Building a brand is synonymous with building a company, but many entrepreneurs don’t know how to build a brand. Failing to prioritize the importance of a good brand design could hinder your company’s recognizability within your industry. Every business, whether it is a small business or a Fortune 500, goes through the process of branding (or rebranding) at some point in time.
Branding ultimately helps your company establish a recognizable logo design, attract customers, and stand out in the industry. So, let’s dissect how to build a brand, effectively. When it comes to brand logo and design, here are a couple of concepts to consider for a strong, unique image.
How to Build a Brand: Appealing Color Palette
Using the color theory, the first step to good brand design is deciding on how you want your company to appeal to customers based on the services or products offered. The idea behind the color theory is that each color psychologically helps people feel certain emotions or brings an onset of specific feelings. The color theory, therefore, subtly highlights the hidden meaning behind each aspect of your logo and conveys a particular mood or tone to the prospective audience.
Ever wonder why many restaurants incorporate the colors red or yellow into their logos? The color theory suggests that red and yellow increase heart rate and hunger, psychologically making you hungry when you drive by the Wendy’s, Burger King, or McDonald’s. In contrast, coffee shops such as Starbucks often present a shade of green within their logos. Green brings forth feelings of tranquility, promoting a relaxing space.
To incorporate the color theory into your brand design, brainstorm a list of moods and tones based on how you want your customers to feel when they see your logo. When you look at your list, take the top three to five moods and find which colors are psychologically proven to evoke those emotions.
Then, move towards color theory. Based on preference, you can choose to incorporate all of the selected colors into one cohesive design, select a couple of contrasting colors, or work with varying shades of one particular color that stands out.
How to Build a Brand: Be Descriptive
Once you decide what colors to incorporate into your logo and brand, think about the message behind your design. Often, the best brand designs tell a story and have purpose.
The best way to enhance your brand design is to be descriptive with your logo. According to the Journal of Marketing Research, audiences react more positively to brands deemed descriptive, compared to those that are rather abstract and non-descriptive. In other words, descriptive logos—such as that of Burger King—are seen as more authentic than those that are nonrepresentational, like Nike’s swoosh.
Consider Burger King’s logo.The image displays two hamburger buns along with the word “burger,” clearly identifying the company’s most well-known product. Burger King is literally showing customers what they serve, so what they offer is clear.
When designing your brand, be literal. Have your logo show customers exactly what you offer and what your company does. If you sell an item, try incorporating an image of that into your logo. Sure, your logo can be creatively abstract, but be sure that your brand design is authentically you. Often, descriptive logos are highly effective in driving sales and attracting clients.
Good Brand Design Pays Off
With a strong color scheme that establishes a specific mood and a descriptive logo that showcases what your company provides, brand design goes a long way when looking to attract and retain clients.
Though brand design can feel like a long, tedious process, be literal and mindful in the messaging you put forth, and ultimately, the end result will pay off.
Need Help Building a Brand?
Branding can be a tough feat to pull off on your own, especially when you have every other aspect of your business to run. Whether you’re looking to brand your new company or re-brand an existing one, we’re here to assist you. Sign up for a free consult today to discuss the possibilities!