5 tips to executing the perfect brand
Too often I stumble across odd logos, misused fonts and horrible colour combinations in corporate branding. From the humble corner store to a large-scale development company, branding is what the customer sees first.
It pays to get this right from the very start. To help send out the right message with your brand here are five fail-safe tips.
1. What is branding?
Most clients don’t really understand the full concept of branding. The first thing to know is that your branding isn’t a logo, it isn’t your colours or even a tagline – A brand is essentially a container for a customer’s complete experience with the product, service, or company.
2. Keep in mind your target market
Often when a potential customer engages with your brand, they have an emotional response, often sub consciously asking, “Do I like it?” As a business owner, it’s important to have passion about your brand, however, your target market should always be front of mind. So take a step back and approach the design through the eyes of your customers.
3. Timeless, not trendy
If you nail the brand first time around, you’ll want it to hang around for a while. So when approaching your initial concepts, keep them simple, put trends out of your mind, and really think about how you and your customers will feel brand in the next two-to-five years.
4. Make sure it’s scalable
This is a big one! From a small favicon on your internet tab to a billboard on the side of a highway, your branding needs to look amazing. So be sure that your brand turns heads and directs traffic your way, think about how it will look in all sizes.
5. Comic Sans is not your friend
As any designer will tell you, “Steer clear of %&#@ing Comic Sans!” Why? Because your brand’s typeface says a lot about your business, who you are and the demographic you wish to target. In contrast, Comic Sans says, “Come to the birthday of my six-year-old.”
But the message here is broader. Think carefully about every element and seek advice from an expert. Keep your mission and target market top of mind and the right typeface will become obvious.