What Do Brand Identity Services Include?
Brand identity services include the visual and verbal elements that make a brand recognisable: logo design, colour palette, typography, imagery style, tone of voice and brand guidelines. Agencies also apply these to real assets like packaging, stationery and social templates, and usually pair them with brand strategy.
What brand identity is (and isn’t)
Brand identity is how your brand presents itself: what it looks like, how it sounds and how it behaves. It is different from brand strategy, which decides who the brand is for and why it should be chosen. Strategy is the thinking, and identity is the expression of that thinking. To see how the strategic side works, read what a brand strategist does.
A good identity is not just a nice logo. It is a system that lets anyone on your team, or any vendor, produce work that clearly belongs to the same brand.
The core deliverables in a brand identity package
| Deliverable | What it is | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Logo suite | Primary logo, secondary versions, icon or favicon, and usage variations | Works on a website header, a social avatar and a shop sign |
| Colour palette | Primary and secondary colours with exact codes | Keeps colour consistent across print and screen |
| Typography | Chosen typefaces with rules for headings, body and captions | Gives written content a recognisable look |
| Imagery and graphic style | Direction for photography, illustration, icons and patterns | Makes visuals feel like one brand, not stock images |
| Tone of voice | How the brand writes and speaks, with examples | Keeps messaging consistent across channels |
| Brand guidelines | A document combining all rules and do’s and don’ts | Lets others apply the identity correctly |
| Brand applications | Stationery, packaging, social templates, presentation templates | Shows the identity working in real use |
What sits around the core package
Many agencies also offer related services, either bundled or separately:
- Brand strategy and positioning: the research and messaging that the identity is built on.
- Naming and taglines: for new brands or repositioned ones.
- Campaign themes: visual concepts for launches or seasonal pushes.
- UI/UX and website design: carrying the identity into digital products.
- Packaging design: for product brands, covered in our packaging posts.
How a brand identity project runs
- Discovery: a review of your business, audience, competitors and current brand assets.
- Concept development: two or three creative directions, each with a rationale.
- Refinement: you choose one direction and the agency develops it with your feedback.
- System building: the logo, colours, type and imagery are built into one working system.
- Guidelines and handover: the finished files and a guide for consistent use.
- Rollout support: help applying the identity across channels.
A full identity and guidelines package typically runs 3 to 6 weeks, depending on scope, followed by rollout support.
How brand identity helps a business succeed
Identity work supports business results in practical ways:
- Recognition: customers spot and remember a consistent brand faster.
- Trust: a coherent look and voice signals reliability, which matters most in high-consideration purchases.
- Efficiency: guidelines mean designers, marketers and printers don’t need to reinvent decisions each time.
- Better marketing: ads, social posts and content perform better when they build on one recognisable brand instead of starting from scratch.
None of this is automatic. Identity supports growth when it is applied consistently, which is why the rollout stage matters as much as the design.
How to check an agency’s scope before you hire
Asking these questions avoids surprises:
- Do you include brand guidelines, or only a logo file?
- How many concepts and revision rounds are included?
- Which file formats and usage variations do I receive?
- Is strategy included, or does the identity start from my brief?
- Will you help apply the identity to my website, packaging or social media?
- Who owns the final files and the copyright?
If you’re comparing options, read how to choose and hire a branding agency, and see how much branding agencies charge to understand what affects the price.
Get an identity that works across every channel
If you want to build a brand identity that stays consistent from logo to social media to search, start with a clear scope. At Akkenna, a holistic branding agency, identity is designed together with strategy and then carried into search and AI visibility, social media and performance content, so the brand looks and sounds the same everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a brand identity package?
Typically a logo suite, colour palette, typography, imagery direction, tone of voice, brand guidelines and a few applications such as stationery or social templates. Scope varies by agency, so confirm it in writing.
What is the difference between brand identity and branding?
Branding is the whole process of building how people perceive your business, including strategy, experience and reputation. Brand identity is the visual and verbal part of it.
Is a logo the same as a brand identity?
No. A logo is one part of a brand identity. The identity also includes colours, typography, imagery, voice and the rules for using them.
Do I need brand guidelines?
Yes, if more than one person will create content for your brand. Guidelines prevent drift and save time on every future project.
Can I buy just a logo instead of a full identity?
Yes. Many clients start with logo design and add the rest later. A logo alone is quicker but leaves gaps in colour, type and voice.
Not sure what your brand is missing?
A short brand audit shows which parts of your identity are inconsistent, and what to fix first. Book a brand audit with the Akkenna team.
