How to Create a Brand Canvas: A Designer’s Guide

When I worked at a small design studio in Russia, we didn’t even have a concept like a brand canvas. We would jump straight into creating a logo, selecting a color palette, and other design elements. We didn’t really dive deep into understanding the brand; we simply chose what was typically used for that particular industry. However, after changing jobs, I learned how to approach brand creation more thoughtfully, and I’d like to share that with you.

Brand Canvas Illustration

Creating a brand canvas is a strategic process that enables designers to deeply understand a brand’s essence and translate that understanding into compelling visual and messaging elements. Let’s dive into the process, step by step.

STEP 1: Brand Discovery Survey via Google Forms

The foundation of your brand canvas starts with a deep dive into the brand’s core through a Brand Discovery Survey. This survey is crucial as it gathers insights directly from the stakeholders, providing you with the raw material needed to craft a precise brand narrative.

Survey Content: Ensure the survey covers key areas such as:

• Target Audience (TA)
• Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) that resonate with the brand’s goals
• Competitor and similar brand analysis
• Stakeholders’ design preferences
• Topics of discussion relevant to the brand, which can hint at SEO keywords or brand archetypes
• List with keywords that will better describe brand

Note: Distribute the survey to all stakeholders individually. The diversity and overlap in their responses will fuel meaningful discussions during the workshop, helping you identify the brand’s core attributes.

STEP 2: Building the Brand Canvas

With the survey responses in hand, it’s time to bring those insights into your design process using Figma. The brand canvas is where you distill these insights into actionable components for the brand’s visual and strategic identity.

Canvas Breakdown:

• Brand Archetype: Identify the brand’s personality based on survey responses. This helps set the tone for messaging and visuals.
• Key Words: Compile and explain the key terms associated with the brand, backed by stakeholder insights.
• Brand Sliders: Create visual sliders that position the brand’s graphic elements on a spectrum (e.g., Traditional vs. Modern).
• Target Audience (TA): Define who the brand is speaking to, refining the audience based on stakeholder input.
• Competitor Analysis: List similar products and brands, highlighting strengths and weaknesses to consider in the brand’s strategy.

Tip: Utilize tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.ai (especially useful when you need live links and to expand competitor and reference lists) to expand on stakeholders’ responses. These AI tools can help you generate additional keywords and uncover deeper insights into the brand’s narrative, making your brand canvas more robust.

How do web3only brand canvas look like

STEP 3: Workshop Call

The workshop is where the magic happens. This is your opportunity to align the stakeholders, clarify their vision, and solidify the brand’s direction.

Workshop Agenda:

1. Introduction: Start by explaining the structure of the workshop, the importance of brand archetypes, and the purpose of the brand canvas.
2. Four-Word Exercise*: Revisit the words selected by stakeholders during the survey.
3. Choose Favorite Words from the List: Have each stakeholder explain why they chose specific words and what those words mean to them. This will unearth deeper insights and possibly new keywords or concepts.
4. Recap & Action Plan: Summarize the key takeaways from the discussion and outline the next steps. The workshop should end with clear actions, such as finalizing the brand canvas and determining the direction for the brand’s visual identity.

Tip: Record the session. This not only helps with note-taking but also provides a valuable resource for refining your process in future workshops.

Brand Key Words List

*Four-Word Exercise: Create several lists of the chosen words. Use different colors to visually distinguish them. Group the words by themes, e.g. Aesthetics, Innovation, or Friendliness. Ask stakeholders to choose their favorite words from each theme, and then have them explain why they made those choices.

STEP 4: Delivering the Final Brand Canvas

After refining the brand canvas based on the workshop, it’s time to share your work with the stakeholders.

Delivery Checklist:

• Brand Canvas Presentation: Ensure it reflects all insights. Make presentation visually appealing to sell your design.
• Feedback Loop: Give stakeholders time to review and provide feedback. Their input is crucial to ensure the final product accurately represents the brand.
• Moodboarding: Once the brand canvas is approved, move on to creating moodboards that lock in the visual direction based on the established brand identity.

By following these steps, you’ll create a brand canvas that is not only a reflection of the brand’s identity but also a tool that guides every aspect of its visual and strategic development. This approach ensures that the brand resonates with its target audience and stands out in its competitive landscape, making your work as a designer more impactful and aligned with the client’s vision.