When I was asked to prepare a Brand Guidelines for Genex
Well, a brand can’t be designed by a designer but a designer has to take it as something that is growing and transforming.
A couple of months back in one fine afternoon, I got a call from Genex asking me to design a Notebook for them. From a general designer perspective, I naturally asked for assistance with the existing brand guidelines so that I can play my part effectively. Thinking that I might just be helping Genex because their designer is not available, to my surprise, I figured that the company back then did not have a solid brand guideline. Upon asking for relevant collaterals, I was bombarded with random visuals and thoughts and a then-existing logo that wasn’t even appropriately measured. This stroke me with a sheer sense of realisation that I might actually come up with a brand guideline for the company for it to create it’s souvenir and marketing goodies with consistency.
Evidently, I proposed Genex regarding the making of the brand guideline and was successful into making them understand the necessity of it. Thankfully I got a green flag, and for a designer it was just more than an opportunity to prepare a streamlined brand guideline for better marketing, keeping in mind the company’s persona.
Upon starting to work on the brand guidelines I divided the process into five visual key elements namely: Logo Identity, Glyph, Typeface, Colour and Brand Graphics. I ensured that each of the key elements perfectly reflect the company’s value proposition or philosophy. The moment the entire process was beginning to make sense, all hard work deemed meaningful- the guideline seems capable in providing visually distinct impact in marketing through a linear approach with its own identity.
LOGO IDENTITY
According to principles of logo design, a good logo should be,
- Simple
- Memorable
- Versatile
- Appropriate
- Timeless
My ideology is to keep the first four vivid. I do not bother much about the fifth as it’s something you can determine by the aesthetic greatness of the rest of the persona. However, if the top four principles are well laid, they will adamantly lead your design to be timeless.
GLYPH
I really had to think a lot to pick a form that is originated from the logotype or very distinctively associated with the company values. Then after few brainstorming sessions, ideas, debate and lots of sketches I came up with boomerang. The transformation of returning boomerang is an allegorical depiction of consistent positive growth which we get in return for creating values as a brand.
TYPEFACE
Selecting typeface for a particular brand is very important because its the key element of a design. Regarding web design some says typography covers 95% of visual appearance. On the other hand, every typeface has a unique design, different characteristics, distinctive appeal, technical aspects that are top issues to selecting a typeface for a brand. So you have to find out which typeface is a perfect match to a brand according to its value and personality and ensure the versatility of usages in different media.
COLOUR
Colour is the strongest visual element that has a significant way of creating relationship with viewers. A unique colour/colour combination has the ability to reach users/viewers faster than any typeface or elements can. But using too many colours at the same time or a very common colour scheme can confuse the viewers and refrain them to recognise the brand. So there is no alternative to pick a unique and suitable colour for your brand.
GRAPHICS
On-brand supporting graphical guidelines is very important if you want every single pixel of your brand to be designed according to certain visual pattern or identity. Graphics, Icons, Patterns and Service marks all bring a singular vision of design to perfectly portray the brand positioning.
Its also very important for print materials like collaterals design, publications etc to depict a certain brand’s style maintaining the flawless continuity.
One thing always to be kept in mind, no matter how much of creativity you embed, its necessary to make sure of the perfection of the end result, may it be for print, web or audio visual.
Upon finalising a comprehensive brand guideline, with your client happy and ready to take their business to a new level and beginning, its utmost important to follow the guideline strictly and portray brand persistence.
