Brand Identity Project Description

Background

Throughout the semester you will run a brand identity where you will be posting to 2 social media channels regularly. In order to carve out your place on a channel with heavy competition, you need to set your brand apart and we do that by developing a brand's design and style. In this unit, you will create your brand identity and launch it online. You will design a logo, choose colors and fonts, write a voice statement and create a style guide. You will then use original photography to design and brand at least 2 social media channels (not including blogs like Wordpress).

Note:

Everything used for this project must be created during this unit and by you. You may choose to rebrand something, but it must be a COMPLETE rebrand, changing everything except the name of the brand. After the semester, you may choose to delete the pages/profiles if you'd like. While you may do this for a paying client, you MUST have complete creative control and meet all of the project criteria as stated here.

Project aspects

Voice Statement

A voice statement is a short description of the tone or mood of a brand. Every brand should feel like it has a personality; that personality is derived from the voice statement. Describe in 2-3 sentences how the brand should sound and feel like. All of your assets including copy and visuals need to fit this statement.

Logo

Create a logo and name that is unique and easily recognizable. Think iconic. Design something that people would be proud to wear and be associated with. If you'd like, you may create a series of related logos, like surf and skate brands, but this is not required. The logo(s) will be used as the foundational elements of everything else created in this project.

Style Guide

A style guide is a set of rules that help everyone stay "on brand." You will write a simple style guide describing and showing how, where and when design elements should or shouldn't be used. A style guide can be given to any other designer and they will be able to replicate that design's look and feel. The design of the style guide will help another designer know the look and feel of the brand. Therefore, the style guide should look good. The style guide should include description and information on:

  • The voice statement
  • Audience identification
  • This is where you identify who is your primary and secondary audience. You can use statements like, stay at home moms, college students, or teens, and you should avoid general statements like 18 to 55-year-olds. Typically the audience section within a style guide works together with the voice statement.
  • The logo
  • This is where you identify what to do and not to do with your brand elements. You can also show primary and secondary logo options.
  • The brand colors
  • The colors identified should show the color scheme selected for the brand. Some brands have different color schemes based on topic, location, sub-brands, and even calls to action color indicators. In this section of the style guide, you will need to identify all colors being used and the CMYK, RGB, and Hex codes.
  • The typography
  • Brands have a strategy when it comes to typography. They identify at least title/header fonts, and body copy. Sometimes they will have a subheader font as well. When establishing your strategy, indicate what fonts will be used (font name) and where. What size will you typically use the font. The color of the typography, and usually you will have two colors per font, and anything else pertinent.
  • Examples of photography
  • This is where you will show at least two examples of the type of photography you will use. You need to provide a description of the types of images, subject matter, and if any post processing styles always/shouldn't be used. For example, will you always use the Claredon filter on Instagram.
  • Examples of design elements
  • Most brands will have other design elements which help support the look and feeling of the brand. Show these examples and talk about how to use them.

You may want to spend a few minutes researching style guides online.

Images

Shoot and edit several images which fit with the voice of your brand. Customers know the difference between stock photography and unique branded photography. The brand voice should be prominent in the unique photography you create. This also is your chance to shoot photography not only for your channels but for any posts/updates you're planning to do this semester. The final images may be mixed media (photo with designed elements) or simply a well composed and touched up photo. Research how different brands use different styles to match their voice in their images (BYU-Idaho, for example, uses attractive students smiling in front of blurred campus buildings)

Branded Social Media Channels

You will be styling at least two social media channels with your brand. Different channels offer different opportunities to promote the voice and visuals of your brand. Each channel should be styled and designed specifically for that channel, but there should be a unified feel from one channel to the next. In other words, don't just use the same image on each channel, but make sure that the brand voice is recognizable on each channel. Research how brands implement their style and voice on different social media channels.

Additional Help

Adobe Illustrator Basics with Workflow & Organizations - https://youtu.be/2R2ZOiCHtWU
Adobe Illustrator Basics - the pen tool & anchor points - https://youtu.be/ovGF2K0gCAc

What is due?

The first week, first due date, of the project you will start to plan how you will succeed. Those who take the time to think and consider all aspects of a project before they start to execute will experience higher results, therefore, the first assignments associated with the project will help you identify and plan. Develop the following:

IPPIE Plan Write up

You need to develop a response to the first two sections of the IPPIE plan. This means you should identify key strategies to make your branding a success. Understanding your audience and how to connect with that audience is key. Therefore you should answer:

  • Objectives
  • What is the main clear message of your brand?
  • Who is your audience (define them here)?
  • What actions would you like your audience to take?
  • When do you expect your audience to take the action? (this should be more than “immediately”)
  • Seascape Principles
  • Which seascape principles will accompany your brand’s message?
  • How will the seascape principles connect with your audience and get them to take action?
  • Which taboos should be avoided when branding your channel?

Since you have now defined your audience and how to connect with them, now you need to plan the execution. Plan your:

  • Strategy
  • Who: what will you do in the branding project to connect with your audience?
  • Where: Do the channels have different requirements or taboos?
  • What: List each piece of content needed for the project and describe what each of those pieces of content will contain.
  • When: Create a schedule for the project. (Gantt Charts is an option)
  • Define Success
  • Decide the metrics which will best track the success of your objective/action.

20 Logo Sketches

A minimum of 20 sketches should be drawn. A sketch isn’t a piece of art, but should clearly communicate a message. A sketch should also be noticeably different from another sketch.

Where to submit

After you have created your IPPIE plan, voice statement, and logo sketches, then add a new comment to the coinciding  DISCUSSION BOARD. All three items can be included in the same new comment.

Additional Learning Opportunities