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Business identity is not an art project

Creating business and brand identity are often considered art by business people and designers alike. It is not. Business identity is a visual, bridge-building tool that helps companies sell their products and services. The overall goal pinning down why it’s a good idea to invest in identity is to sell either a company’s product, its ethos or, if it’s a non-profit organization, its mission.

Sure, there is much more to it and many sub-considerations, but when the initial conversation is about favorite colors and Oh by the way, can we have a big eagle swooping down in the logo, well then, things have veered dangerously off track at the outset. Hit the brakes, turn around and refocus.

A proper identity project indeed entails a creative process, and assumes years of refined skills which enable a designer to do it right. The end product must look great and be well executed. That part is artistic. But how do you know if it is right?  Start by understanding the client, their customers, their industry and their market. What is it about them that’s unique? What makes them great? What is their key messaging, and to whom?

The goal is to design visuals that encompass everything in their business. This one image will come to represent who they are, what they do, how they act, what they stand for and, of course, the products that they sell. It’s not art; rather, it’s the face of the company, and needs careful consideration to properly mix that company’s positioning and personality.

To sum up, this is a business project centered on the goal of your clients to sell their products and services. Your task is to help companies grow by giving them the proper visual tools to achieve that goal. It’s not something they will frame and hang over a mantel.

Being close to Thanksgiving, let us take this opportunity to wish everyone a great gobble gobble!

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