- You've done the hard job, pulling together the research,
analyzing the information,
and proposing a clear idea and direction for the brand.
The client agrees with the thinking, strategy, and goals.
Everything is great in theory
but now it's time to make it real.
The best way to do that is start creating the visual system.
When some people involved have trouble understanding
or agreeing with the direction,
I found that design demonstrates the idea and makes it real.
You might start designing a visual approach with a logo
and that's a good place to begin.
A logo will never live in a void.
While we might see it alone on the screen,
the audience will always see it in use.
The entire identity system
and how the logo and other forms interact
will either support the brand message or confuse it.
An identity system is the combination
of all the pieces that work together
maintaining a singular voice for the brand.
The logo is one part and there might be horizontal,
vertical, and stacked variations.
The identity system will also include
a proprietary color palette, a choice of typeface options
that can be used as headline and body text,
and additionally, iconography, copy styles,
materials, and image style if needed.
I like to think of an identity system
as a set of LEGOs or colored blocks.
There are multiple elements that combine to make new ideas.
You can make all kinds of things from the LEGOs and blocks,
but whether it's a house or car,
they will always be LEGOs and blocks
with their own distinctive aesthetic and feel.
But if I try to mix the LEGOs and wooden blocks,
I create a mess.
Identity systems are the same.
Different parts can combine in multiple ways,
but it falls apart when a disparate element pops in.
An identity system will be passed on
to other designers and creative partners.
Think of who will be using it once you are finished.
Is it a tight group of great designers
or anyone in an organization?
If it's a creative company with talented designers in-house,
you might design a system that has more variables
and options, a broader color palette,
more typographic choices,
and different ways to handle an image.
Give good designers a wider berth to create
and they will be less inclined to abandon your system.
The opposite is also true.
If the client has no in-house department
or will give the identity system to everyone
from a direct mail company to the website designers,
and especially if the company has been proven
to run off the rails visually,
it's good to make a more stringent system.
Limit the color palette to one or two options.
Use only one typeface and one style of images.
The goal is consistency and maintaining the brand message.
Fewer options will create a cohesive style
with less chance of heinous tragedies.
Maintaining an identity system and brand message
will lead to easy recognition by the audience.
If the message is simple and clear
and the visual language is unique and compelling,
the audience will eventually be able to identify the brand
without seeing the logo or product.
In our world of millions of visual messages
hitting us from all sides,
this is imperative for a company to succeed.