Paul Rand, an iconic graphic designer, once explained,“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.”
When people experience your brand for the very first time, they are going to be immediately impacted by the design. How you choose to promote your brand through design will leave either a lasting impact or a forgettable experience. If theeffectispowerful enough, it willeliciteither positive or negative feelings toward your brand. The design, signs, symbols, colors, words,and attitude of yourcompanycome together to form apersonathat will help differentiate you from your competitors.
The immediate point of communication happens when a visitor sees any part of your materials or branding for the very first time.They thenforman opinionthat you will have to either live up to or break. So,it’s important to ask yourself –whatam Isaying withmybranding?
Research Market, Audience,andCompetition
Before you can build your brand, it’s important to do your research. Take a look at what other companies in your industry are doing – that way, you can craft a persona that stands out from the crowd. It’s equally important to research your target audience so you can be aware of what captures their attention and draws them in.Understanding your audience helps you creatememorablemessages thatpeople can identify with.
It is during thebrandingprocess that you can really take a good look at your company and determine what values, policies,and prioritiesset your brand apart in the industry. Do you have a niche in the market?Do you offer something that no one else does?Determining how you want your brand to stand out is going to help pushyour branding in the right direction.
When deciding on a brand direction, a mood board can bebeneficialin pinpointingwhat you want to encompass. Mood boards can include colors, words,and images that represent the company.A design team canhelp determine how to best represent the values and direction of the brand through the design elements.
Establishing Visual Elements for the Brand
Most often, companies start with a name and then work onthelogodesign. While the logo is only one part of the brand, it often helps set the tone for the visual elements. Thelogo of a companybecomes its most basic form of brand identity. A logo should be simple, identifiable,andmemorable.It should alsoadequatelycommunicate the tone and purpose of the brand.
After the initial research is done to get to know the market, audience,and competition, choicesmust be made to determine the desired style of the brand’s visual elements. This includes nailing down the color palette and typography so that the brandcan maintain consistency wherever it operates.Testing is going to need to be done to ensure the direction is going to sit well withtargetcustomers, partners,and stakeholders.
The strength, detail, flexibility, clarity,and stability of visual elements are the kinds of things that will speak to the viewers. Brands that want to seem down-to-earth, rugged,and hard-working are going toopt for a differentpersonathanthosethat want to look luxurious, affluent,and rare. Everything from the language used in copy tothe style oftheproduct imagesshould align with this directional choice. This part of the process is where the mood board of ideas turns into real sketches, color applications,and rough designconcepts.
Set Branding and Identity Guidelines
Once you’ve established the look and feel of your brand, you must ensure that it remains consistent across various platforms.This is where a style guide comes in. A style guide spells out exactly how your brand should look, including fonts, color schemes, and more.
A brand’s design elementsneed to align with the identity guidelinesno matter where they are present. There are a number of placesyou should consider when it comes to brand representation:
- Business Cards
- Website Pages
- Billboards, Signs,and Banners
- Advertisem*nts
- Newsletters (Paper and Email)
- Mailers
- Product Packaging
- Promotional Items
- Vehicle Branding
- T-Shirts, Hats,or Uniforms
- Flyers, Brochures,and Coupons
Permeate the Company Culture with Branding
Beyond the look of the company, the culture itself should beinfusedwith the brandingstrategy.Companies that want to exude stability or honesty are not going to be able to do so unless their employees are also on board.While every brand should strive for excellent customer service, it is important to have key branding factors that help the company stand out from the competition. If leads are brought in becausethey like howthe company is treating themduring the selling phase,then they should not be disappointed by the experience during or after their initial purchase.In other words, branding should remain consistent even after a customer has begun engaging with the company.
Monitoring and Adapting Your Brand
The brand is a living and breathing part of the company. Keepyourbrandconsistentby monitoring and revisiting the brand elements. Adapt as needed to keep up with expectations, stand out from the crowd,andremainappealing to your audience.Customers continue to interact with elements of your brand, so don’t let it become stagnant.
Every company evolves, and with that,you may findthatyour target audience changes.If you’ve reached this step, it may be time to rebrand. Maintaining consistency and familiarity during a rebrand is important to ensure current customers can still recognize you. Think of it asan opportunity to update without completely starting over.
Creating a brand involves thought, strategy, and research.Tocreatebrandingthat works for yourcompany, you are going to have to go through a complex process that doesn’t always have clear answers. For results you can depend on, work with professional designers who can provide a solid portfolio of work they’ve completed for companies similar to yours.
Are you looking to build a unique, memorable brand?Contact the marketing teamat Zero Gravity Marketing to get started!
