Branding Elements

Branding is much more than just a logo or business name.

The colors, fonts, imagery, and other visual components you choose all work together to convey your brand's style, personality and values.

When designed consistently, these elements create an instantly recognizable identity that connects with your audience.

Here are some of the most important branding design elements to focus on for your business:

Selecting Your Color Palette

Your color palette is one of the most important parts of your visual brand identity. Colors evoke powerful emotions and associations that shape how people perceive your brand.

• Carefully choose 2-4 core brand colors that will represent you across all visual media. Make sure these colors align with your brand personality and values. For example, blues and greens convey trust, security and nature while reds and oranges suggest excitement and energy.
• Ensure enough contrast between colors for accessibility. Don't choose hues that are so similar they are hard to distinguish. Light backgrounds with dark text tend to be the most readable.
• Develop primary, secondary and accent colors. Primary being the dominant shade, secondary for headers and accents for callouts.
• Be consistent with using core colors across website, packaging, marketing materials, etc. Repeated use of colors will make them recognizable to customers.
• Tools like Adobe Color Wheel can help generate accessible, on-brand palettes.

Taking the time to test colors and settle on the right palette creates an instantly recognizable identity and emotional connection with your viewers.

Choosing Your Typography

Font choice has a major influence on brand personality and readability. Follow these tips when selecting fonts for your brand:

• Choose 1-2 fonts for headlines/titles and body text. Sans-serif fonts like Arial work well for headlines while serif fonts improve readability of long copy.
• Pick fonts that align with your brand values. Modern tech brands tend towards sleek sans-serifs while law firms often use classic serif fonts.
• Ensure fonts are easy to read at various sizes, especially on websites and mobile devices. Avoid highly stylized or quirky fonts.
• Use font colors with enough contrast against background colors for accessibility. Light backgrounds with dark text is ideal.
• Develop font styles like bold, italics and caps for visual hierarchy. But don't go overboard on variations.
• Consider pairing both serif and sans-serif fonts. For example, sans-serif headings with serif body copy.

Maintaining consistency across font usage builds recognition while still allowing visual interest.

Crafting Your Logo

A logo is often a customer's first impression of your brand, so its design requires thought and care. Some tips on logo creation:

• Logos can use text, images or a combination. Choose the style that best represents your brand identity.
• Text-based logos set you apart through stylized typography and color usage.
• Image-based logos can powerfully capture your brand through an appropriate image or icon.
• Combination logos benefit from both customized typography and symbolic images.
• Keep logos simple and memorable. Avoid overcomplicated or cluttered designs.
• Logos should be versatile to work at any scale, from website icons to billboards. Start crafting with scalability in mind.
• Leverage color, shape and negative space to make your logo stand out. Distinct flourishes and styling makes a mark.
• Logos can evolve over time as brands progress. But avoid dramatic overhauls that lose all brand recognition.

Putting thought into a distinct, flexible logo drives brand recognition and gives customers an identifying symbol for your business.

Curating Your Visual Assets

Imagery, icons and illustrations help convey your brand message and industry. Follow these guidelines when cultivating visual assets:

• Catalog a library of high-quality, on-brand photographs to use across marketing and advertising.
• Maintain a consistent style across images. Match color tones, filters and overall aesthetic.
• Shoot custom photos of products, team members, and environments to fully control branding.
• Develop illustrated icons and graphics to explain products/services and brand values.
• Commission one-of-a-kind illustrations with your brand's art style. Avoid generic stock art.
• Edit photos to overlay colors, styles and graphic elements from your brand guide.
• Use eye-catching but relevant images in marketing. Support brand identity.

Carefully controlled visuals ensure your unique brand style appears consistently polished and professional.

Applying Branding to Packaging

For physical products, packaging design represents a critical touchpoint for customers to engage with your brand. Make sure packaging stays on-message with these tips:

• Use brand fonts, colors and graphic elements from your visual style guide on all packaging.
• Keep packaging design consistent across product lines to grow brand recognition.
• Choose eco-friendly packaging materials whenever possible to reinforce brand values.
• Include key product photos and messaging on packaging to speak to your audience.
• Leverage package space creatively for branding like custom seals/stamps.
• Ensure continuity from outer packing to inner products. Don't let packaging promises fall short.
• Design packaging to stand out on shelves while staying true to your core visual identity.
• Use white space and clean design to keep packaging accessible and focused on the product.

With thoughtful branding, packaging provides lasting impressions beyond the sales floor and nurtures customer loyalty.

The Takeaway

Branding is much more than just a name and logo.

It encompasses the strategic use of visual elements like color, typography, imagery, icons, packaging, and more to shape your brand identity.

A thoughtful, well-executed brand identity becomes an essential touchpoint for engaging customers across every interaction.

Consistent and purposeful branding reinforces what your business stands for in the minds of consumers.

Building familiarity and trust.