Visual Branding
I’ve realized that sometimes when I go into the grocery store looking for a certain item; I’m not even reading the label at all. I’m looking for the color. This leads to problems when a brand decides to refresh and the green container is no longer green.
I feel like there is an awareness of branding that’s happening with consumers. Which is great, as people gain an understanding that businesses need branding rather than undervaluing design and the need for it.
However, while people can learn that they need branding, I’m not sure if they know why.
In the age of AI and DIY design, also in the age of entrepreneurial yet struggling business owners, there are so many options and many paths to take when it comes to the look and feel of your business.
It can be economical to do it yourself, but it may not always be beneficial.
What Does Branding Do?
I love branding.
Part of it is a artist thing. As a creative, I enjoy creating. Just like a doctor loves doctoring and a math person loves mathing. I love the task of taking nothing and making it into something. I love the art of arranging and organizing shapes, typography and a message into a cohesive and packaged design that becomes the face of a business.
What goes into branding is not just the look, which is what DIY generators mostly offer, but it is exploration, brainstorms and collaboration to discover an individual concept that is tailored fit.
Everyone has a house or a place to live, but not everyone’s house or esthetic is the same. The house, the design, the look and feel and the décor represent you. Branding is the same. And it’s a little more unique than just going to a store to buy materials; it’s getting hand crafted design inspired by your unique tastes and desires.
Case Study: What Branding Does For Your Business?
Sparrow Collaborative is an educational consulting and advocacy organization based out of the pacific Midwest that specializes in making sure every child has access to the right resources in their educational journey whether with parents or schools. I had the honor of designing their brand.
During our briefing and brainstorming about the client’s business, the client had a unique and personal taste in clean and simple design. This is was really important for me to note, because I desire to make sure I capture a client’s and businesses’ personality when I do a brand concept or logo design.
I tried to get an understanding of their ‘who’ and ‘why’ as well as ‘what’ they were drawn to visually. In concepting their initial logo design, I kept in mind the keywords we discussed such as adaptability, connectivity and collaboration. I explored connecting lines and dots, alluding to the idea of building and development. And since logo design is a collaborative experience, I incorporated all the client’s suggestions and ideas until we came up with the logo design that was right.
Though our original direction was more about connecting dots, this design was the one that stood out among the rest. It was a clean, simple and professional solution. Once the logo was solidified, the building blocks were now in place to expound upon for the rest of the brand.
I was able to incorporate pieces of the design into the rest of the brand materials, including the website. I have met many people who start businesses where they created a logo but then used a template website that doesn’t speak or represent them at all. Or they created a website and had to back track to a logo which leaves everything looking disjointed. They have no brand, consistency or anything recognizable. But branding allows me to give my clients the chance to look and feel professional and cohesive. This is what the client had to say when we were done:
".....Initially, I felt overwhelmed by the logo design, but Courtney helped refine the concept and delivered a logo that I absolutely love and that perfectly represents my business. Additionally, she designed a minimalist, professional, and user-friendly website that exceeded my expectations...."
The client casts their vision and my job is to implement it. That’s what design does and that’s what branding does.
Conclusion
Branding is a not just a creative but collaborative process to uncover and develop an identity that communicates. Communicates to the audience, sure. But also, communicates to you.
Would you like to start your journey on developing a unique and personal brand? Let’s talk about it!