Brand identity (n.) is the visible elements of a brand, such as color, design, and logo, that identify and distinguish the brand in the mind of a potential customer.
Defining an effective brand is essential in running and marketing any business, no matter how big or how small. When you think of Nike the swoosh is what you’d think of first. Or with McDonald’s and the bright yellow archways. These elements define the brands so that the consumer recognizes the brand and its products.
Defining your brand identity will help your audience and potential customers recognize your style and products across multiple platforms. That’s why we created the DIY brand kit, to help your brand establish its look and so you can implement a cohesive brand strategy.
Branding can be defined through multiple elements such as fonts, logos, colors, and images. We’ll explain…
Logos
A logo is a symbol or design adopted by an organization to identify its products. If you’re just starting out you can easily design a logo in Canva. If you want a more established and custom experience a graphic designer can design a custom logo for you!
But back to the Nike and McDonald’s example… the logo is the most recognizable part of your brand so this should be the first element in your brand kit.
Fonts
Brand fonts selection can be a tricky element of establishing brand identity. Fonts can set the tone of your brand whether that be feminine, bold, flashy, or heavy. It is important to select three complementary fonts that will give your intended vibe through your written words.
Google and Adobe fonts both have free libraries of beautiful and standard fonts to choose from as a starting point. I also recommend Creative Market, an online marketplace for design elements such as fonts, stock photos, templates, and more. You can purchase gorgeous font licenses to use on your graphics, website, or commercial projects.
Customizable DIY Brand Kit
Color Palette
The color palette sets the tone of your entire brand! Are your brand colors bold and vibrant, or muted and sultry? Do you like a natural bohemian feel? Or a bright and groovy mood? Your color palette should consist of 3-5 colors that establish the feel of your brand identity and go well together.
Coolors.co is an amazing resource that will help you choose a color palette to complement your base color. The program will also give you multiple options for each color density when you export your color palette!
Images
The photos you choose can either match the colors in your color palette, or complement them. For example, the below photo uses photos that match my color palette and complement the feel of the brand.
How They Work Together
Each of the elements above work together to define your brand identity, each area is important in the recognizability of your brand and work to your audience and potential customers.
