Building a brand is not just about having a great logo (although that is a wonderful start). It also includes careful thought about what colors and typography you want to use and what they mean in the context of your business, products, or services, and finding a consistent brand image that will be used in a variety of ways.
So you have just finished perfecting your logo, great! You’ve just completed one of many steps to building a polished and memorable brand.
Here are a few things you need to consider when you are designing your brand and why you shouldn’t stop at your logo when thinking about great design for your brand and marketing materials.
Printing and Signage
Taking printing and large signage into consideration when designing your brand is an important step, both logistically and aesthetically. Some designs are only meant for digital use and are not versatile enough to be placed on a large sign that will be seen from a distance. Make sure to keep in mind the variety of ways that your branding might be used when thinking about the design.
If you are going to add your brand design to packaging, stationery, clothing, and other items like mugs or pens, it is necessary to actively think about and adjust to the specific constraints that different mediums hold.
While your design may look great in 3-D on your sign and other larger posters, photos, and other marketing tools, it might end up losing important elements when translated into a small format print such as a business card or label.
In this context, you can consider your logo and brand elements in a one-to-one ratio or a two-to-one ratio. Meaning your logo can be scaled to be one inch by one inch and then for larger mediums with more room it can be two inches by one inch.
Good graphic designers are continuously accounting for different use cases for your brand and can design accordingly to make sure your brand is not only consistent but coherent in whatever context it is used in.
Social Media
In today’s world, most social media content is accessed through a mobile device, which means that the size constraints for designs become much smaller. Making sure a design is legible or recognizable on both small and large screens while fitting within the formatting of different social media platforms is vital to brand recognition online.
Colors
Colors in branding are perhaps equally, if not more important, than the representational or pictorial aspect of your logo.
Understanding how to apply color theory to design is one of the many skills a great graphic designer can bring to the table.
Colors are emotive and have long held rich symbolism in culture. Using colors in a way that considers what they represent or are associated with by the subconscious mind can help to reinforce your brand message.
Additionally, using colors that fit together and are visually appealing can boost your brand recognition and pique the interest of potential customers. In a practical sense, colors are important to consider in conjunction with the overall designs that will be created for your brand and how those translate to print and sign media (as we discussed earlier).
Brand Voice and Messaging
Building a strong brand is about more than just visuals: it's also about finding your brand's voice. By developing a unique brand voice and messaging that reflects your brand's personality, values, and what makes you special, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level. Consistently using this brand voice across all communication channels, from your website and social media to your marketing materials and customer interactions, helps reinforce your brand identity and build trust with your customers. A clear and authentic brand voice not only engages customers but also fosters loyalty and helps your brand stand out in a crowded market.
Capturing the Business Image
If you sell coffee, an image of a coffee cup or mug will immediately spark recognition in a customer. Having images or words that relate to your products or services is a great way to transmit what your business does without a lengthy explanation. Using representational images and graphics is a great way to capture the culture and purpose of your company.
Making sure you have strong associations among your brand elements doesn’t just stop at your logo though, it is also necessary to maintain this approach in the typeface you choose, your colors, consistency, and your visual identity online and on social media.
Having a solid combination of visual elements will determine how your brand is perceived by all of your stakeholders.
Stand Out
With the right application of design elements, your brand will stand out and be memorable. Making sure you have your logo, colors, typography, and other visual elements nailed down will help you stand out among your competitors.
With so many brands out there, being completely unique isn’t necessarily possible. However, you still can set yourself apart with the specifics of your brand identity and ensure that you are recognizable by potential customers. This brings us to our next point.
Consistency Matters
If you are consistent with your logo and your designs, it builds recognition so that when someone sees your marketing materials or content they will know it’s yours!
Consistency also gives the impression that your company and brand are dependable. Using the same themes and components throughout your marketing materials lets people know that YOU know what you’re doing and you are here to stay.
Remaining consistent, visually and otherwise, will also foster trust with your customer base. They come to depend on you and your service and will associate you with dependability when you maintain a consistent image.
Consistency is absolutely key across all your marketing outlets. A good way to maintain the consistency and cohesiveness of your logo, colors, typography, and everything else is building and using a branding guideline.
Commitment
There is so much more to take into consideration when you are building your brand than your logo. While your logo is a major component of your brand identity, it is not the only one!
Staying committed to consistency, and a strong understanding of visual language is essential to making your brand known, trusted, and memorable.
Marketing materials and graphics should all maintain a similar look and feel to each other so that you remain identifiable by your current and potential customers.
When you have built a consistent and meaningful brand identity with the graphics to match, you will be miles ahead of where you would be with just a logo!
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