Now that you know why you need to create an authentic visual brand to be successful in business, how do you actually create one?
To answer this question, let’s explore exactly what makes up a visual brand identity to start with:
- Color Palette
- Fonts
- Imagery
- Logo
- Overall combination of 1-4
While we’ll go into each of these points in more detail, it’s important to note that the way you execute number five on our list can either be the life-giving force, or the last-gasp before defeat for your brand’s visual identity.
Ever heard the phrase, “consistency is key?” Well, it’s true in visual branding, too! If the overall combination of each piece of your visual brand identity is haphazardly thrown together in an unthoughtful way, that’s how your audience is going to view your brand. Messy, inconsistent, unorganized, not thought through—I don’t know of anyone who wants their visual brand described using these words. Do you? I didn’t think so. But don’t worry! Pulling together a consistent visual brand presence does not have to be difficult.
When you use the breakdown of what makes up a visual brand identity as a guide, you can easily walk through the five steps to creating a cohesive visual brand identity of your own. But, you may be thinking, where does the authenticity come in? What is going to make my newly consistent, well thought-out, cohesive visual brand identity something that attracts my ideal clients and makes my business stand out from my competitors? Well, that’s the secret sauce.
Your authenticity is what you infuse into each one of the five steps listed above. Too ethereal for you? That’s ok, I’m going to walk you through it. In fact, we’re going to break this post down into five parts, so that we can get to the nitty gritty of how to create an authentic visual brand identity without getting anyone overwhelmed. I don’t know about you, but when I’m creating something new, that’s going to represent myself or my business, instead of being overwhelmed from the start, I like to enjoy myself!
So grab your beverage of choice, or your favorite half-pint of Ben & Jerry’s (mine is Chocolate Fudge Brownie) and get ready to start with:
1. Color Palette
Color can say a lot about your business. It evokes moods and feelings, and sets the tone for how your audience will perceive who you are and what you have to offer.
There is a lot of research available out there on the psychology of color, and what it can make people think, feel, and even do. However, I’m going to try to keep things simple here, and cover the basics that you’ll need to get a strong start in developing an authentic color palette for your brand.
Color can be used to make your brand more relatable, strengthen your brand presence among certain groups or audience segments, and evoke feelings of youthfulness, dependability, or trust. Good or bad, the colors we choose help us connect with our audience on a deeper level, and when used correctly, encourages those who connect with our color palette to take a closer look, and engage further with our brand.
Let’s take a look at the meaning behind each of the major color groups, and then see how some major brands have integrated them into their visual brand identities, before creating a color palette of our own.
RED:
Excitement, Daring, Determination, Unique, Spirited, Love, Romance, Warmth, Intensity, Passion, Hunger, Danger
ORANGE:
Energetic, Enthusiastic, Encouragement, Joy, Change, Warmth, Creativity, Determination, Success, Strength, Attention
YELLOW:
Happy, Rugged, Outdoorsy, Optimistic, Cheerful, Hungry, Energy, Warmth, Honor, Intellectual, Caution
GREEN:
Reliable, Secure, Intelligent, Successful, Confident, Leader, Natural, Growth, Health, Fresh, Safety, Tranquility, Harmony, Money, Envy
BLUE:
Honest, Sincere, Friendly, Original, Peaceful, Calming, Serenity, Loyalty, Wisdom, Truth, Focus, Communicative, Imaginative, Spiritual, Sad, Cold, Un-appetizing
PURPLE:
Sophisticated, Glamorous, Charming, Royalty, Wealth, Wisdom, Spiritual, Exotic, Power, Prosperity, Luxury, Ambition, Respect, Dignity, Independence, Mystery
BROWN:
Warmth, Comfort, Stability, Secure, Natural, Organic, Reliable, Down-to-Earth, Genuine, Wistful, Mourning (in some cultures)
BLACK:
Classic, Authoritative, Strength, Power, Timeless, Formality, Prestige, Elegance, Mystery, Evil, Mourning (in some cultures)
WHITE:
Pure, Clean, Neutral/Spacious, Goodness, Light, Safety, Positivity, Innocent, Perfect, Faith, Mourning (in some cultures)
As you can see, each of these colors have meanings that are unique to their color groups, as well as some meanings that overlap with other color groups. Most colors also have a majority of positively associated meanings, with a few more striking meanings, as well. Additionally, some colors have meanings that vary from culture to culture (e.g. brown, black, and white, may all signify mourning in different cultures).
Ok, now that we’ve discovered the meanings behind many of the colors out there, let’s take a look at some major brands to see how they have used some of these colors to send a message through their own visual brand identity.
UPS
Using Brown and Yellow helps to project the perception that they are a Reliable, Secure, and Stable company to send your deliveries through, with Down-to-Earth, Genuine, and energetic service from each member of their team.
Ben & Jerry's
Using Black and Yellow projects the perception that they produce a classic, timeless product (they like to call it “legendary”) that will feed your hunger, make you happier, and boost your optimism.
Using Blue and White projects the perception that they are a trustworthy, and friendly place to form and grow friendships, express yourself honestly, and communicate with others in a safe space.
Do you get the idea here? By simply choosing the right colors, you can create an underlying message that will subtly speak to your audience and connect with them on a subconscious level.
Ready to create your own color palette? Choose three to five colors that you use, or would like to use, within your own brand (two to three main colors, and then any extras can be used as accent colors on your print or web materials). Make sure the message these colors are sending aligns with the values you’ve set for your business, and the mission you want your brand to portray.
Need help choosing just the right colors for your brand? Here are a few easy-to-use color scheme generators:
Next week we’ll talk about fonts in part 2 of 5 easy steps every entrepreneur should follow to build an authentic visual brand identity.
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