Startup Guide
How to Design an Alluring Brand Identity & Logo
Embarking on the journey of creating a new brand is so exciting! This guide is to help you get off on the right foot and avoid common pitfalls that people make when they take the do-it-yourself route for brand development.
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Before you get started with your brand identity, it’s important to have some strategic elements established to be effective. Read on for a basic checklist of items to consider and prepare before you design your brand identity & logo.
Checklist - Things you need to know before you develop your brand identity and logo
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Know your brand purpose - why do you exist? Why should consumers care? Use a Brand Manifesto to guide you. ​
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Have a value proposition. What is your unique value?
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Understand your brand positioning. How do you compare to competitors? How do you want to be perceived?
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Your brand attributes. What characteristics do you want to convey? What is your brand personality?
If things are fuzzy, check out this guide on ‘How to Develop a Meaningful Brand’ to get clear on foundational elements for your brand.
The Heart of Business
Most people think logo when they hear the word brand. In reality, the logo is just one slice of the pie. A brand is a holistic experience, it's the vision, mission vlaues.alñskdjfalñskdjflaskdjflñaksjdfl
Which dimension does your brand fit? Perhaps you fit in more than one category or with another core set of characteristics. Just be sure you don’t try to fit in everywhere, if you try to stand for everything, your image will lack clarity and consistency.
Brand Personality
Every brand has its own unique personality and attributes, like a person. Your brand personality and attributes should be composed of distinctive characteristics that set you apart from competitors.
A popular framework used to develop brand personality is Aaker’s Five Dimensions, which asserts every brand can fall under one of five core personality dimensions.
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Brand attributes define and differentiate your brand from others in the marketplace
Brand Attributes - Spectrum
Another powerful way to construct your brand personality is by positioning your brand on a spectrum of contrasting characteristics.
Determine how you want your business to be perceived by selecting attributes that align with your desired brand image. Make your brand distinctive by avoiding the middle ground.
You can use this spectrum of brand characteristics to help define your company's position.
Your brand gives consumers the first impression of your company. How do you want to show up in this world?
Key logotypes to consider
Logotype
Once you’ve decided on your brand’s personality and core attributes, you can move on to the identity design and logo. Your logo is a face for your brand. It should communicate your name, and represent your positioning, and key characteristics.
When thinking about the design for your logo, you can consider what logotype is most suitable for your company.
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If you’re working with a graphic designer, it is helpful to classify the logo type you desire when you do the brief for concepting.
Logo - Creative Direction
There’s a lot to consider to design a meaningful and impactful logo. Here are some key points to keep in mind and/or discuss with your designer.
Words & Emphasis
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What words do you want to use? Are there any words or letters to emphasize? Will you include a tagline?
Personality
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What are your brand characteristics and attributes? What should the colors communicate about your brand?
Message
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What is the key brand message to communicate? What is your main value? Is there an interesting backstory?
Target
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Who is your target audience? What do they need to know and feel? What appeals to them?
Imagery
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Is there a unique or compelling element about your product/service or industry?
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Design Look & Feel
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What look and feel do you want to convey? What design type do you prefer? Playful, hand-drawn, cartoonish, simple, decorative, luxurious, modern, traditional...what style suits your brand?
Logo Evaluation
Great logos have some things in common. To help simplify what you should be looking for when evaluating the design, here’s a checklist of key criteria for a winning logo.
Key criteria for a winning logo
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Unique & Distinctive
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Stand out in surroundings, quick and memorable identification
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Timeless
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Not a fad, design that is fresh but won’t quickly date
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Adaptable
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Effectively use on all forms of media
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Scalable
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Need to be able to use in big and small spaces; readability and impact of a very small design is important
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Color
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Appropriate brand color, design should also work in black and white
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Simple
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Distilled, clean, high impact
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Symbol concept is easy to identify
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Tip: simple does not mean plain/boring! We want depth of meaning and levels of interpretation to encourage engagement
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Relevant
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Alludes to our company/industry...reveals to some extent the nature of our company/product without being too literal
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Cohesive
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All elements (typeface, graphic elements) work together for a single voice
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Creating a compelling brand identity is an exciting and crucial process that sets the stage for your business's success. By following the checklist and guidelines provided, you can establish a strategic foundation, define your brand personality and attributes, and design a memorable brand identity that represents your unique positioning. Remember, your brand should stand out and resonate with your target audience. If you're seeking professional support and expertise to make this journey easier and more effective, I'm here to help. Contact me today at ashley@brightbrandsconsulting.com to develop a powerful brand that elevates your business.
To help guide your decision on brand colors, you can refer to this chart of psychological associations per color.
Brand Color
The colors you choose for your logo play a crucial role in shaping the perception and communication of your brand, evoking specific emotions, and enhancing brand recognition.