Brand Identity. Making it stand out.

Brand identity is the final piece of the puzzle

Once the strategy is established all visual and verbal customer touch-points must be aligned with the new brand. As with all things visual, there are many signals between the lines that communicate to your potential customer. Color palette, typography, graphic and photographic style all contribute to the personality. However, without a core concept to drive the way, the parts can only amount to mere decoration.

The Importance of concept in logo design and brand identity

When we speak of the concept, we are talking about a central idea. In logo design, there must be one central idea that connects with customers. Further, all energies must be staged so that they are immediate and apparent. If the viewer has to work to get it, then the logo is not doing its job – being a symbol for the brand.

Simplicity as the path to clarity and immediacy

Simplicity is the only way to ensure the logo concept is immediate. Complexity adds confusion and is, therefore, a barrier between the brand and the viewer. The thing about simplicity, however, is that the elements can be elegant. It always must be of the utmost quality and craftsmanship.

Simplicity and production values

Simplicity also greatly affects the ease and difficulty in producing the logo in a vast variety of required sizes and media. Complex logos are difficult to reproduce when they are small – in addition to being unreadable. Complex logos are always more expensive to a company as well, because additional production processes are required to make them readable.

Brand Standards should be more than a set of rules.

They should promote the strategy and personality. When done correctly, Brand Standards help an organization reinforce the brand with energy and guidance. Examples with rationales go much further than direct commands. They should also address language and messaging in order to make all parts work together in concert towards a dynamic impression. In our Brand Standards, we also have a list of Do’s and Don’t’s that keep the focus tight.

In these logo and identity examples created by Stealing Share, notice how simplicity helps promote each strategy.

Stealing Share creates comprehensive visual and verbal systems. It’s one thing to create a system that works together. It’s quite another when the standards help create a personality and messaging system that reinforces the strategy.