The Brand Identity Prism is a six-element model that embodies the identity of a brand. Together, these elements visualize the business’s image, what it represents, and the core characteristics that influence internally and externally.
J.Kapferer introduced the idea in 1986 as a concept for describing a brand and creating a cohesive message through these six elements. According to Kapferer: “Strong brands are capable of weaving all aspects [of the prism] into an effective whole in order to create a concise, clear, and appealing brand identity.”
Which are these famous elements?
Physique
This element is what defines the brand and how it will display visually. Physique, by definition, is the features that you can see that you will remember as a customer, which helps identify it among others—for example, colors, typography, logos, etc.
Personality
A brand’s personality works just as a person’s personality; its character, how it talks, acts, beliefs, and what makes it stand out as an essence. Just as if the brand was alive in the consumer’s eyes, the personality feels genuine.
Culture
If the personality and the physique have been worked on, the culture results from how it interacts with employees, clients, associates, and consumers alike. It is the set of values that support the brand, and for that, it has to be loyal to the progressive world we live in.
Relationship
The relationship element it’s a behavior that identifies brands and makes the consumers find them attractive. The intercommunication between users and the brand has to show honesty, uniqueness, clarity, and overall, have that tone of familiarity that invites people to engage and even be loyal to the brand.
Self-Image
Self-image refers to how customers see themselves in the brand. It is a mirror effect that takes advantage of the relationship created and helps construct their identity while interacting. The self-image exists thanks to how the brand feels and how consumers identify themselves into the business personality.
Reflection
Self-image and reflection usually go hand-in-hand. If a brand follows the previous elements, it will reflect the values and characteristics your clientele wants to see themselves in. The reflection as an element is a set of stereotypical attributes of a brand’s target public.