Why icons for your brand are your new best friend

Icons for your brand, they just don’t get enough credit, do they?

Now hear us out. This isn’t some weird design agency fetish that the Daily Mail brigade can clutch their pearls at. Oh no, we’re piously for real right now – icons are the unsung heroes of great branding.

Let’s begin, shall we…

Maybe your born with it, MAYBE it’s icons for your brand. Think of a brand you really vibe with. We mean one you don’t mind receiving sales emails from and willingly give your hard-earned money to from time to time. Now, think about the first thing that pops into your head when you picture a communication from them. Chances are, that thing is an icon or at least an element of it. A cute little lightbulb. A ‘sustainability’ leaf (come on, you know what we mean). An outline of a yogi pose. Any kind of arrow. Icons are powerful because they speak volumes without saying a single word. Instant recognition? Check done.

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. But as anyone who’s ever had to work on a design brief knows, sometimes you kind of have to. Especially when it comes to brand image. You should also know by now that good branding means staying consistent across your entire identity (more on that here if you’re behind the times). And guess what’s a massive part of keeping your brand cohesive? You guessed it – icons. They help give your brand a uniform look, across all platforms, whether it’s social media, your website, or a physical product. Icons are often the glue that can hold your identity together, making it memorable and instantly recognisable.

Now, not to go all Gilead on you, dear reader. But let’s face it: we’re busy people and we don’t always have time to read things properly. Between doom scrolling, Netflix hopping, and leaving the family group chat on read, we have way too many things to look at every waking minute of every day. Therefore, we want content that gets us to the point faster. That’s where icons come in. With just a tap of the finger or a quick glance, an icon can tell you everything you need to know. No lengthy text, no confusion. Simple, efficient, and to the point.

Style matters. It’s how we express ourselves, tell you who we are and how we want the world to see us. The same is true for brand icons. If they look good, unique, sleek, modern, and polished, you look legit, baby. Think about the brands you love — their icons reflect their personality and add credibility to their overall design. A business with its own set of identifiable icons screams, “I know what I’m doing, so step right up!” And we all know, that if there’s one thing consumers love, it’s a brand that looks trustworthy and professional. When done right – icons make you look like you know exactly what you’re doing.

Here’s the thing: icons speak a universal language. So, there’s no need for embarrassing translation mishaps or running the risk of alienating audiences. Whether you’re trying to find a public loo in Japan or attempting to order the fattest part of the cow in Argentina, icons break down language barriers and make content accessible to everyone. And hey, it’s a good reminder that as humans, we have a hell of a lot more in common than they’d have you believe.

Ever seen a design cluttered with too much text? Boy oh boy our design studio has, and they lose a tiny part of their soul every time they see it out in the wild. Exhausting, right? That’s where icons breathe life into your branding. They can save you space on the screen, a poster, an advert, an email, hell, even a packet of crisps – while still packing a punch. You get your message across with more impact and less choas. It’s like Marie Kondo-ing your marketing materials — only with icons, you’ll actually stick to it.

It’s simple: icons are essential. Whether it’s for instant recognition, brand consistency, or a user-friendly experience, they’re the design element you can’t afford to ignore. They’re more than just pretty pictures — they’re the glue that holds your communication together and they’ll make your design team cry tears of pure joy. Trust us.

Do you have your icons in place? Would you like your own set? We’ve got a whole team of designers who just love to see an icon convert coming – let’s talk!