A pivotal part of any company’s marketing strategy is the creation and exchange of brand assets used in the promotion of the business. To create a successful brand asset— one that provides value— it’s important to understand what they are and how to use them effectively.
In this AEC marketing guide, we explore the value of brand assets and provide examples of some of the top brands doing it right. We also discuss how to manage brand assets with a digital asset management (DAM) system and provide tips on creating brand assets of your own.
Digital Brand Assets Meaning
Digital brand assets are digital files that represent your brand and provide tangible value to your business. This includes things like:
- Company Logos
- Business Websites
- Social Media Accounts
- Email Signatures
Digital brand assets are important because they help potential customers and existing clients recognize your brand. This recognition along with having a consistent brand message across all of your channels helps build trust with your audiences.
Digital Assets vs. Brand Assets: What’s the Difference?
Digital assets and brand assets are similar but not the same. Though they both exist as digital files that can be shared and used in several ways, digital and brand assets differ in the amount and type of value they provide to your business. Let’s take a look at each in more detail.
Digital Asset
A digital asset is any type of online file or document that a company owns, regardless of who created it or the purpose it serves. These include things like:
- Photos,
- Videos,
- Design files,
- Word documents,
- PDFs,
- Company branding,
- Presentations,
- etc.
Brand Assets
Unlike digital assets, digital brand assets include all of the files that are directly connected to your branding, marketing, and promotional efforts. This includes things like your:
- logo,
- graphic design elements,
- brand and style guides,
- brand guidelines,
- color pallets,
- social media accounts,
- website, and
- advertisements.
How Digital Brand Assets Provide Value to Your Business
The primary reason a business would commit time and resources to the creation of digital brand assets is to extract the value they provide to your brand. This is why it’s important to have a digital asset management (DAM) solution to keep materials organized and accessible.
Here’s how doing branding correctly provides value to your business:
Building Trust in Your Brand
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful business relationship. As branded digital assets, things like your logo and social media accounts help to build trust with your audience, enabling your brand with a recognizable and consistent image.
When customers see a brand that presents itself professionally and cohesively across various online platforms, they’re more likely to consider it reliable and trustworthy. This perceived trustworthiness encourages customer loyalty and fosters a positive brand reputation.
In fact, 81% of consumers indicate that trust in a brand is a crucial element in their purchasing decisions, and 46% are prepared to spend more on a brand they trust, an increase from 30% in 2021.
Creating a Consistent Brand Image
Consistency is key in the digital world. Whether it’s through the color scheme, typography, or style of imagery, consistent digital brand assets ensure that your business is easily recognizable across all online channels.
This consistency not only strengthens your brand’s identity but also reassures customers and prospects about the stability and reliability of your business. A unified brand image makes your business more memorable and increases the likelihood of repeat engagement.
Plus, 68% of businesses indicate that maintaining brand consistency has accounted for a 10% to 20% increase in their revenue growth.
Establishing Brand Identity
Your brand’s identity is its personality. Digital brand assets are the elements that express this personality to the world. 75% of consumers remember a brand by its logo.
However, from the logo that symbolizes your brand’s values to the tone of voice used in your content, every asset contributes to a unique brand identity.
By leveraging the following digital brand assets, you can develop a recognizable image and build strong brand recognition:
- color palette
- typeface
- company logo & slogan
- packaging
- illustrations
- patterns
- icons
As such, initiatives to create digital brand assets should be a top priority for any business looking to help customers recognize their brand image and what it stands for. This identity helps differentiate your business from competitors and allows customers to connect with your brand on a personal level, fostering a sense of loyalty and advocacy.
Driving Traffic to Your Website
Brand consistency is important, but so is driving traffic to your website. Fortunately, digital brand assets can help you do that too. Effective digital brand assets are not just visually appealing; they’re also strategically designed to drive traffic to your website.
A study by HubSpot found that direct traffic is the top source of website traffic. This implies that brand awareness is a significant factor in expanding a company’s audience reach. In fact, their study found that 50% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company whose logo they easily recognize and 39% of marketers say their primary goal for a social media strategy is to increase brand awareness and reach new audiences.
Therefore, you should include digital brand assets in engaging social media posts, informative blog articles, and SEO-optimized images and videos to attract more visitors to your site. The more compelling and relevant your digital assets are, the more likely they are to be shared and seen, increasing your website’s visibility and, ultimately, its traffic.
Moreover, by including links to your website in your digital assets, you can increase the number of visitors to your site. This is a great way to promote new products and services, or simply to get more people interested in your company.
Top Five Examples of Successful Brands
You don’t have to look far successful digital brand asset examples, as they are all around us. By their very nature, the best digital brand assets attract the eye of the consumer and make it nearly impossible to ignore the brand or walk away from the service. Here are some popular digital brand examples:
Coca-Cola: Strong Digital Presence
Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. The company has a strong digital presence, with a website that is updated regularly with new content. Their digital branding successfully utilizes bold colors and a signature typeface, which is incorporated into all of their digital marketing. Coca-Cola also has a strong social media presence, with accounts on all major platforms.
One of Coca-Cola’s most successful digital assets is its #ShareACoke marketing campaign. The trending campaign encourages people to share photos of themselves with Coca-Cola products, essentially creating online brand ambassadors. The campaign was successful in increasing brand awareness and generating positive sentiment toward the company.
Nike: Clear Brand Identity
Swoosh! Nike is another example of a company with a strong digital presence. Nike’s website is updated consistently with new content customers want, and the company maintains a competitive social media presence. Nike also has a mobile app, which allows users to track their fitness progress and purchase Nike products.
What makes Nike’s digital brand assets so strong? Nike has a clear brand identity that is reflected in all of its digital assets. Nike’s digital assets are branded, fully integrated, and work together to create a seamless user experience.
Dunkin Donuts: Active and Engaging
Another company with flourishing and relevant digital brand assets is Dunkin Donuts. With a cheery pop of color, a snappy catchphrase, and a handful of recognizable brand icons, Dunkin has a winning arsenal of brand assets.
Their website is clean and easy to navigate, with a focus on product images and call-to-actions. Clickable brand icons also make it responsive, so it looks and runs great on mobile devices. Dunkin Donuts’ social media accounts are active and engaging, featuring digital branding that encourages followers to play, repost, and tag themselves.
Apple: Distinct and Easy to Consume
This one is a no-brainer. The strategic use of digital brand assets is part of what makes Apple one of the most powerfully ubiquitous and recognizable companies in the world. A key part of their digital branding is their use of color. From the classic white and grey tones to the colorful product shots on their website and social media, everything about Apple’s digital branding pops.
They also make excellent use of whitespace, ensuring that their brand assets are uncluttered and easy to consume. But Apple doesn’t just rely on strong visuals – they also have amazing audio branding. Think about the sound you hear when you turn on an iPhone, or how distinct their commercials are from anyone else’s!
Oreo: Recognizable and Nostalgic
This cult-classic cookie stays relevant by sandwiching digital brand assets between classic advertising and modern digital marketing. Oreo’s digital brand assets are some of the most eye-catching on the internet. From recipe videos and Oreo art to printables and games, there’s something for everyone on their website – no matter how old you are.
And their social media presence is just as impressive, with over 27 million followers on Facebook alone. What’s more, Oreo isn’t afraid to experiment. They were one of the first brands to jump on the Snapchat bandwagon, and their “Dunk in the Dark” Super Bowl campaign was a huge success.
How to Create Your Own Digital Brand Assets
Creating memorable digital brand assets can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few best practices to get you started:
- Start with your logo: Your logo is one of the most important brand assets you have. It should be simple, recognizable, and reflect your brand’s values.
- Then your website: Make sure it is well-designed, easy to navigate, and contains accurate and up-to-date information.
- Wrap-up with social media: Your social accounts are digital brand assets too. Use these platforms to share your brand’s story, connect with customers, and create valuable content.
How to Manage Digital Assets for Your Brand
Having an effective way to manage your digital brand assets is essential for maintaining a strong and consistent brand identity. That’s why it’s important to have a digital asset management solution (DAM).
DAM Considerations: Things to Keep In Mind While Searching for a DAM Solution
- Organization is Key: Creating a system for storing and organizing digital assets will save you time and frustration down the road.
- Access is Important: Everyone on your team who needs to use digital brand assets should have the ability to find and access them easily.
- Don’t Forget Accuracy: Regularly review your digital assets to make sure they are accurate and reflect any changes to your brand identity.
Brand-Based Digital Asset Management Systems
Brand-based digital asset management systems are designed to organize digital assets by product or brand. They are typically best for retail or eCommerce verticals.
Project-Based Digital Asset Management Systems
Project-based DAMs store and organize digital assets by project or property, and are best for architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and real estate firms. They help AEC firms find their assets more quickly and help them create better proposals, faster.
OpenAsset: The Best Way to Manage Your Digital Brand Assets
OpenAsset makes it simple to find the digital assets you need when you need them. You can search for project and image files by keywords or file type, and tag files to make them easier to find later. The secure platform also helps you protect your digital assets by keeping them safe from unauthorized access and accidental deletion.
With OpenAsset, you can easily share files with team members, clients, and partners. You can also control who has access to your files and what they can do with them. As more and more businesses move away from traditional print media and towards digital channels, it’s important to invest in a winning strategy for managing your digital brand assets. Request a demo to learn how OpenAsset can help you manage your digital assets today.
