BRAND DESIGN ONLINE – DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND
Brand Design Online or Brand Development is a process that involves your creative, procedural and logical mental faculties. The development of a brand is not normally done by one person alone. We normally create a think tank and run as many scenarios as possible before we start on design. The more ideas we can have across the Creative Brief when we receive it the better.
WHAT IS BRAND IDENTITY
The definition of Brand Identity or Brand Design has gone through many phases over time. Today we generally recognise it as this.
- Physique physical aspect of the brand.
The physique is the logo, the look and feel of the elements you instantly recognise when you see it. - Personality is the character of the brand
This is how the world sees the brand. It can be seen in a write style or a voice. It can be the owner’s or endorsers picture or photo. It can the colours they use or the way they use them together - Culture is the environment created around the brand
This is seen in the work environment. Its in the types of people they attract. - Relationship is connection between people
This is the relationship the brand foster between people. The people that use the product and the brand. Its also within the people that are attracted to work their, and the general community at large. - Reflection refers to the customer or consumer of the brand
This is the brands “perfect Customer”. Identifying the perfect customer is crucial in brand development as it acts as a guide in developing all other principles. - Image refers to how the brand sees itself
A brand has an identity, a self, and a position. Creating the brand image is about bringing everything together and harmoniously tying it all together.
Do I need a Brand Identity?
Well if you have been doing business you already have one. A brand is the way your customers see you. A brand sets you apart from all the other people competing in your space. A brand is the thing people feel when they think of you and your services or products.
Your brand develops by default. You turn up to a job and your on time with clean clothes in a clean car and you greet your customer with a smile. You work quickly, you get the job done on time and don’t charge the earth. You write down your phone number and your name and tell them if they need you again they just have to call and you will be there. You are already building your brand. This is brand development. You are building your name, your reputation, your brand.
Many people all over the world make a great living just by doing this. If this is all you want then this is all you need.
What if I want more? Logo
The restrictions of course are that no one knows you except for the people you have worked with. Also if you bring someone in to help you with the work, you are no longer the only face to the business. What you need is a logo designed. A logo allows growth, with a logo you can tell a small story and insert a small feeling into new customers that have never done work with you. You can print this on a business card and pass it out to new people. You can give it to existing customers as you finish your work and ask them to give it to a friend. You set incentives and offer reward for them helping to grow your business. A logo is a tool you can use to give feeling to your customers and be represented by something other than your face and reputation alone. A logo assists you in getting your word out there to the larger community. With a logo you can put people on to help you with the work and it doesn’t matter who turns up to do it, they will represent the business. By putting the logos on a shirt or uniform, you create a work force that are united under the principles set up by what the logo represents. A logo is a powerful thing. It is bigger than the person who started the business. It is the new face of the business.
If this is all you want, then this is all you need.
What if I still want more? Style Guide
A logo on its own has limitations. So you have your self, you have your staff and you have your logo. But what if you want to advertise. And more than just something you do up yourself in a word doc. Now you have to think about colours, what you stand for, what voice to write in. Say you want your logo on a car. Its not as easy as just sticking it on. You will need designers who don’t know you at all, to create your supporting pictures. What colours will they use. What voice will the copywriter write in. This is why we create a style guide. A style guide is your business bible. Anyone who is across your brand in any way shape or form will not only get one, they will need one. It has Everything anyone working across your business will need. It contains your logo (with dimensions, rules and regulations about what CAN and CAN NOT be done with it) It contains a full colour pallet all perfectly matched to work in all situations, it contains a detailed outline of the business philosophy and the businesses mission, it contains personalized fonts that not only look great but also fit the feel perfectly, it contains Sample images that can be used for marketing campaigns, it contains a description of the culture the business holds and honors, it contains Stationary for sending formal letters and invoices, it contains email signatures to brand each email you send, it contains facebook wall pictures to brand your social media and it contains packaging design for products, labels and other sundry widgets you sell. With a Style Guide, you are a brand.