Identity

The outward expression of a brand. This includes everything from its name and visual appearance to the way it sounds, feels, smells, and tastes. The brand’s identity is its fundamental means of consumer recognition and symbolizes its points of difference. It represents a unique set of associations which affect how a brand appears in consumers’ minds. Identity, however, is a strategic goal (while image is a consumer’s actual perception of a brand). The goal, obviously, is for identity and image to be the same.