Creating a brand identity can be tough if you don't know where to start. Here's a list of key factors to consider when approaching branding projects.
As we’ve had a bit of a brand refresh ourselves this past month, we’ve compiled a list of key factors to consider when approaching branding projects. All in the name of maximising the impact that the brand identity has!
1. Less Is More
Often, the simpler the logo, the more recognisable it becomes. Minimalism, as a general rule, eliminates distraction and aids recognition, and when a design is more complicated, the message can’t be conveyed as quickly. 2019 has shown a huge trend in producing a more minimalist logotype, an example of which is Volkswagen. The company has recently replaced its chrome-effect three-dimensional logo for a flat “digital-first” visual identity to mark the start of a new era, which has been kickstarted with a line of fully electric cars.
2. The Bigger Picture
It’s essential to remember that a logo isn’t the sole representation of a brand identity. A logo is just one piece in an often vast toolkit. So it’s rare to see a logo in isolation on its own without the context of a website, business card, or other application. The logo needs to work across various platforms, across both digital and print, and should be equally effective scaled up and down in various sizes. In the terms of design, the bigger picture is every potential item on which the logo may appear.
3. Begin in black and white
When creating an identity, it’s essential to start in black and white. It’s very possible to have a logo design that works well in full colour as well as single colour, providing a modified version is created and used in these scenarios. Although we live in a digital age, there are still a high number of uses where a business may need to resort to a black and white (or single colour) version of its logo. Leaving colour until near the end of the design process helps focus attention on the basics of the idea rather than something that’s much easier to change.
4. Consider geometry
Geometric elements have long been a factor in creating a logotype but it’s not just a case of adding a shape to a design, geometry can be considered in the typography style of a logotype. The purpose of a logo is to communicate the brand in the simplest but most comprehensive way possible. Basic shapes communicate fundamental qualities of the organisation in the most immediate way, and they are used prominently in design.
5. Always lay the groundwork
The most interesting aspect of a brand identity project is that it is different every time. Each client is different, and even in the same industry, people do their jobs in many different ways. To help ensure an effective identity is created, a designer needs to ask the client the right questions from the outset. This is a process that we undertake on every branding project here at Vida. With our discovery workshop we cover your brand, values and goals so that we can create a strategy to bring you closer to your ultimate vision.