Our process. Part 4. Brand Identity - Colors & Fonts.
Choosing the right colors for your brand can be a daunting experience. What is enough, or too many, where do you draw the line between what you personally like and what makes sense for your company? That is why we never just design a logo and a color scheme for someone, without first creating a solid brand strategy. Only if you know your brand’s values and personality, if you are really clear about what you want your audience to feel when they get in touch with your brand, can you visualize these things and translate them into the exact right colors.
Color is a powerful communication tool if used correctly. Blue, for example, is a very clear indicator of security, reliability, and trust. That’s why so many banks and insurance companies use blue as their primary brand color. Green, of course, is the typical healthy and natural tone, but it also gives people a sense of hope and is very optimistic and soothing. Orange is an extrovert’s color that stands for optimism and confidence. It radiates warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. Orange at times stands for vitality and rejuvenation and is supposed to stimulate your appetite. It’s often used to symbolize feminine energy and creativity. But depending on the shade chosen, it can also be associated with affordability and sales. White, the minimalist amongst all colors, was a huge trend for a while, for all things design-focused (think Apple) that inspires innovation, evokes new beginnings, and a less-is-more attitude. It gives you a feeling of freshness and cleanness and evokes a sense of youth and modernity. We can go on and on forever, and I highly recommend The Secret Lives of Colors if you are interested in the deeper meaning and historic context of all shades.
Similar symbolism applies to typography. A sans-serif font is more serious, clean, and logical, while a serif is often seen as warmer, and more feminine. Lowercase letters are friendly and inviting, while uppercase can feel more reliable and communicate strength. The same goes for the weight, a light font feels airy, delicate, and often elegant while a bold typeface is very imposing and has a lot more strength implied.
I firmly believe that effective design requires a deep understanding of the brand you are working with. This means finding creative concepts that are rooted in strategy, rather than simply following the latest trends or selecting colors and typography that look cool. It's not about having a personal style, but rather discovering what is right for the brand at hand.
Back in my teaching days, when I was at Miami Ad School, trying to teach design and art direction basics, to a bunch of award-hungry hyenas, I always encouraged my students to keep an open mind and look beyond the obvious sources of inspiration. (I also made them put away their laptops and started them back at the basics, pen and paper, yes, I am old school). I would advise them to explore everything from nature to foreign packaging, history, art, and everything in between. Inspiration is everywhere, and the key is to look deeper into the meaning of things, instead of just following the same design blogs or award archives. It takes time to learn to ideate effectively, but by staying open and asking questions like "Wouldn't it be fun?" or "How might we...?", you can discover truly innovative design concepts.
In both my work and my teaching, I have found that combining a deep understanding of the brand with an open-minded approach to inspiration and creativity leads to the most effective design thinking. By constantly learning, exploring, and adapting our creative palette to the truest expression of the brand's soul, we can create designs that truly resonate with the audience and communicate the brand's purpose in a meaningful way.
Much love,
Lisa & Tim
