1

Impact of the Visual

Design Elements on the
Brands.
Research Proposal
2
1. Research Aim
The aim of this research is to explore the impact of the visual design elements on the brands.
The research aims to explore the importance of visual design elements such as colour, form,
image style and font on the brand identity and how it affects the consumer purchasing
behaviour.
2. Objectives
In order to satisfy the aim of this research, the study intends to examine the following objectives:
1. To examine the importance of visual design elements on the brand identity perceived by
consumers.
2. To examine the most important visual design element or elements together perceived by
consumers.
. To examine the relationship between colour of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
!. To examine the relationship between form of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
". To examine the relationship between image style of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
#. To examine the relationship between font of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
3. Research Questions
The research intends to examine the following research $uestions:
RQ1: %re visual design elements are important for the brand identity&
RQ2: 'hat is the most important visual design element for the brand identity&
RQ3: Is there a relationship between colour of the brand and consumer purchasing behaviour&
RQ4: Is there a relationship between form of the brand and consumer purchasing behaviour&
RQ5: Is there a relationship between image style of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour&
RQ6: Is there a relationship between font of the brand and consumer purchasing behaviour&
4. Critical Review of the Literature
Visual Brand Identity and its Importance to the brands
The available literature suggested that visual design elements has significant influence on the
brand identity perceived by consumers and has direct influence on the consumer purchasing
behaviour. (isual brand identity consists of various visual elements in brand such as brand
name, effective visual style, colour theme, form, typography and shape. These visual elements
encapsulate and communicate a non)verbal image styleic meaning which can be understood by
anyone regardless of age and education level.
3
Brand forms ability to epress customers identity
*or most consumers, form display is the most common way of showing the legitimate
relationship with the brand. The accuracy and speed with which consumers recogni+e the form
is called visual fluency. If the form has higher visual fluency, then people would more easily and
accurately recall the brand. ,esearch has shown that mere exposure can positively influence
brand awareness and preference. In our contemporary society brands are ac$uiring the power
to express the identities of its customers and ma-ing them apart from each other ./haplin and
,oedder 0ohn, 211" and 2scalas and 3ettman, 211"4. *or example, a brand form has the
capability to express customer5s core beliefs, values .6i--i, 7o it yourself approach4, and
personal desires .e.g. ,ed bull gives you wings4 they adhere to .2scalas 8 3ettman, 211"4.
*orms has the potential to communicate what the brand stands for including its individual
essence to its consumers in such a way that they gain the ability to incorporate it in their own
lives. 9It is a critical tool to convey associations between the brand and the self which helps the
people see the brand as part of themselves: .;ar-, 2114.
*orm5s has the ability to not only provide associations with the self, but also to reinforce and
strengthen them in such a way that the customer has no choice but to maintain that relationship
at any cost. <ince the brea-down of the relationship will mean losing out h=her core beliefs and
values that the brand helped structured .;ar- et al., 2111 and Thomson et al., 211"4.
Brand !orms and their functional benefits
% brand form has the potential to reduce uncertainty in the customer5s lives by providing them
efficacy and control in order for them to gain desirable results and avoided adverse outcomes.
This functional approach provides brands an ability to create an environment in which the
customer feels a sense of in control in their lives that enable them to perform daily routine
effectively and efficiently. % form acts as the depiction of brands essence, and has the ability to
remind consumers about its functional benefit, which generate long term commitment from the
buyers end. *or instance, 6i-e <woosh form promises a superior physical form to the people
who buys its shoes, and ,ed bull form .two giant bulls in front of the sun4, promising to vitali+e
their bodies and minds .;ar-, 211, pp 1>1)1>?4.
The aesthetic appeal of any object or services has captivated humanity since its inception. It5s in
human nature to feel attractive towards things which have aesthetic value. /orporations and
brands in particular understand the existence of these elements among its customers, therefore,
continuously strive to ma-e their logs more attractive and eye catching. The pleasing artistic
$uality of the form crates an emotional connection with the customer, and they perceive it as
something dear to themselves .;ittard et al., 211?4.
@oldmen states that brands, which have high aesthetic value as compare to their competitors
will have more chance gain customers trust and admiration .@oldmen, 1"4. *or example, the
image of 'alt 7isney .fairytale castle4 form has a high visual gratification level in the eyes of its
visitors, which provide them an emotional experience with a brand. The same goes for the form
of Aello Bitty which has a strong bonding relationship with its customers worldwide, due to its
pleasing white cat with a red bend and no mouth form .@oldmen, 1"4.
Ima"e #tyle
The decision to select separate visual image styles for brands, as in the case of <tarbuc-s
.Cermaid4 or to employ brand name .*ord4 is a difficult one and needs continuous deliberations
among its sta-eholders. (isuals image styles have the ability to build emotional connections
4
with customers .example would be Cc7onald5s happy meal with children4 as compare to name
alone. (isual Image styles have the tendency to personali+e with their customers and be closer
to their hearts. They effectively provide information to its consumers, cuts down barriers, and
ma-e them feel comfortable, with the brand .CacInnis et al., 1DDD4.
% visual image style with appealing aesthetic design ma-es the brand stand apart among its
competitors, and stay vividly in customers mind. This sort of influence facilitates favourable
attitude formation and a push for a customer to buy the product .Aenderson and /ote, 1DD>4.
Image styles are stronger in terms of communicating brands benefits and eliciting emotional and
behavioural responses. In addition, they tend to overcome language barriers as compare to
names or texts, and ma-es the communications so vivid that even a customer without education
can understand the benefits a brand is promising through its image styleic form. Aence, brand
based forms=image styles are more valuable in providing the meaning to the brand .in terms of
depicting brands functional promise, self)expression=self)identity benefits, and offering its
visually gratifying appeal4 as compare to text and font)based brands.
Brand !ont
The brand font is li-e a support base on which mar-eter5s build brands e$uity .%a-er,D14. The
brand font is critical in terms of consumer awareness and the achievement of effective
communications. It has the potential to strengthen the credibility of the brand and the ability to
influence both internal and external customers. In traditional scene, the font act as a image
style to affect potential consumers to see have a positive perception about the brand and the
organi+ation. Aowever, when the brand is launched in the mar-et, it becomes the psychological
property of its consumers .Cosaarat, 2114.
The font identifies the product and strengthens its e$uity. Ergani+ations can change their fonts
but changing the brand font of their products can be ris-y in terms of losing mar-et share and
e$uity. Therefore, organi+ations must be very careful in terms of naming their brandsF the font
should be a long term commitment instead of a short term decision. They should be presenting
well and perceived well in the mar-et. The selection of the font should be a rigorous process
since it has the ability to capture the essence of the product in terms of its central theme and
-ey associations with the customers. 3rand fonts provide faster communications with
customers as compare to other mar-eting tools. *or instance, the range for consumers to
understand mar-eting communication can ta-e 1 seconds .for T(/5s4 and sometimes hours .in
sales calls4. En the contrary, the brand font can be noticed instantly and ta-e few seconds for
consumers to register its intended message in their minds .Beller, 2114.
3rand font is not mere words designed to provide product awareness alone. It must
communicate its captivating position, be inspirational and only ma-es believable promise with its
customers in order to gain their attention. %ccording to ,obertson, brand font should be simple,
easy to pronounce, spell, remember and understood. It should be meaningful and distinctive
and must have the capability to increase brand recall and be memorable enough to reinforce its
benefits .;antene <hampoo, Toyota *amily car etc4.
Brand $olourin"
%ccording to Cortimer .211!4 colours has the potential in deciding the success and failure of
brands in modern day branding environment. 6owadays, form5s and slogans are not enough to
brea- through the ever increasing clutter in the mar-et. In order to gain mar-et share and
leadership position advertisers have to design colour scheme in such a way that it reflects
brand5s core identity and promises to its customers .Cortimer, 211!, pp2!)2?4.
5
The importance of colour can be explained, when 2asy group decided to enter into mobile
mar-et with its signature colour orange. There it runs into opposition with Erange, one of the
mar-et leader in mobile phone category. %ccording to one of its senior executives, orange is not
just another colour in our brand design, but it occupy a crucial place in our mar-eting mix, which
communicates and establish the core values of our brands in the minds of consumers
.Cortimer, 211!, pp2!)2?4.
Ene oft the colour ;sychologist from /olour %ffects advertising agency, %ngela 'right, adds
that our brain recogni+e colour before it notice words or shapes. %s human beings, the process
of noticing and ma-ing a perception about what one have seen is an unconscious process.
Therefore, advertisers lin-s the colours with their brand promises and hence send implicit
message to their customers without them -nowing about it. *or example, the red colour of (irgin
%tlantic suggests that the brand is cool, trendy and fashionable .Cortimer, 211!, pp2!)2?4.
'hen choosing colours brands should also consider the multiple demographics of their target
mar-et. <ince different target mar-ets have multiple interpretations about colours, and perceive
colours in their own contexts. *or instance, the green colour is considering an official religious in
various Cuslim countries. %ny associations of this colour with unislamic products such as
alcohol and 3eer can have a negative impact on brand itself .Cortimer, 211!, pp2!)2?4.
6owadays companies are choosing colours to influence young children. *or instance, Aein+
sells -etchup in purple and green to entice its young target mar-et. Giploc .storage container
brand from H<4 is using plastic bowls which change colour with temperature. ;epsi5s *rito)Iay
is selling /heeto5s that turn the colour of their customers tongue blue or orange .Cortimer,
211!, pp2!)2?4.
/olorcomJs Corton adds that colours ma-e the target mar-et trust the brand and feel
comfortable with its intended promise. *or example the brown colour of H;< .Internal delivery
systems for goods4, have a brown colour which ma-es its conservative business consumer
base feel safe and dependable on the brand. ,ecent H;< ads recogni+es the importance of
colour in terms of customer retention, therefore they are continuously as-ing their clients 9what
can brown do you: .Cortimer, 211!, pp2!)2?4.
%ypo"raphy
<ince the beginning of civili+ation, typography has been use to document human activities and
tells stories about their collective experiences and distant cultures. It was an ancient form of
hand written communication between different societies, and enabled humans to express their
individuality and communicate globally.
In the advertising context, typography has been used on pac-ages to give awareness to
customers about products font, ingredients, benefits and its usage. Coreover, it provides details
about product5s overall personality through its typeface or the ways letter are arranged with
each other. Typography act as a visual communication tool in a clutter mar-et and possess the
ability to gain visual interest of the customers. Aowever, if the typeface is not applied properly
on the pac-aging or on other advertising platform, then it will be perceived as unsophisticated
by the customers.
7ue to this reason, many organi+ations carefully select the designing of their typeface, and
ma-e sure it is in line with brands overall personality and its promise. *or instance, 9they utili+e
well)designed, classic fonts with the arrangement of the letterforms or words communicating a
very specific feeling. *or example, open letter spacing .the hori+ontal space between individual
6
letters4 or lots of leading .the vertical space between lines of text4 can ma-e the design feel light
and airy, and symmetrical typography can feel balanced and calm:.
Ene lesson to remember when designing typeface is that it is not a form. % form image stylei+es
a brand and depicts its overall personality as compare to typeface which communicates few
aspects of brand. <ince fonts are readily available, the smart thing would be to customi+e one
own font in relation to brand image and its promise.
*onts have their own personalities and styles which can have a impact upon the brand and its
communications to targeted consumers. These fonts have a potential to significantly influence
customers purchasing decisions and help emphasi+e the message of the brand. Typeface is
one of the deciding factors in terms of sending right message to the customers. The wrong
choices of typeface can lead the brand into oblivion.
. Research !esi"n
Research &pproach
The research will adopt the primary $uantitative survey methodology. The focus of this research
will be to investigate the impact of the visual design elements such as colour, form, image style
and font on the brand identity and how it affects the consumer purchasing behaviour. In this
regard, this research will investigate the importance of visual design elements on brand identity
from consumer perspective and hence collects data from representative number of consumers
in Hnited Bingdom. This research approach is highly consistent with previous studies conducted
by researchers for e.g. KL who explores the impact of the visual design elements such as colour,
form, image style and font on the brand identity and how it affects the consumer purchasing
behaviour.
The sources of information will be based on primary survey data. The instrument of this
research will includes an online survey $uestionnaire which will be sent to consumers who will
be shown images of brand identity and as- $uestions pertinent to the impact of the visual design
elements such as colour, form, image style and form on the brand identity and how it affects
their consumer purchasing behaviour. %s data collection is an essential part of the research
process, so the research will utilise the @oogle 7ocs .www docs.google.com4. @oogle 7ocs is a
website that will be employed for the administration of online survey of this study. @oogle 7ocs
is a free service for @oogle and @mail account users that enable to create an online survey tool
that is the most effective, easiest and safest medium and has been so far widely accepted and
evaluated by researchers in the available literature. The website provides a medium to create
an online survey form with friendly usage for the research participants to fill different types of
survey $uestions and ultimately creating a correspondence spreadsheet of filed responses.
Research !rame'or(
The study will incorporate visual brand identity in terms of four elements that include colour,
form, image style and font that influence consumer purchasing behaviour. The figure 1 shows
the conceptual framewor- of this study that indicates consumer purchasing behaviour as
dependent variable whereas colour, form, image style and font of visual brand identity as
independent variables.
7
#i"ure 1: Conce$tual #ramewor%
Research )ypotheses
H1: There is a significant relationship between colour of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
H2: There is a significant relationship between form of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
H3: There is a significant relationship between image style of the brand and consumer
purchasing behaviour.
H4: There is significant a relationship between font of the brand and consumer purchasing
behaviour.
*opulation
;opulation can be defined as a group of individual or items that share one or more
characteristics from which data can be gathered and analy+ed. /onsidering the large population
under study, the researcher will adopt some sampling techni$ues to study the population.
#ample of *articipants
The study sample of this research will be based on the online consumers in Hnited Bingdom.
The sample will contain the representative online participants, which are using varied consumer
brands, in order to examine the impact of the visual design elements such as colour, form,
image style and font on the brand identity and how it affects their consumer purchasing
behaviour.
#amplin" +ethod
The non)probability or convenience sampling will be employed in this study as a
sampling method to select the representative number of online consumers in Hnited Bingdom.
/onvenience sampling will be employed because it is one of the most widely used sampling
Colour
Consumer
Purchasing
Behaviour
Form
Image Style
Font
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methods in exploratory phase of the study and in perhaps the best ways of getting some basic
information $uic-ly and efficiently.
Cajority of respondents will be selected through extensive social networ-ing websites
such as *aceboo-, Twitter, and blogs will be used to draw the sample of participants and
consumers who comment and participate in discussions and interests of visual brand identity
and how it affects their consumer purchasing behaviour.
#ample #i,e
/onsidering the large population under study, the current research aims to draw the
sample si+e of online consumers based on the formula presented by ,ea and ;ar-er .21124.
The researcher aims to collect 21)1"1 respondents for the analysis of this research.
Instrument and -ata $ollection
The research will is based on descriptive and exploratory study using a primary survey
$uestionnaire designed with closed)ended structured $uestionnaires to examine the impact of
the visual design elements such as colour, form, image style and font on the brand identity and
how it affects the consumer purchasing behaviour. The $uestionnaire will be is designed to elicit
information on dependent and independent variables which serve the purpose of the study.
It will collect data on the areas of importance of visual brand identity, colour of brand
identity, form of brand identity, image style of brand identity, font of brand identity and consumer
purchasing behaviour towards visual design elements.
&. !ata Anal'sis (lan
%echni.ues of -ata &nalysis
7ata will be entered and analy+ed using the <tatistical ;ac-age for <ocial <cience
.<;<<4 for windows. <tatistical ;ac-age for the <ocial <ciences .<;<<4 is one of the popular
computer programs that are used for calculating descriptive and inferential statistics. It is widely
used in exploratory studies for testing hypotheses.
The descriptive statistics analysis will discuss the overall fre$uencies and percentages of
responses of all $uestions of this study in order to gain the initial view of the significance of
research variables of visual design elements and consumer purchasing behaviour. %dditionally,
Cultiple ,egression analysis was used to examine relationship between visual design elements
such as colour, form, image style and font on the brand identity on the consumer purchasing
behaviour.
Validity and Reliability
The validation and reliability test of the $uestionnaire assures the researcher that data
collection for the research is valid and reliable for the measures it is supposed to do and also
provide the answers for the research purpose and objectives.
Validity
*or the ensuring the validity, the content validity will be been used as it is considered by
many researchers as the best validity criteria when instruments measures the opinions,
perceptions, and attitudes of individuals on group buying effect. The content validity of the data
is often evaluated through opinions presented by the certain number of participants in the field
involved. 3ased on their opinions, the content validity of the test is then considered satisfactory
to the extent that such participants agree that instruments used for collecting and analysis the
research topic is valid and met all re$uirements. "1)#1 online consumers, who are different
brands, will be selected in the pilot test to determine the validity of the data of instruments.

Reliability
*or the purpose of this research, the reliability test will be been done through 9split)half
method:. The split)half method allows the maximum reliability because $uestionnaires will be
sent to the half respondents in pilot test only once due to time and available resources
restrictions. The reliability test will be conducted through the <;<< 21 for this study which will
provide the output of data and $uestions.
). *thical Concerns
2very research study conducted involves ethical responsibilities for the researcher. The
ethical principles and codes re$uire that the research must consider certain issues which are
usually referred to as the norms or standards of the research. These norms and standards
should be strictly followed in order to maintain the credibility of the results and findings of the
research study. 'hile conducting a study, the researcher will ma-e sure that the research will
be conducted within the boundaries of the ethical standards. The research should not
manipulate the data conducted in the research. The identities of participants with any regard
should not be disclosed and ta-en as completely anonymous. The result and findings drawn
from the data should not be tampered in order to get the desired results. The validity of the data
and results should not be compromised for the sa-e of getting the desired conclusions. It should
not be fabricated, falsified, or misinterpreted.
1!
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brand meaning 0ournal of /onsumer ,esearch, 2 .211"4, pp. ?>M>D
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Thousand Ea-s, /% .1DD>4
Aenderson and /ote, .1DD>4 ;.'. Aenderson, %. /ote @uidelines for selecting or modifying
logos 0ournal of Car-eting, #2 .1DD>4, pp. 1!M1
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