Brand Platform: The Complete Guide to Building a Strong Identity

In increasingly competitive markets, the success of any company depends essentially on its marketing strategy and brand identity. Whether you're a multinational corporation, start-up, or SME, creating a comprehensive brand platform represents the essential element of effective and coherent corporate communication.

A brand platform is a reference document that summarizes the DNA of a brand: its missions, values, history, positioning, and distinctive codes.

Specifically, what is a brand platform? How do you create one that drives business success?

In this comprehensive guide, you will learn:

• What is a Brand Platform
• The Elements of a Brand Platform
• How to Create a Brand Platform

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1. What is a Brand Platform?

The brand platform is essential for establishing an effective and striking corporate communication strategy. To ensure their success and differentiate themselves from the competition, brands must define many strategic elements such as their history, brand codes, core values, and visual identity.

These elements are among the best practices to adopt in order to successfully build a strong, consistent, and relevant brand that resonates with your target audience.

Defining Your Brand Platform

A brand platform is a strategic document containing all the essential information about a brand. It defines the company's guidelines in terms of communication and marketing actions to be implemented across all channels.

This document is available to internal collaborators and strategic partners. Its primary function is to clarify the vision, objectives, identity, brand image, and market positioning of your organization.

What Should a Brand Platform Include?

For the brand platform to be relevant and enable the development of a global communication strategy, it's imperative that it contains at least the following information:

• Brand identity and DNA - What makes your brand unique
• Core values - The principles that guide your business decisions
• Brand storytelling - Your company's narrative and history
• Visual identity - Logos, colors, typography, design elements
• Editorial strategy - Tone of voice, messaging guidelines
• Social media approach - Platform-specific strategies and content guidelines

Want to optimize your social media presence? Learn more by discovering which social media platforms your business should use to maximize reach and engagement.

Why Brand Platforms Matter

If a company works with external service providers, agencies, or partners, this document is all the more essential insofar as it centralizes the company's main lines of communication, ensuring the homogeneity of all marketing actions.

All parties will be able to implement coherent actions in accordance with what is defined in the brand platform, maintaining brand consistency across all touchpoints.

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2. The Elements of a Brand Platform

1) Define Your Brand Identity: The Kapferer Prism

Determining a company's brand identity means defining its DNA: what differentiates it from competitors, what makes it unique and instantly recognizable.

According to Jean-Noël Kapferer, a renowned expert in brand management, brand identity is based on six fundamental elements: the physique, the personality, the culture, the relationship, the reflection, and the self-image (mentalization).

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Let's explore each element in detail:

A - The Physique (Physical Characteristics)

This first element refers to the tangible, physical characteristics of the brand. It's about how consumers perceive the brand, especially through its visual characteristics that help them identify it instantly.

Example: Apple is an excellent example of a brand with distinctive physical characteristics. Ideas that immediately come to mind when thinking of Apple include: modernity, elegance, sleek design, and minimalism. The brand has successfully reflected these attributes—which are its core values—across all of its products.

Colors, logos, packaging design, and product aesthetics are other common elements of the physical facet of brand identity.

B - The Relationship

This element focuses on the nature of the relationship between the brand and its consumers, including both the abstract aspects of the relationship and the more tangible interactions.

How a brand connects with its audience and the type of relationship it wants to build is entirely strategic and intentional.

Key questions to consider:

• What types of services or attitudes does the brand want to transmit?
• Customer-centric attention to detail?
• A more professional, distant approach?

Example: BMW has a serious but playful relationship with its customers, emphasizing "the ultimate driving machine" with a touch of performance excitement. In contrast, Ferrari's relationship is more exclusive, serious, and aspirational, targeting an elite audience.

C - The Reflection (Target Audience Image)

Reflection refers to the image that a brand projects of its target audience. It's a set of stereotypical beliefs or attributes associated with a brand's target market, which is often highlighted in advertisements and other marketing communications.

Example: Coca-Cola and many other soft drink companies portray their consumers as fun-loving, friendly, and youthful because it creates the desired impression for the brand. In reality, the range of consumers for these beverages is much wider, spanning various ages and personality types—but the reflection focuses on the aspirational target.

D - The Personality

To convey their brand personality, companies use specific writing styles, tones, attitudes, visual elements, and colors that humanize the brand.

Example: Coca-Cola uses its iconic script typeface and the color red to communicate happiness, optimism, and moments of joy that the brand personifies. This consistent personality has been maintained for decades, creating strong brand recognition.

Brand personality helps consumers relate to your brand as if it were a person with distinct characteristics and traits.

E - The Culture

According to Kapferer, culture is the set of values that fuel or form the foundation of a brand. In some cases, this includes the culture and values of the brand's country of origin and the traditions it represents.

Example: Ferrari is intrinsically associated with luxury Italian craftsmanship and the Italian sports car tradition. This cultural connection adds depth and authenticity to the brand.

Toyota used culture strategically to establish a set of guiding principles known as "The Toyota Way." These principles incorporate Japanese cultural concepts, such as "heijunka," which means "work like a turtle, not like a hare," referring to leveling the workload to minimize waste and maximize efficiency.

F - Self-Image (Mentalization)

Self-image is the feeling perceived by the customer when buying or using a product from a particular brand. It's about how consumers see themselves when they engage with your brand.

Example: A customer who purchases a Lacoste polo shirt may feel proud and confident wearing it because it's a quality piece of clothing from a prestigious, well-known brand. The product enhances their self-perception and social status.

Understanding the self-image your brand creates helps you connect with customers on an emotional level and build lasting loyalty.

2) The Mission

The mission of a company presents and deciphers its reason for being. It defines the objective of your organization, both for your employees/collaborators and for your customers.

A well-crafted mission statement charts a clear path for your business and represents the guiding principle that everyone associated with your brand follows.

If you can't define a clear mission, it could indicate that your overall purpose as a brand is being misunderstood by consumers—or that they simply don't know what they can expect from your brand.

Your mission must:

• Excite and inspire your consumers and employees
• Focus primarily on what your brand wants to achieve
• Aim directly at your core business objective
• Be clear, concise, and memorable

3) The Vision

Identifying the vision of your brand significantly determines the prospects for evolution and growth. A vision describes what your business will look like and how your consumers will perceive your brand in the future.

Your vision must create an impact that is both aspirational and inspiring. It should clearly state the ambitions and long-term goals of your brand.

Your vision should give your consumers an idea of how your brand can positively affect them in the long run, creating a compelling reason to remain loyal to your brand over time.

4) The Values

Brand ethics and values are essential in today's marketplace. It's therefore critical to precisely define the values you defend and the main principles that guide your company on a daily basis.

Your brand values should demonstrate integrity while being competitive and differentiating you from other brands in your industry.

For any brand, the main objective of articulating its values is to showcase the qualities that you prioritize in your company culture and business practices.

Your values guide your business in making good decisions that benefit both your organization and your consumers, creating trust and long-term relationships.

Building a strong employer brand requires clear values. Discover how by learning why LinkedIn is essential for building a strong employer brand that attracts top talent.

5) The Brand Promise

The brand promise is a contract of trust signed between the brand and its customers. It represents the way in which your brand engages with its target audiences.

To be effective, the brand promise must:

• Address a genuine customer need
• Demonstrate that your company has added value that competitors don't offer
• Be consistently delivered across all customer touchpoints
• Be authentic and achievable—not aspirational fiction

Your brand promise becomes the foundation of customer expectations and the benchmark by which your performance is measured.

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3. How to Create a Brand Platform

Creating a comprehensive brand platform can take weeks or even months of dedicated work, depending on the complexity of your organization and market.

However, you can make this process faster and more efficient by following all of the strategic steps outlined below.

Step 1: Study the Market

Conduct thorough market research to discover your target audience, direct competitors, and indirect competitors who might serve similar customer needs.

Key activities:

• Think deeply about the people who are buying your product or service
• Create detailed personas of your ideal customers
• Consider how you can persuade them to choose your brand over alternatives
• Identify your niche market and analyze businesses already operating in that space

Competitive Analysis:

Gather comprehensive information about your competitors:

• Review their websites and digital presence
• Analyze their social media strategies and engagement
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor

Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to assess your competitive position and develop an effective strategy

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Step 2: Create a Brand Philosophy

Think strategically about the purpose, values, unique value proposition, and personality of your brand.

All of these elements should resonate authentically with the values and needs of your target audience—they should genuinely reflect their lifestyle and aspirations.

Exercise: Make a comprehensive list of adjectives to describe your brand as if it were a real person. This humanization exercise helps clarify your brand personality and communication style.

Step 3: Define Visual Language and Tone of Voice

The visual language and tone of your communication should align perfectly with your brand philosophy to create a holistic, consistent image of your brand across all channels.

Visual Language Decisions:

• Choose the main types of content you'll use in marketing campaigns
• Define your primary color palette and secondary colors
• Develop comprehensive brand style guidelines
• Select typography that reflects your brand personality

Tone of Voice Strategy:

Think carefully about how you're going to communicate with your audience:

• Professional and authoritative?
• Friendly and conversational?
• Innovative and bold?
• Trustworthy and reassuring?

This step helps you create strong mental associations with your product or service in the minds of your target audience.

Step 4: Choose the Right Business Name, Slogan, and Logo

Create a memorable slogan and an appealing logo that captures your brand essence. These are often the first elements that new customers notice when they encounter your brand for the first time.

Best Practices:

Business Name:

• Should be memorable and easy to pronounce
• Reflects your brand values and positioning
• Is available as a domain name and on social media platforms

Slogan/Tagline:

• Captures your brand promise in a few powerful words
• Is memorable and repeatable
• Differentiates you from competitors

Logo:

• Should be designed professionally
• Reflects your brand personality visually
• Works across all media (print, digital, merchandise)
• Is scalable and recognizable at any size

Step 5: Document and Review Regularly

Once you've created your brand platform, it's crucial to:

Document everything thoroughly in a central, accessible location for all team members and partners who need it.

Review regularly - Your brand platform shouldn't be static. Market conditions change, customer preferences evolve, and your business grows. Schedule regular reviews (quarterly or annually) to ensure your brand platform remains relevant.

Ensure alignment - Make sure that everyone who uses the brand platform—from internal teams to external agencies—is on the same page and implementing it consistently.

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Building Your Brand Platform: Key Takeaways

A well-crafted brand platform is the foundation of all effective marketing and communication strategies. It ensures:

✓ Consistency across all customer touchpoints and communications
✓ Clarity about what your brand stands for and promises
✓ Differentiation from competitors in your market
✓ Alignment among all team members and partners
✓ Strategic direction for future growth and evolution

Your brand platform is not just a document—it's the DNA that drives every decision, every piece of content, and every customer interaction.

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Ready to Build a Powerful Brand Platform?

Creating a comprehensive brand platform requires strategic thinking, market insights, and expert guidance to ensure all elements work together cohesively.

At Les Années Folles, we specialize in helping B2B companies build strong, distinctive brand platforms that drive business results. Our expertise in brand strategy, LinkedIn influencer marketing, and authentic storytelling ensures your brand stands out in crowded markets.

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Why Work With Les Années Folles?

✓ Strategic brand development that aligns with your business goals
✓ Market research and competitive analysis to inform positioning
✓ Visual identity and messaging that resonates with target audiences
✓ Implementation support across digital and social channels
✓ Ongoing optimization as your brand evolves

Don't leave your brand identity to chance. Let our team of brand strategy experts help you create a powerful brand platform that drives recognition, loyalty, and business growth.

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Let's Build Your Brand Together

Contact Les Années Folles today to discuss your brand platform needs and discover how we can help you create a compelling, cohesive brand identity that sets you apart from competitors.

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