“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.” – Robert L. Peters.
There is a difference between UI UX design and good UI UX design. The entire difference lies in its ability to prioritize the user, which will eventually shape a company’s branding and leave an impression on them.
Yes, developing an innovative product is important. Competitive pricing is even more crucial. But as businesses, we want to stick out. We don’t want to be just another product in the market. We want our customers to remember us the way we think of Nike when we see “Just Do It!” or of Apple when we see that iconic half-apple logo. We want them to have that “aha!” moment when they see something that instantly reminds them of our brand.
Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola, Spotify – these iconic brands have one thing in common: a powerful identity. So how can we make sure that this happens for us as well? Branding, exactly!
Let me put in a few words – we all enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, right? So, what place comes to mind when we think of ordering one? Most likely – Starbucks! Their iconic green mermaid logo is enough to make us crave a Frappuccino or maybe a Latte. But it’s not just their logo that makes Starbucks so memorable. It’s the feeling of warmth, the comfort we get from the atmosphere, the anticipation of the barista asking our name to write on our beverage. But it’s also the excitement of posting our coffee on social media.
Branding is our company’s personality. Its story. It's the heart that connects us with our customers. Through branding, we are showing our customers who we are, what our ideas are, what we believe in. Automatically, all of these will be aligned with our customers’ personalities. Every word, every color, and every image is the voice and the paintbrush of our company.
Branding Is More Than Visuals and User Interface
But branding goes beyond pretty visuals. Another essential aspect of what makes a brand (something that some product managers and UI UX designers seem to forget) is how it makes people feel. Apple would not have had the success that it currently does if it had only a cool logo.
In retrospect, the way advertising is done, the attitude approached, and what we decide to prioritize in our user experience all contribute to the emotional connection our users have with us with our brands. As you can see, Starbucks has mastered the art of creating a complete experience around its brand – both through its visuals and the feelings it provides.
As you can see, branding is not simple. At least not as it used to be. Actually, back in the day, marketing and branding was easy. It was enough for companies just to create a catchy advertisement where they present their product and its features, and… well, that’s it. Today, however, ignoring having something that makes us stand out won’t achieve the success that we want. We have to create our brand’s identity. And well, we know how challenging it is to create our own personal identity – now imagine doing that for a brand.
In today’s world, where an online presence is crucial, we should not underestimate the importance of design in branding. In fact, Adobe even said that 38% of users lose interest in an app or website if it lacks engagement or simply if it looks bad.
This is where visual branding and UI UX design come into play! Our aesthetically pleasing website with pretty images, our color palette, the typography and the style used, our icons, buttons, cool animations – all of these represent our visual brand identity and the base of our company’s branding. Why exactly? Well, people remember design patterns. They remember fonts, images, and colors.
Icons and Branding
Think about icons for a minute. An icon can do more than you would expect. It creates familiarity and deductibility for a brand. And Facebook’s like icons are a great example. When we see those thumbs-up icons, we instantly think about Facebook. Another example can be the colors imprinted in our brains. Let’s face it – when we see red with yellow, we immediately think of McDonald’s.
While it might not come as a surprise, what makes a company really stand out is its logo. 75% of people identify and associate a brand simply by looking at its logo. So, when developing a brand identity, the logo could be the foundation of everything that comes after – your slogan, voice, attitude, and website. That’s how powerful your user interface design can be. So, UI designers, take note!
Branding and User Experience - Do UI/UX Designers do Branding?
But it’s not enough to have a cool logo or a pretty website and not even a good-looking app. When we interact with a brand, we’re looking for an experience that resonates with us. A well-crafted UI/UX design can evoke trust, excitement, and joy. Actually, 75% of users even base their judgment of a website’s credibility solely on how it looks and how well it works.
Think about it – when you use an intuitive website or app with cool animations and personalized touches, of course, it leaves a positive impression. On the other hand, a poorly designed interface can be frustrating, making us want to close the app immediately. We might use a certain product at first for what it can provide, of course. But the reason we stay is entirely based on how good it looks, how well it works, and especially how it makes us feel after using it. It's the difference between feeling like we gained something or we’re just another user.
Remember! Branding and having a brand identity not only leads to differentiation and uniqueness but also to brand loyalty. Creating an emotional connection can lead to consistency, which ultimately leads to trust and loyalty. And UI and UX design are the tools we can use to make this happen! Why? Because our UI/UX design can tell a story. Our story.
“Brands are built around stories. And stories of identity – who we are, where we’ve come from – are the most effective stories of all. This storytelling is a powerful way to bring brands to life.” – Bill Dauphinais.
We at uinkits understand the importance of inputs in great user experiences and creating amazing UI designs. That’s why we’ve developed a Figma UI Kit with design components that include these essential UI elements that enable you to design intuitive and user-friendly interfaces effortlessly.
“You press the button, we do the rest.” – Kodak.
Inspired by this iconic tagline from Kodak, we believe in simplifying the design process for you. Our Figma UI Kit, uinkits, is a complete design system with UI components that allows you, as a UI UX designer, to create your products as quickly as pressing a button.
Our design system includes UI components, icons, variables, cards, buttons and everything you need for your design process. All you have to do is take your UI design component needed, and you’re ready to use it in your designs!
