visual identity

This is a guest post by Richard Kearsey, digital designer at Emerald Colour.

Brand visual identity is considered synonymous with ‘branding’ and ‘brand image’. However, it has a few differences that make it distinct from these two concepts.

Simply put, the identity of your brand says something about your business. It comprises all the elements that you design to convey the desired image to your target customers.

Why is it so important to create a strong brand identity? It is your brand identity that makes you instantly recognizable in a highly competitive business world. It enables consumers to gain a visual perception of your brand, thereby making your brand stand out from competitors. As a result, your customers will gradually begin associating your unique brand identity with the products and services you provide. Brand identity plays a key role in influencing customers, maintaining their loyalty and improving rapport with them.

Always avoid brand name mistakes and add features to your brand name. Take a look at the several steps involved in developing a strong brand identity:

Understand Your Brand

To understand the kind of tangible elements that will portray your brand aptly, you need to know what your brand is about. You need to ask yourself a few questions to fully understand your brand purpose and mission.

What is the purpose of your brand? What are the core values behind the brand? What kind of persona do you want to convey through your brand? What is your value proposition? What is your strategy for differentiating yourself from competitors? How would you like to reach out to your customers?

These are all the fundamentals required for building a strong brand identity. Hence, you should have a comprehensive understanding of each to design the brand identity you want.

Even if the answer for each question is not immediately obvious, you can arrive at an explanation simply through brainstorming. It is best to discuss these questions with those you collaborated with while launching the brand. You will need to get in touch with them and discuss your core strengths and abilities.

You need to know what you can do better than the competitors and what makes your brand special compared to the rest. You may also need to answer difficult questions like if you could describe your brand in three words, then what would they be? Such a question might seem daunting but it will help to convey the right perspective to consumers immediately.

Design

A fundamental part of your brand’s visual design is how you want customers to perceive your brand. Corporate design elements play a role in how consumers view your brand and it will thus shape their attitude towards you.

This may include elements like uniforms worn by employees, business cards, social media graphics, web design, and product logo and packaging. Hence, getting your design right is the key to forging a strong visual identity that will increase the chances of business success.

Brand Design Development

Before you can begin crafting design elements for your brand, you need to begin with the basics. Here are the basic design elements that are at the core of your brand identity:

Typography

Typography is about the fonts that you have selected for your brand visual identity. You must choose the fonts wisely since they are a key part of your brand logo. Here are certain fonts that are commonly used as part of brand design.

Serif Fonts
Serif fonts like Times New Roman have small anchors at the bottom of letters. This old school font is ideal for instilling trust and creating credibility.

Sans Serif Fonts

As you may have guessed it, sans serif fonts lack anchors at the bottom. That is, the letters are smooth at the bottom as in Franklin Gothic and Helvetica fonts. They allow for a more contemporary modern look.

Script Typography

These fonts emulate cursive handwriting, for instance, Pacifico and Allura. These can be an ideal way to create an informal and personal touch since this is the kind of writing that you encounter in a handwritten letter from a close friend.

Display Fonts

Display fonts have a different character altogether as they make use of various stylistic elements like hand-drawn edges, shadowing, outlines and unusual contours. These fonts are, hence, a great choice for creating a bold statement that will stick to the minds of your audience.

A creative design agency can help you out with all the style elements of brand designs for the perfect touch that will appeal to your target audience.

Colour Palette

The colour palette is important since various colour combinations can create specific moods. Hence, your choice of the colour palette and font are necessary for orchestrating the exact mood that you are interested in creating. Here is how different colours can impact your brand image:

Red- this classic colour exudes excitement and passion. It is the prime choice for an exciting, vibrant and youthful brand identity.
Orange- this colour creates a sense of energy and is suitable for a friendly and comfortable environment.
Yellow-since this is the colour of the sun, yellow can send cheerful vibes and create a casual atmosphere.
Green-the ultimate colour for relaxation, this colour is most commonly found in nature. It also has positive connotations since green is tied with environmental friendliness and sustainability. It is the perfect color to soothe your audience and to give your brand a positive appeal.

Forms and Shapes

Forms and shapes are other major factors to your brand visual identity. You can convey your core values visually to your audience through forms, shapes, outlines and silhouettes. The advantage here is that they are instantly perceptible and effortlessly understood. For instance, smooth contours are found in nature and can thus create a sense of relaxation in your audience.

Author Bio:

Richard Kearsey is a digital designer at Emerald Colour – a creative design agency in London that offers various services, like website design, animation, bespoke exhibition stand design, etc. He loves creativity and enjoys experimenting with various design techniques for both web and print. He also enjoys sharing his thought on the latest design trends and upcoming marketing ideas.