Boldly Define your Brand with these 6 Visual Elements
Branding is more than just a logo. It includes your messaging, core values, mission, and so much more. In a nutshell, it’s everything your business is and everything you want it to be. Your logo, is just a little piece of the pie. To define your brand visually, you’ll need some extra graphic elements that communicate all of those important underlying brand pieces and make your brand pop.
1. Alternate Layout Logo Versions
It’s crucial that your logo is consistent across all forms of media, so you should at least have a horizontal and vertical format. It’s even better if you have a square and small size version too. Be sure to check out the article on Responsive Logo Design. It means that your logo can adapt to all screen sizes. Be sure it’s legible in all formats!
2. Colour Palette
The colours you choose should reflect your values, brand personality, and how you want your customers to feel. A colour palette should have a couple of main colours that are predominant in your designs, and some secondary colours that can be used as accents.
3. Typography
Be sure to choose a typeface that reflects your brand as well. Learn more about what typefaces mean so that you feel that the definition lines up with your brand. Using a script font for a computer repair business wouldn’t quite feel right, while using a bold, heavy sans-serif font for flower boutique would also feel a bit off. It would be wise to stick to two typefaces so that there is a consistent look to all of your materials. And more specifically, use one typeface for headings and another for body copy.
4. Graphic Elements
This is the fun part! But it could also be the most challenging. It’s ideal if your graphic elements, like line style, illustrations, or icons all tie into your logo and brand if possible. Does your logo have a rounded edge or thick lines? Great, use that style in your graphic elements. Pulling from the logo for inspiration is a great starting point because it is a graphic representation of your brand. But don’t feel like you are stuck with what you choose. In fact, this part of the brand should be switched up every once and a while so that your brand stays current and fresh.
5. Patterns
Patterns come in handy when you want a bold punch and some consistency on marketing material, like the back of a letterhead, or a background to your Instagram story. To ensure that the pattern reflects your brand, take a look at your values and your logo. Is welcoming a trait for your business? If so, then perhaps you want to use soft edges in a repeating pattern. What if a brand personality trait is organized? Then perhaps your pattern would be more linear.
6. Photography Style
Having a guideline for photography style will help your brand appeal to your target market emotionally. A picture can communicate in a way no other media can, so it’s vital that you choose photography that reflects your core message. Things to consider are: lighting, subject matter, composition, background, colour palette and colour saturation. Does your brand need to communicate softness? Then perhaps softly lit photos with a pop of pink would work well. Or what if your brand needs to communicate energy? Then your subjects could be in motion and the colours could be vibrant with high saturation.
Your branded visual elements will help to make your brand pop!
Is there anything else you are using to help your brand visually?