Intro
We live in a time where one thing can be the next best thing since sliced bread. It’s called the digital age, and creating a memorable online presence for businesses and customers is crucial. Our eyes are trained to see a multitude of things and take in information like no other. Visual branding shapes perceptions, builds brand recognition, and attracts audiences to create a lasting impression. In this blog, we’ll dive into the power of visual branding and discuss the strategies and elements that contribute to creating a memorable online presence.
Understanding Visual Branding
Visual branding is the visual elements that represent a brand’s identity. For example, logos, colors, typography, and imagery/photography communicate the brand’s personality, values, and essence.
Case Study
Let’s look at a brand that, in my opinion, does a great job with its visual branding.
Founders Nicholas Clark & Marlon Watts
I introduce you to WRLDINVSN, pronounced “world-in-vision,” a clothing company based in New Orleans, Louisiana. I bought some clothes from them two years ago mainly because I love what they stand for. Most of their clothing dons the slogan, “Trust In Your VSN,” which is a way to have confidence and belief in the ideas, goals, and aspirations that you have for yourself. Like myself, others have also bought into this vision, with them having over 432,000 followers on Instagram and 4.1 million views on YouTube, which teaches viewers the ins and outs of running a 7 figure clothing brand.
Let’s dive into WRLDINVSN’s visual elements. Their logo is clean, simple, and easily recognizable. Their brand colors are clear and concise. Their logo shows that they have about 6-7 colors, but they are showcased throughout their product line, so they use all of them consistently. In terms of typography, they use a Sans Serif font throughout the website.
WRLDINVSN Juneteenth ’22 Collection | Models – Faithe Williams & @cofreshh_ | Photographer – Jeff Sarita
Regarding imagery/photography, the photos exude confidence from the models, which is tied into the slogan “Trust In Your Vsn.” Their products contain motivational quotes to push people to believe in that vision even though no one else does. An example is on one of their shirts which says, “Many Have Sight But Few Have Vsn.”
By understanding the significance of visual branding, businesses like WRLDINVSN can establish a strong foundation of an online presence.
Crafting a Memorable Logo
A logo is the visual representation of a brand and is the cornerstone of visual branding. Think of some of the biggest companies you know. When you think, you visualize their logo, whether it includes words or not. Below is a quiz of 10 logos you may or may not know. Identify the correct logo that appears.
Some logos are simple, while some can be more complex with a deeper meaning. What’s important is that the logo aligns with that brand’s identity and captures its essence. We are in a time now where almost everyone is moving towards a more modern, clean, and concise logo instead of one that carries personality. For example, Warner Bros changed their logo in 2021, and the Philadelphia Eagles changed their wordmark in 2022. There was some pushback at the time because people were so used to seeing the old logos. People grow up with these logos, and once they see a change, it feels like their childhood is gone and we’re in a new time.
When crafting a memorable logo, play with it a little bit. Come up with different variations with your brand colors, make it stand out, and understand what you want it to say when people look at it. Also, be sure you have a talented designer on your side, so your logo will stay visible in the crowd.
Creating Consistency with Colors and Typography
The phrase “consistency is key” speaks true for visual branding because it is crucial for establishing a recognizable cohesive brand identity. Two elements that must be consistent daily are your colors and typography because of how often your audience will see them.
The same colors you use on your website are the colors that should be utilized in social graphics, emails, products, and whatever else reaches your audience. Now do you have to use the same colors all the time? It depends. Certain colors could play a specific role, or your color palette isn’t as broad as others. It is vital that your color palette aligns with the brand’s personality and creates a visual connection across the various touchpoints that you utilize.
In the case of typography, which is how you will communicate to your audience across various touchpoints. As a brand, you should have about 2-3 fonts that all serve a specific purpose. One font can be used within your logo, another for your headings and subheadings, and the last for your body copy. You want to be sure that your audience easily distinguishes between what your headings are and what your body text is.
Visual Content: Imagery and Photography
Imagery plays a significant role in telling and connecting the brand’s story to the audience. An audience wants to see something they can resonate with like people smiling or having fun. It’s the brand’s job to create visually appealing images that align with the brand’s identity. High-quality photos can enhance the brand’s credibility and build a sense of connection with the audience. People prefer to see visuals nowadays, and with more people with shorter attention spans, you can catch their eyes much sooner.
Brand Guidelines and Visual Consistency
Want to know how well a brand is organized? Ask them about their brand guidelines and if they have a folder full of their assets, like photos and videos. You ask this question because this will tell you about internal communications within departments and if they spend time organizing their files.
Having a document full of your brand guidelines is critical because it is the only place you can go for information about the company. If you’re new to the brand and forgot the specific HEX code for the logo, you know where you can go. If not, then it’s a possibility that you have to go through other departments to figure out what color it is. It also ensures that you will have visual consistency throughout all forms of communication with your audience. What if the new intern put the wrong logo in an email because they didn’t know the use cases for the specific logos? Consistency is key, and your audience will know when something isn’t consistent with something in the past and will assume that you are disorganized.
Let’s look at one of the world’s largest and most recognizable brands – Walmart, which has a comprehensive brand guide. Not all brand guidelines must be comprehensive, but they must be detailed so that anyone working there or outsiders can understand how to represent the brand.
Walmart Brand Guide
Their brand guide includes logos, voice, colors, typography, iconography, photography, and more. This shows how much Walmart cares about its image and wants to be well-represented.
You can see the full brand guide here.
Conclusion
Visual branding is a powerful tool for creating a memorable online presence. By understanding the importance of crafting a memorable logo and creating visual consistency across platforms, brands can establish a solid and impactful online brand identity. By strategically using colors, typography, and imagery, brands can capture attention, evoke emotions, and leave a lasting impression on their audience. Embrace the power of visual branding and unlock the potential for a remarkable online presence.