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Creating a brand guide or kit is like giving your business a well-tailored outfit—it’s all about looking sharp and making a lasting impression. When clients come to me for a website but lack essential branding elements like a logo, colors, or fonts, I step in to create a cohesive brand identity. One of my most recent projects was with the Landmark Towers, a historic building in Arizona, where I crafted a brand guide that not only captured their essence but also provided a solid foundation for their online presence.
The Landmark Towers Project: From Vision to Reality
As a board member of the Landmark Towers Historical Building Group, I had the unique opportunity to blend my professional skills with a personal passion. The building’s historical charm needed to be reflected in its new website, but the initial branding elements were missing. Here’s how I tackled the project:
Color Selection: The original paint colors from Dunn Edwards were vibrant, but the board wanted to steer away from the lime green. Using Dunn Edwards' site, I extracted hex codes that matched the building's existing color scheme and selected a softer, more refined palette. This created a harmonious look that resonated with the building's classic and sophisticated feel.
Defining the Brand Voice: The Landmark Towers needed a voice that echoed its retro and historical personality. To this, I added “stylish” and “inviting,” ensuring the brand’s voice was not only reflective of its past but also welcoming to new audiences.
Font Selection: I chose Baskerville Old Face and Cerebri Sans as the primary fonts for their website. Baskerville brings a historic feeling, while Cerebri Sans offers a modern and clean look, balancing tradition with contemporary style.
Logo and Visuals: The board needed a logo, so we worked with a graphic designer to design a logo that reflected the building’s unique features. Alongside this, I developed a one-page brand kit, including their new logo, color palette, typography, and website illustrations.
"The brand guide created by Alex was exactly what we needed to start our website project. It captured the essence of Landmark Towers perfectly!" – Sally
The Benefits of a Well-Crafted Brand Kit
A comprehensive brand kit isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about consistency and impact. Here’s why it’s essential:
Consistency: Having defined colors, fonts, and a logo ensures that all your marketing materials look cohesive, strengthening your brand identity.
Professionalism: A polished brand kit presents your business as credible and well-organized, which is crucial for attracting clients and customers.
Efficiency: With a solid brand guide, future design and marketing tasks become easier and faster, saving time and effort.
"The brand kit not only gave us a fantastic starting point but also provided us with the tools to maintain consistency across all our marketing materials.
Crafting Consistent Brand Identities for Long-Term Success
Creating brand guides isn’t just about making things look pretty—it’s about establishing a consistent visual and tonal identity that can be easily referenced and maintained over time. I’ve had the pleasure of crafting brand guides for various companies, each with unique needs and visions.
One such project was for an online e-commerce site I built called Bea Beautiful. The brand guide I created for them defined a clean, modern look that reflected their commitment to organic, small-batch, hand-crafter beauty products. This guide included an updated version of their existing logo, a cohesive color palette, typography, and custom icons that perfectly captured their brand essence. As a result, they’ve been able to maintain a consistent online presence, making it easier to introduce new products and campaigns without straying from their core identity.
I also applied these principles to my own site, Neat Freak Tech. I knew that having a clear and consistent brand guide would be crucial as I expanded my services and updated my content. By defining the look and feel from the start, I’ve been able to make quick and seamless updates to the site without losing the brand’s integrity.
Having these brand guides to refer back to after the project is built not only ensures consistency but also saves time when making future updates or introducing new elements. It’s like having a blueprint that keeps your brand on track, no matter how much it evolves.
Why You Need a Brand Guide
If you’re launching a new website or rebranding your business, a brand guide is a must. It provides a clear, visual representation of your brand and ensures all your materials align with your desired image. From color palettes to typography, every detail plays a role in how your brand is perceived.
Want to create a standout brand identity for your business? Schedule a free consultation and let’s build a brand guide that makes your business shine.
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