So, you've successfully defined your brand personality and created your tone-of-voice. Now, it's time to take your brand to the next level by creating a captivating visual identity. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you bring your brand to life through visually engaging assets, such as photos, videos, graphics, and fonts:
- Gain inspiration from similar brands: Take a look at other brands that share a similar ethos to yours and analyze their visual identities. This will help you understand what works well in your industry and provide inspiration for your own unique approach.
- Utilize your tone-of-voice guide: Leverage the words and descriptors that define your brand persona to guide your visual choices. For example, if your brand is warm and personal, ensure the visual elements evoke these qualities. Other examples include personal/professional, formal/info, etc.
- Define your color scheme: Select a color scheme that aligns with your brand's personality and resonates with your target audience. Test different color combinations to ensure they work harmoniously with your logo, both in print and digital formats. Remember that colors can appear differently on screens compared to printed materials, so it's essential to test and validate your choices.
- Establish guidelines for color usage: Determine when and where to use specific colors within your visual identity. Create clear rules that are easy to follow to maintain consistency across different platforms and materials.
- Curate impactful photos: Images often serve as the first impression of your brand. Decide whether warm or cold colors should dominate your photos and consider the mood, setting, and context that aligns with your brand's message. For instance, do you want your photos to convey a sense of excitement or serenity? Additionally, plan and execute professional photoshoots to capture unique visuals that reflect your brand identity.
You may need to plan a photoshoot. At Cryos, we, of course, use a lot of baby photos. In the past, we often experienced having a nice stand with stock photos of babies at an event and noticing competitors using the exact same images. So, we found families with babies in our network that would like to be part of the Cryos brand and organized a baby/family photoshoot. The benefit was that we could use our visual identity guide when choosing the clothing color and props like furniture, kitchenware, etc.
- Choose fonts and graphics wisely: Select fonts that work well for online and printed materials. Consider whether you need a standard font for contracts, emails, and documents, and if desired, choose a secondary font that adds a touch of personality to your brand. Graphics, icons, or motion elements can enhance the visual appeal and reinforce your brand identity. Look for unique and recognizable graphic elements that align with your brand's values and message.
- Include logo variations: Your visual identity guide should feature different versions of your logo. Consider inverted, black/white, and logo-on-image variations for different contexts like print, social media, and other applications. Determine the appropriate clear space required around the logo for optimal visibility and impact.
- Document all of this as part of your Brand Visual Guidelines (see below) and Provide examples of do's and don'ts: Make it easier for your colleagues to adhere to the visual guidelines by including specific examples of what should and should not be done. This clarity will facilitate a faster approval process for visual materials and minimize discussions on design choices.
- Review and refine: Continuously evaluate your visual identity and make necessary adjustments. Remove any past visuals that no longer align with the established guidelines to ensure a consistent and streamlined brand perception.
By following these steps, you can effectively express your brand's tone of voice through a compelling visual identity that resonates with your audience and sets you apart from the competition.
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Brand Visual Guide: Example
Company Name: CompanyX
Brand Personality: Modern, Innovative, Trustworthy
Tone of Voice: Approachable, Knowledgeable, Enthusiastic
Color Scheme:
- Primary Color: Blue (#28BBBB)
- Secondary Color 1: Yellow (#FFCC00)
- Secondary Color 2: Purple (#B627A1)
- Accent Color: Orange (#FF6F00)
Color Usage Guidelines:
- Blue: Use as the dominant color for branding elements, such as the logo, headlines, and primary backgrounds.
- Yellow: Utilize as a vibrant accent color for call-to-action buttons, important highlights, and secondary backgrounds.
- Purple: Employ as a complementary color for supporting graphics, icons, and secondary text.
- Orange: Use sparingly for eye-catching accents and elements that require maximum attention.
Typography:
- Primary Font: Montserrat (Regular and Bold weights)
- Secondary Font: Arial (Light and Semi-Bold weights)
Font Usage Guidelines:
- Montserrat Regular: Use for body text, general content, and longer paragraphs.
- Montserrat Bold: Utilize for headings, subheadings, and key emphasis.
- Arial Light: Apply for secondary text, captions, and smaller font sizes.
- Arial Semi-Bold: Use for callouts, quotes, and important information.
Graphics:
- Icon Style: Clean and minimalist
- Motion Graphics: Subtle and fluid transitions
- Key Graphic Elements: Simple geometric shapes (circles, squares, triangles) to represent different product categories
Logo Variations:
- Primary Logo: Full-color logo with the brand name and symbol together.
- Inverted Logo: White logo with the brand name and symbol, suitable for use on darker backgrounds.
- Monochrome Logo: Black or white logo with the brand name and symbol, for use in print or grayscale applications.
- Logo-on-Image: Full-color logo placed on relevant product or lifestyle imagery for marketing materials.
Clear Space Guidelines:
- Maintain a minimum clear space equal to the height of the logo around all sides.
- Ensure sufficient breathing space to maintain visual clarity and impact.
Do's and Don'ts:
- Do: Maintain consistency in the color usage and typography across all brand materials.
- Do: Use high-quality, professionally shot photos that reflect the brand's modern and innovative image.
- Don't: Alter the logo's proportions, colors, or typography in any way.
- Don't: Use illegible or unprofessional fonts in any brand communications.
By following this visual guide, we ensure that all xCompany visual assets convey a consistent and cohesive brand image. Consistency in color usage, typography, and graphic elements helps establish brand recognition and reinforces our modern, innovative, and trustworthy brand personality.