VISUAL IDENTITY
Award-Winning & Strategic Branding
A brand is more than ‘just a logo’. It’s about making your biz memorable, consistent, and stand out from the rest! Building a strong brand foundation right from the start lets you focus on what you are best at, advancing your business. I work with you to draft the blueprint for a brand that paves the way for the perfect foundation for your biz to grow and scale through my award-winning and strategic design.
Phase 1: Discovery, Ideation, & Research
In this collaborative phase, we work together to create a place of perpetual alignment. What does that mean? In my experience, I have found that no one is a mind reader. While design and creativity can be somewhat intangible and words can be subjective I take every step to ensure we're speaking the same visual language. Here are some initial steps we will complete, together:
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I will first ask you to complete the comprehensive branding questionnaire (may include web if in scope)
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I will conduct a competitor analysis of your competitors’ logos and brands to determine ways to differentiate and diversify you while staying appropriate to your industry
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I will then meet with you to review identified competitor’s brands, websites, etc, and discuss what is or isn’t working for each of them
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Together, we will have crafted a high-level design “wish list” of initial creative considerations for me to review
Phase 2: Initial Creative Directions - Stylescapes
To create a state of perpetual alignment throughout the visual identity and design process I leverage stylescapes. Three PPT slides with creative brand directions based on everything we discussed up to this point. The three stylescapes will feature branding approaches ranging from mild (most conservative), to spicey (most disruptive). Not unlike picking your favorite ingredients for your perfect chili, this enables us to work together and share a simple common language on what is working, what is needed, and what comes next while mitigating unwanted surprises down the line. Common elements featured in each stylescape approach are:
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All of the visual design elements of the brand such as: colors, fonts, brand imagery, patterns, textures, etc
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Visualizations (a.k.a. mockups) of how the proposed approach might be applied (e.g., company swag, web)
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Examples of logo approaches, treatments, and concepts
Phase 3: Brand Direction Iterations
Here we will work together to discuss, and then distill the stylescapes down to one fully approved and refined chosen direction. During this process, all of the visual branding elements are developed including logo variations. Depending on your schedule and level of timely and specific feedback this phase is generally conducted as follows:
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We have a Zoom call where I present to you the 3 initial stylescapes and discuss - you then select 2 to move forward
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I then refine and revise the 2 selected options
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We then have another call to review and discuss - you then select 1 to move forward
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I then further refine and revise the final selected option based on our discussion during the call
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We have 1 final call where we review and confirm all of the design items are approved
Phase 4: Brand Identity Completion
Once your brand is fully approved I will draft your brand guide and export all of your final design and logo files in the industry's best formats for both print and web. Then once I have all of your files prepared I will send them to you by email with a Dropbox link to your meticulously organized brand folder system. This will enable you to launch and maintain your new cohesive brand with ease. As a note, if you're launching a website as well your brand will roll out when your website launches. This will provide you with the smoothest transition from old to new for your audiences.
