Visual identity + brand standards

A well-designed identity is essential to establishing and promoting your brand.

A good identity system is good business. Clear and consistent brand standards facilitate efficient marketing and communications by your team. Over time, adhering to these standards will also reinforce relationships with your customers, clients, partners, or supporters.

“System” is the operative word

What’s included in an identity system? A typical bare-bones system includes a logo package, business cards, envelopes, and letterhead.

More complete systems might also include a basic style guide, office templates, packaging, labels, bags, apparel, and other branded accessories. All of these diverse elements must be designed with a common vision and guiding set of principles.

Your identity style guide should describe some or all of these items in detail, in addition to typography recommendations, extended color palettes, and photography or illustration guidelines. The guide is essentially a user manual for your organization to move forward in a clear and systematic way with your new identity system.

A complete brand standards system is more comprehensive, extending well beyond the purely visual aspects of corporate identity to cover brand definition and vision, messaging principles, and guidelines for communication and audience engagement.