Exercise: Brand Guide / Case Study
2 weeks
Due Sep 17
Due Sep 17
“A brand is more than just a logo or a product. It’s a system of interconnected experiences and touchpoints that together form a cohesive narrative.”
—Kimberly Bryant
—Kimberly Bryant
“Brands are not just visual identities, they are systems of meaning.”
—Michael Bierut
—Michael Bierut
This exercise serves as an introduction to brandy identities. Before you start working with and designing a brand identity, you will begin by observing and analyzing the different components that build up a brand system.
A brand is a system of parts that represents a comprehensive system of values, messages, and experiences. A brand is a sum of its parts—not just a single element, but a complex system of various elements that work together to create a unified and meaningful experience.
How have you experienced a brand this past summer?
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Identify an instance where you experienced a brand moment this past summer. This can be an instance that includes an event that you attended, an iconic moment that went viral or an object that you acquired. What drew you to the brand moment? What it a strong use of color, a visual mark, a striking message?
Brand guidelines are used to explain the logic and standards of how a brand should be presented and communicated across various channels. They ensure consistency and coherence in how a brand is perceived and interact with its audience.
Design a 10-page, 11 × 17 in. brand guide that explains your chosen brand moment. Feel free to inject humor or criticality through how you present and design your brand guide. Edit your content to keep the guide clear and succinct.
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Include the following pages in your brand guide
1. Title page
2. Brand strategy: What is the brand’s purpose, mission, values, and personality?
3. Mood board: What images represent the brand and its attitude? What is the brand’s visual voice and what does it feel like? Include found images that evoke the brand’s mood or vibe.
4. Naming + tagline: What is the strategy, reasoning, concept behind the naming? Is there a tagline that reinforces the concept? What is the meaning or reasoning behind the name?
5. Logo/wordmark: What is the primary logo (icon based) or wordmark (type based)? Or is there a logo lockup (a logo that is combined with a word)? Are there sub logos? How does the logo function in full color and/or black and white? What is the underlying grid for the logo design?
6. Typography: Is there a main or display typeface that’s used consistently? Primary, secondary or body typeface? What is the typographic system?
7. Color palette: What identifiable colors define the identity? Is there a primary, secondary or tertiary color palette?
8. Applications: How is the brand identity applied to print (posters, brochures, packaging, apparel, ad, social media) and/or digital applications (social media, website)?
9. Grid system: What is the overall grid system for how the logo, typography or visual assets are applied? Is there a strategy for how text and images are placed?
10. Graphic elements: Are there icons or other graphic elements that are apart of the identity system? If so, how might their visual style relate to the brand logo or typefaces?
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Examples:
Branding Style Guides
Branding Style Guides