We love helping businesses bring new life and fresh perspective to existing brands. We also work with start-ups<\/a> and entrepreneurs to create new brand identities.<\/p>\n Creating a brand identity is a fun process but can also be a bit confusing. There are many important branding terms<\/a> to understand to ensure a successful project. If you have any questions, don\u2019t fret! We are here to walk you through every step of the way.<\/p>\n Branding and design are important elements of marketing and growing your business. Strong branding leads to brand clarity<\/a> and consistency that ensure clear communications between your company and your current (and future) customers.<\/p>\n In this post we\u2019ll discuss the unique way we add value to the branding process, how we work with clients, and share some examples of how we\u2019ve helped bring new brands to life or give existing companies a fresh new look.<\/p>\n Branding is a complex process with many different parts. Some may say it\u2019s part science and part art. At a thirty-thousand foot view, the entire branding process comprises many things including strategy, messaging, story<\/a>, product development, placement, promises, positions, and much more.<\/p>\n Ultimately, your brand is the public\u2019s perception of your company, products, and services. As Amazon founder Jeff Bezos famously said, \u201cYour brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.”<\/p>\n Read More: Brand Basics \u2013 Five Fundamentals of a Strong Brand<\/a><\/p>\n Brand identity is the sum of all elements that make up a company’s public image. This includes the colors, logos, typefaces, and symbol designs that represent a company or organization. It can also include slogans and taglines. Your brand identity should be unique and recognizable to customers in order to create an emotional connection with them.<\/p>\n When the hard work for branding is complete, you need a graphic artist with experience in brand design to create a look and feel that uniquely expresses your brand\u2019s essence in a memorable way. Most businesses will hire a creative design agency to bring the meaning and the messages of the brand to life.<\/p>\n Additionally, you will need a thorough branding guide for your employees (or volunteers if applicable) to follow to ensure that the brand identity is consistently and professionally applied across the board.<\/p>\n It is important to understand that logo design is a part of the brand identity creation process. A logo on its own is not a brand<\/a>, but the logo is usually the most important element in the visual identity portfolio because it becomes synonymous with your brand name.<\/p>\n A logo can be any shape or design, but what is essential for it to be successful is the way it conveys your company’s message. The most popular logos are usually simple designs that are easy to remember and recognize. Logos can also have symbols, icons, or images which represent certain aspects of your business.<\/p>\n For more, check out this post: Is it a Logo, or a Brand, or Both?<\/a><\/p>\n Of course the first things that come to mind when people think about branding include logos, fonts, and color palettes, are only the beginning. Everything you put in front of your audience should align with the brand standards set within the context of your brand identity.<\/p>\n Your visual brand identity must also be applied to photography, social media graphics, videos, email campaigns, newsletters, live events, and more.<\/p>\n This is why we emphasize working with a creative design agency and not trying to DIY your visual identity (or rely solely on freelancers). A professional team can advise you on every detail that needs to be applied to all audience-facing marketing materials.<\/p>\n Additionally, with the branding basics in place, a great next step is adding brand video to your marketing mix. In fact, video has become the number one way consumers want to interact with companies. So video isn\u2019t just something nice to have or an afterthought if budget allows. It\u2019s a key element to successfully connecting with customers on a personal level.<\/p>\n For more on brand videos (and brand video examples), check out this post: How to Create an Effective Brand Video<\/a>.<\/p>\n When you choose Cross & Crown to create your brand identity, we work with you to understand what makes your business or nonprofit special and help your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace. Here are some case studies on work we\u2019ve done for clients. We would love for you to check out our work!<\/p>\n Appalachian Running Company: A Rebrand and a New Website that is Making a Difference<\/a><\/p>\nWhat is Branding?<\/h4>\n
What is Brand Identity?<\/h4>\n
Where Does Logo Design Fit Into Branding?<\/h4>\n
What About Visuals?<\/h4>\n
Brand Identity Examples<\/h4>\n