While a logo alone may be enough for smaller companies, a successful brand design will create a cohesive look throughout your business while representing your brand values. In addition to a logo, branding design can include marketing collateral, websites, menus, uniforms and even the physical business space. For inspiration on brand design, we’ve collected some excellent examples that will not only show you a variety of applications, but will also outline different branding approaches commonly used today.
Brand design is all about creating a brand identity that perfectly reflects your brand. A brand designer can create elements that shape your company’s branding design and represent your brand’s personality. Branding is a complex process with a lot of elements that need to be considered when creating the perfect brand design. But it doesn’t have to be daunting. Use the branding inspiration below to help navigate the creative process of designing your brand.
What is branding design?
Imagine your business is a person. Just like a person, your business needs a unique style to stand out and make a great first impression. That’s where branding design comes in!
Branding design is the process of creating a visual identity for your business. This includes everything that people see and recognize about your brand, such as:
- Logo: The unique symbol or design that represents your brand.
- Colors: The specific colors that are used consistently in all your branding materials.
- Fonts: The style of text used in your logos, websites, and marketing materials.
- Imagery: The types of pictures and graphics that reflect your brand’s personality and values.
Think of branding design as your business’s wardrobe. It helps you stand out from the crowd, connect with your customers, and make a lasting impression. It also lays the foundation for other fun and creative types of branding, including:
- Shape branding: Using unique shapes to give your brand a distinctive look.
- Typographic branding: Using your logo fonts in every bit of visual communication your brand produces.
- Color branding: Extending your logo color palette to other branding elements.
- Illustration branding: Adding custom illustrations to make your brand even more memorable.
Each of these elements works together like pieces of a puzzle to create a cohesive and captivating brand image that tells your story and resonates with your audience. So, let’s get started on dressing up your brand and making it shine!
22 beautiful branding design examples
Shape branding
One common approach to brand design is using characteristic shapes from your logo as a motif throughout the brand. For example, the Kreate brand design takes a circle and arc shape from the Kreate logotype and applies it rhythmically on business cards, posters, a Facebook cover and even a car wrap. This repetition of shapes strengthens brand recognition. Every time you see those shapes you will think Kreate!
The shapes used can be simple, as with the Midori Lab brand design, or even complex, as with the Gaea brand design. Do you have or want a logo that uses shapes as a characteristic element? If so use these examples for inspiration on branding design!
Typographic branding
Another approach to brand design is expanding a logotype’s characters into other brand elements. For example, the brand design for Architects In Rabat creates the acronym AIR, which is spaced out on business cards and posters to allow other text to flow through. This technique helps connect text to the name and logo of the business. Alternatively, the brand design for Matrix Capital uses repetition of the logo’s typographic characters to decorate business cards and letters. This creates a conceptual “trail” which leads viewers back to the company name. Typographic branding can also be as simple as using the same font from the logo for any brand text, as seen in the brand design for Dutchland.
Does your business use or want a logotype? If so, use the examples above for inspiration in brand design!
Color branding
Branding design can also be approached by taking color(s) from the logo and applying it to other brand elements. For example, the Project 41 menu headings all use the same color blue as the logo. This technique ties the layout of the menu to the logo which reinforces brand recognition. Similarly, the brand design of For Kids By Kids takes the rainbow color pallette from the color version of the logo and creates a colored geometric pattern that decorates envelopes, letters and cards.
Does your business seek to represent itself with the use of color? If so use these examples when seeking brand design inspiration! Learn more about branding colors here.
Illustration branding
Last but not least, illustration is a valuable tool for brand design. Many companies, like Zen Zero, have their logo designed around an illustration that can stand alone on brand materials. When people see the illustration, they connect that image with the company name. This technique can be especially effective on stamps, pins and business card backs. Meanwhile, companies like Pontoon Brewing choose to have their logo incorporated into an illustrated language, which can then be “wrapped” onto anything imaginable (or just on a good old-fashioned beer can).
Your perfect brand design awaits
Once you have figured out what type of branding design is right for you, a designer can create exactly what you need based on the branding inspiration and brand personality details you provide. And when your brand design is complete, remember to solidify all your design choices in a brand style guide to ensure your brand remains consistent across all platforms and channels.
Want more branding tips? Here’s how to create a great brand identity for your business.
Author: workerbee
