Branding, Identity & Logo Design Explained

A logo is not your brand, nor is it your identity. Logo design, identity design and branding all have different roles, that together, form a perceived image for a business or product.

There has been some recent discussion on the web about this topic, about your logo not being your brand. Although this may be true, I haven’t seen any clarification of the differences between ‘brand’, ‘identity’ and ‘logo’.

What is brand?

The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.

What is identity?

The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.


What is a logo?

A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.

To explain this in more detail, let’s start at the top – the brand.


What is branding?

Branding is certainly not a light topic - whole publications & hundreds of books have been written on the topic, however to put it in a nutshell you could describe a ‘brand’ as an organisation, service or product with a ‘personality’ that is shaped by the perceptions of the audience. On that note, it should also be stated that a designer cannot “make” a brand – only the audience can do this. A designer forms the foundation of the brand.

Many people believe a brand only consists of a few elements – some colours, some fonts, a logo, a slogan and maybe  some music added in too. In reality, it is much more complicated than that. You might say that a brand is a ‘corporate image’.

The fundamental idea and core concept behind having a ‘corporate image’ is that everything a company does, everything it owns and everything it produces should reflect the values and aims of the business as a whole.

It is the consistency of this core idea that makes up the company, driving it, showing what it stands for, what it believes in and why they exist. It is not purely some colours, some typefaces, a logo and a slogan.

As an example, let’s look at the well known IT company, Apple. Apple as a company, projects a humanistic corporate culture and a strong corporate ethic, one which is characterised by volunteerism, support of good causes & involvement in the community. These values of the business are evident throughout everything they do, from their innovative products and advertising, right through to their customer service. Apple is an emotionally humanist brand that really connects with people – when people buy or use their products or services; they feel part of the brand, like a tribe even. It is this emotional connection that creates their brand – not purely their products and a bite sized logo.

What is identity design?

One major role in the ‘brand’ or ‘corporate image’ of a company is its identity.

In most cases, identity design is based around the visual devices used within a company, usually assembled within a set of guidelines. These guidelines that make up an identity usually administer how the identity is applied throughout a variety of mediums, using approved colour palettes, fonts, layouts, measurements and so forth. These guidelines ensure that the identity of the company is kept coherent, which in turn, allows the brand as a whole, to be recognisable.

The identity or ‘image’ of a company is made up of many visual devices:

▪ A Logo (The symbol of the entire identity & brand)

▪ Stationery (Letterhead + business card + envelopes, etc.)

▪ Marketing Collateral (Flyers, brochures, books, websites, etc.)

▪ Products & Packaging (Products sold and the packaging in which they come in)

▪ Apparel Design (Tangible clothing items that are worn by employees)

▪ Signage (Interior & exterior design)

▪ Messages & Actions (Messages conveyed via indirect or direct modes of communication)

▪ Other Communication (Audio, smell, touch, etc.)

▪ Anything visual that represents the business.

All of these things make up an identity and should support the brand as a whole. The logo however, is the corporate identity and brand all wrapped up into one identifiable mark. This mark is the avatar and symbol of the business as a whole.


What is a logo?

To understand what a logo is, we must first understand what it is for.

A logo is for… identification.

A logo identifies a company or product via the use of a mark, flag, symbol or signature. A logo does not sell the company directly nor rarely does it describe a business. Logo’s derive their meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolises, not the other way around – logos are there to identity, not to explain. In a nutshell, what a logo means is more important than what it looks like.

It is also important to note that only after a logo becomes familiar, does it function the way it is intended to do much alike how we much must learn people’s names to identify them.

The logo identifies a business or product in its simplest form.

Summary:

Brand – The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
Identity – The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
Logo – Identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.

Post courtesy of : https://justcreative.com

Qualities of a Great Graphic Designer

I have just created this graphic but I quite like it maybe for a rebrand one day...

What makes a great designer? Is there some secret formula? Where is that sweet 5-step process to becoming a killer designer? Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no such formula. However, when I study and watch successful designers, I see common qualities. Working at a creative agency has proven to me that there are eight qualities of a great graphic designer.

A great designer is…

1. Always Learning

Who likes to be told how to do something better than or different from the way we were taught? Usually, we start to short-circuit and lose our cool. But what if they’re right? What if that Photoshop trick saves you three hours of production time?

Many great designers started out very humble. They became sponges and took it all in. They took notes and tried new things. They were receptive and grew because they listened to the people around them. There wasn’t an attitude of pride or arrogance, but a conscious decision to be humble, to be teachable.

2. Able to Take Criticism

When I was in college, like many art students, I had to sit through critiques. My professor would group us all together around our lovely design work and just go to town on what was right and wrong about every single design. Then, she would open up the floor for all of us to chime in on each other’s work. You know what happened? (insert cricket noise here) Silence. I mean it…dead silence. No one wanted to give any kind of criticism! I was just as petrified to speak up as the next guy. It was bad enough taking in all the criticism; why in the world would I want to dish it out?

Criticism is a tricky thing. As a designer, we must learn that when our work is under criticism there’s no need to take it personally. There’s no reason to get defensive and make up lame excuses. Be receptive and open-minded.

3. Constantly Looking for Inspiration

How do you start your day? We all have our rituals. One of the things I do as soon as I get to work is visit three to five websites full of design inspiration. Rarely have I met a talented designer that does not practice the same habit. You must be exposed to what’s going on in the design world. I’m constantly looking at what is getting noticed and talked about in the design world so that I can apply the same professionalism to my work. I can also keep an eye on what the current design trends are and where they are going. Keeping a pool of design inspiration has also proven helpful. When I start a project, I can go back to it and find inspiring design work that I’ve saved to help kick start my creative process. 

4. Out of the Comfort Zone

Ask any successful designer and they’ll tell you they were willing to learn and explore new design tricks. It’s hard! I get that. However, how will a designer ever grow or learn if they’re never pushed beyond their limits? Almost every day, I am confronted with a design problem and I think to myself, “OK, they never taught me this in school, what in the world am I supposed to do?”

FEAR CAN GET THE BEST OF US. IT CAN CRIPPLE US. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, LEARN AND THEN JUST TRY.

In this day and age, it’s so easy to learn new tips and tricks. Take advantage of the vast knowledge that is out there. Listen to your colleagues around you and don’t let fear stop you from creating amazing things.

5. A Chameleon

My art director told me that being a chameleon is one of the most important characteristics of a good designer. He’s right. Don’t get me wrong, having your own personal style and flair is important and your style is probably what’s helping you succeed today. However, as a designer we have to think about what will be appropriate for the client we are designing for. We need to rein in our design habits and tendencies to be in the client’s best visual interest. What will visually carry their message the best? Are they sporty? Maybe they lean toward being very homegrown and historic. Maybe they’re sleek, high fashion and modern. The point is to not get stuck in one overall style. Be flexible and expand your design aesthetics.

6. A Professional Collaborator

It’s important to get along with others. I know, this may sound like preschool all over again, but it’s true. Collaboration is an important quality I’ve seen in many successful designers. It’s important to be a team player within your agency as well as with clients. The times I’ve had to work in and with a group of people, everything goes much smoother if I’m flexible and collaborative with the other professionals around me.

7. An Ethical Designer

A lot of designers out there steal other people’s work for the sake of convenience. Not only is this lazy but its morally wrong…bottom line. There is no excuse to steal another designer’s hard work and claim it as your own.

EVERY SUCCESSFUL DESIGNER HAS EARNED THEIR NOTORIETY WITH HONEST AND LEGITIMATE WORK.

I spend a lot of time on designs, and I would hate to see my work stolen and repurposed for something else. A good designer thinks about what they have time for and decides what to create from there.

8. Designing On The Side

If you ask any creative individual, they’ll tell you that the creativity never stops. Most great designers I’ve met have told me they are always working on the side. This habit creates a great outlet for designers to have complete freedom of restrictions, a way for each of us to create something truly original and something self-fulfilling. Having something on the side is important for a designer to let loose, experiment, and create something that he can truly call his own. This also allows us to experience trial and error, making the work we do for clients that much better.

In Conclusion

I believe that great designers share these eight common qualities. I’m sure there’re quite a few more qualities that can be added to this list. What are some that you would add? I’d love to hear about them.

Coutesy of Vtldesign. 

https://vtldesign.com/brand-development/graphic-design/qualities-of-a-great-graphic-designer/2/

Moving Graphics

Importance of Motion Graphics

Motion graphics a great way to get new attention to your product or service. This animation I created for Ottobock.

The world of designing has evolved significantly over the years. The graphics have come a long way from being just a design feature to gaining motion. Together with audio, these graphic motions are used for large multimedia assignments but their viewing experience depends largely on the quality of graphics.

Due to their versatility, motion graphics are very popular these days. Here are some aspects that make motion graphics a well-liked concept in online animation:

Motion graphics are easily adaptable to all kinds of industries and sectors. They can create social awareness on important issues by using lighter graphics. They are usable in training sector, gaming, education, kids learning etc.

In marketing, animation can set the right tone for branding of any product. In some cases, brands may even use motion graphics to repackage their brand and create an instant brand recall. Advertisers can also use this concept to promote their new products among potential customers.

With motion graphics, it becomes easier to attract viewers’ attention than simple pictures or motionless graphics.

This has been especially more successful with the kids as they now prefer to watch cartoons rather than just reading the comic books. Motion graphics are also becoming increasingly popular in teaching and training line.

Anything that uses animated videos has the ability to be learned easily and becomes easily remembered.

The cost of producing animation videos are much cheaper than producing actual video ones. Animated videos are shot using fewer characters, using environment that can be built in a studio. However, real videos require number of actors and different kind of equipment to materialise it.

The marketers can make the message simpler by using graphics motion in their videos. The information not only becomes easily comprehensible but can also be presented in a much more attractive way, that can be retained longer by the potential customers.

Motion graphics are built from the scratch, keeping close eye on even the smallest detail. This makes animation videos sharper and neater. However, real videos are not always able capture the smallest detail of every character as well as the surrounding.

You can tweak your motion graphics to suit the age group and the type of audience you are catering to. They can be anything from a short video to a full fledged movie. This versatility allows the creators to develop more aesthetic content.

Sometimes marketers are able to hit the right chord with potential audience by producing animated motion graphics that is an instant success. This success can take a brand to another level. Sometimes, even a small animated movie character can become popular with the audience which the company can manipulate to introduce corresponding merchandise.

As the motion graphics gained popularity, number of studios came up that promise you quality animated movies and videos. It is important to do your research well before you hire one for your project. 

Courtesy of :http://homeroadfilms.com/blog/importance-of-motion-graphics/

What is a Creative Director?

A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organisations such as web development and software development firms as well.
A creative director is a vital role in all of the arts and entertainment industries. In another sense, they can be seen as another element in any product development process. The creative director may also assume the roles of an art director, copywriter, or lead designer. The responsibilities of a creative director include leading the communication design, interactive design, and concept forward in any work assigned. For example, this responsibility is often seen in industries related to advertisement. The creative director is known to guide a team of employees with skills and experience related to graphic design, fine arts, motion graphics, and other creative industry fields. Some example works can include visual layout, brainstorming, and copy writing. Before one assumes the role of a creative director, one must have a preset of experience beforehand. Like anyone else, these types of artists start up from the very beginning in fields that can relate to motion graphics, advertisement in television, and/or book (or magazine) publishing.

Reference from www.wikipedia.org