We worked closely with Insomnia Book Company to create a Brand Identity for their Meniors project - A media project focused on the experiences of professional black men.
We set out to understand the deeper questions about their brand - who their brand is, who their target audience is, as well as a comprehensive mission, vision, and story for the brand as a whole. We then used these insights to develop an identity for the Meniors brand, that influenced their brand's design.
The logos, colors, font, and themes are all created in a way that reflects the greater story behind the brand.
1. Take a look at the puzzle as a whole.
Nearly every business was started to provide a solution to a problem. A brand's identity is no different and we should work to communicate that solution. We consider a brand's mission, even the type of consumer that they are trying to reach.What resonates with the given persona and what is the appropriate tone of the message we are trying to communicate? Even considering what your competitors are doing, and why?In the industry, we refer to this as a "Brand Promise" - A Brand Promise is a company's commitment to its customers, conveyed through its words, and actions. It’s a guarantee that customers can expect something every single time they engage with a brand.Questions and ideas like these will need to be asked BEFORE the design process even begins.Typically, we schedule a strategy call with a client at the very beginning of the project to discuss, in-depth, these types of things. Emotion, mission, as well as a brand’s mood work adjacent to the fonts, colors, and techniques used in the design stage....
2. Design for purpose, not just for preference.
Every design choice should have a why. For example why choose a serif font over a san serif or cursive font? Or why use a more weighted tone over something that is lighter on the eyes? Perhaps we want to communicate an older or modern feel. Or the classic question, "What color should it be".We work backward, choosing colors, themes, and fonts AFTER learning about what makes the heart and soul of a brand, and their overall promise to their designed persona.We want our client's businesses to not only have a professional brand and logo, but also dig one layer deeper and design in a way that helps consumers have a meaningful emotional connection with the overall brand.
3. Communicate, revise, revise, revise.
After the design team works its initial magic, we typically enter a round of revision and approval.. At the end of the day, your business or organization belongs to you.Your personal identity and preference are equally important to communicate as well. During this phase, our design team adjusts using the given revisions to create a brand logo that both speaks to the brand, as well as the client’s preferences.This includes adjusting colors and placement, adding content or replacing the design option as a whole. We've got your back!It helps that we also deliver a few different spin-off designs of your logo for you to choose from in the beginning to get us started. We’re open the criticism, (just be nice please) and we will accommodate most updates to the design.
Your brand file; including various formats of each logo, a brand guide with hex codes and branding best practices, as well as font files and any other aspects of the design concept… is all packaged up and sent to you in a clean and organized manner.
This will keep you from guessing when and where to use certain assets and free you from wondering if there are parts of the design that were left behind. And that's it, that is how we work to build a brand identity for you and your business… Not just a logo.Feel free to share your brand across the internet, on advertising platforms, social media, videos, products, brochures… anywhere you want your name displayed. We can even help you get it printed on a shirt.
Establishing a brand identity is a cornerstone of the foundation on which your brand is built. We can help you go a step further than identity, with a comprehensive brand story that helps you establish a framework on how to communicate with your desired audience, beyond the logo. Top brands often use branding strategies like this in communicating with customers, employers, and even PR needs. If you're interested in working with us in creating a brand identity, or story for your business or organization please feel free to contact the team at B&G Collective for a free discovery call.
