saad, the concept of dynamic identities was utilized on different branding projects, like RE in which the name (a prefix) is a concept that is adaptable through different phrases or words, depending on the context. On the other hand, on the Oigo project, one can see the colors changing and the waveforms varying on each material, portraying the brand’s drivers.
This is how dynamic brands establish a direct and personalized dialogue to its consumers, building genuine and long lasting relationships. They are, as we say, the “brands that dialogue”.
