What is branding? (A really quick overview)

Branding is one of those words that is used frequently but can mean slightly different things depending on context. You might think of it as the name, logo and brand colours, but actually, Branding encompasses everything that a company or business presents to their audience - logo, mission statement, values, tone of voice, visual design...

A brand’s visual identity is a combination of design elements – logo/s, colours, patterns, typography, illustrations, photos – working together to create a visual representation of a brand or business and referencing the non-visual aspects of a brand.

The purpose of a visual identity is to give an audience an immediate understanding of the business - what it does, values, point of view, who it’s for. It creates connection and builds confidence in the company, person or service provided.

If you have a business, you have a brand – whether it has been intentionally crafted or has come about organically over time with or without much thought. When a brand identity hasn’t been considered, it can send mixed messages to the audience, and feel  confusing, unreliable, or even untrustworthy.

A successful brand identity will be easily recognisable and create positive engagement with the people it is intended for. It will be centred around the business values, audience and goals, and implemented consistently. A visual identity that is aligned with the business values will feel professional and help to create trust in the brand.