Build a brand identity system

Many brands have a logo but no system. Every new piece starts from scratch on colour, type and layout, and with a new designer or agency the brand looks different again.

An identity system is less about looking good than about consistency and efficiency: different people, on different channels, can make things that are clearly the same brand, without debating it every time.

You may be seeing this

• Every deck and flyer looks a little different.
• Agencies and new colleagues keep asking which brand colour or typeface to use.
• Reviews go back and forth because the standard is hard to explain.
• The brand has grown, and the old identity no longer carries new products and channels.

How we approach it

• Start from positioning: confirm the personality the brand should convey, so visuals and voice have a basis.
• Map touchpoints: list where customers meet the brand and set priorities.
• Define the basics: logo, colour, type, imagery and voice, each with rules for use.
• Build modules: turn common layouts and components into reusable templates.
• Write the guide: show do’s and don’ts with examples, so people without a design background can follow it.

What you get

• Identity elements: logo, colour, type, imagery and icon style.
• Voice guidelines and common vocabulary.
• Templates for key touchpoints: decks, social, documents and more.
• A brand guide with do’s and don’ts.
• An asset kit for agencies and new colleagues.

How to tell it works

Watch how materials are made and reviewed: are new pieces finished faster, are fewer sent back, and does work from different people look like one brand at a glance?

A good identity system lets everyone make things that look like the brand.