Creating a culinary identity: Distinctive brand assets in the world of food

Olaf van Gerwen

For food brands, developing a ‘culinary identity’ – akin to a visual or sonic identity as a distinctive asset – can help drive growth and engage consumers.

Brand identities make brands more valuable. If anyone debates that, just sing ‘ta-da-ta-ta-taaa’ at them and leave the conversation, because it’s probably not worth having it. You can also point them in the direction of Coca-Cola’s Christmas trucks or Budweiser’s Clydesdale Horses.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re interested in building a brand that lasts. Not one that’s centred around flash-in-the-pan communications hooked to trends that we all know come and go faster than you can say “burnt toast”.

But when it comes to food depiction, the problem is two-fold. Firstly, what is perceived as delicious can be...

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