The Things To Avoid When Creating A Brand Identity

In the 21st century, a quality brand identity is key to a successful business. Google has just spent millions on its rebranding in which the typeface of their previous logo was changed. It's clear that the updated logo is much more modern and visually appealing, but was it worth the cost of designing and altering all of their branding and websites?

With everyone striving to create and improve their brand, it's important to remember some important steps in the design process...

Check Your Print

These examples show how important it is to think about your print and where it's going to be displayed. Marketers need to think about the tiniest things, including exhausts, door handles, sliding doors and even neighbouring adverts.

A worryingly large amount of images can be found online of vans with sliding doors and their vinyl going horribly wrong. So if you're ever in the position of designing a van wrap, make sure to consider the door!

Know Who You're Selling To

Every market has a slightly different demographic, so make sure you know yours. Branded merchandise can work really well if it's relevant to your target market, but not so well if not. If you're selling a children's product, don't offer a promotional hip flask.

As long as you know your audience, you could create some fantastic, relevant products. Perhaps business card magnets for a fridge repair company, car air fresheners for car cleaners or even portable speakers for a music shop - the possibilities are endless.

Always Consider Language

We live in a global society, so considering how brands sound in other languages is highly important. Take the example of the Chevrolet Nova, which sold well in the United States, but not so well in South American markets. It turns out that Nova (or "no va") translates to "doesn't go" in Spanish. Nice one, Chevrolet.

Grammar & Spelling

If you want to convey a professional brand, then it's important to ensure that your grammar and spelling is correct. Simple things such as apostrophes and homophones (words like which & witch) are always important to double-check to avoid embarrassment.

With the creation of camera phones and social media, these mistakes spread like wildfire. So always double-check and proofread your proofreading!