Branding Design

While a logo alone may be enough for smaller companies, a successful brand design will create a cohesive look throughout your business while representing your brand values. In addition to a logo, branding design can include marketing collateral, websites, menus, uniforms and even the physical business space. For inspiration on brand design, we’ve collected some excellent examples that will not only show you a variety of applications, but will also outline different branding approaches commonly used today.

Shape branding

One common approach to brand design is using characteristic shapes from your logo as a motif throughout the brand. For example, the Kovai Software Services brand design takes a circle and arc shape from the Kovai Software Services logotype and applies it rhythmically on business cards, posters, a Facebook cover and even a car wrap. This repetition of shapes strengthens the brand recognition. Every time you see those shapes you will think Kovai Soft!

The shapes used can be simple as with the Midori Lab brand design, or even complex as with the Gaea brand design. Do you have or want a logo that uses shapes as a characteristic element? If so use these examples for inspiration on branding design!

Typographic branding

Another approach to brand design is expanding a logotype’s characters into other brand elements. For example, the brand design for Architects In Rabat creates the acronym AIR, which is spaced out on business cards and posters to allow other text to flow through. This technique helps connect text to the name and logo of the business. Alternatively, the brand design for Matrix Capital utilizes repetition of the logo’s typographic characters to decorate business cards and letters. This creates a conceptual “trail” which leads viewers back to the company name. Typographic branding can also be as simple as using the same font from the logo for any brand text,

Does your business use or want a logotype? If so, use the examples above for inspiration in brand design!

Color branding

Branding design can also be approached by taking color(s) from the logo and applying it to other brand elements. For example, the Project 41 menu headings all use the same color blue as the logo. This technique ties the layout of the menu to the logo which reinforces brand recognition. Similarly, the brand design of For Kids By Kids takes the rainbow color pallette from the color version of the logo and creates a colored geometric pattern which decorates envelopes, letters and cards.

Does your business seek to represent itself with the use of color? If so use these examples when seeking brand design inspiration!

Illustration branding

Last but not least, illustration is a valuable tool for brand design. Many companies, like Zen Zero, have their logo designed around an illustration which can stand alone on brand materials. When people see the illustration, they connect that image with the company name. This technique can be especially effective on stamps, pins and business card backs. Meanwhile, companies like Pontoon Brewing choose to have their logo incorporated into an illustrated language which can then be “wrapped” onto anything imaginable.