Brand Identity: Standing Out in a Crowded Market

4 Min Read By Carter Bird

Back in the day, ranchers branded cattle to identify each animal. Then, in 1875, Bass Ale stamped a red triangle on everything they made. Now, in 2020, with more choice than ever before, branding shapes the foundation of modern consumption. Brands don’t just symbolize provenance or quality control, but ideologies and identities.

Whether consciously or not, we align ourselves with brands every day.

Whether consciously or not, we align ourselves with brands every day. You hear things like “I’m a Nike guy,” or “I don’t drink Starbucks,” (yes, even going anti-brand is a branded choice). We do this because wearing the swoosh or sipping a green straw says something about us and makes us feel a certain way. The same is true of where we choose to eat. Branding is a chance to stand out from the crowd and align with like-minded people. For restaurants, it’s a chance to cement your culinary philosophy into a system of thinking that informs kitchen techniques, front of house…