{"id":3360,"date":"2017-08-02T18:24:10","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T15:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tubikstudio.com\/?p=3360"},"modified":"2023-08-14T18:36:50","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T18:36:50","slug":"6-creative-stages-of-branding-design-step-by-step-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tubikstudio.com\/blog\/6-creative-stages-of-branding-design-step-by-step-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Creative Stages of Branding Design: Step-by-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today competition among businesses is rather sharp. To stand out from the crowd, a company needs to be unique and recognizable by customers. A strong brand is what stands behind each successful product. Nielsen\u2019s Global New Product Innovation Survey<\/a> discovered that nearly 59% of people prefer to buy new products from brands familiar to them, and 21% say they are ready to purchase a product if it comes from a brand they like.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some people got used to thinking that only marketing specialists do all the job in branding. However, if you say it to professional designers, they\u2019ll tell you how wrong you are. As an American graphic designer Paul Rand said: \u00abDesign is the silent ambassador of your brand.\u00bb The article tells about the essence of branding as well as the role of design in it. Also, we\u2019ll define the key stages of effective brand creation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is branding?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Lately, the word \u201cbrand\u201d has been commonly used as some trendy thing, especially in the fashion industry, so many people forget its true essence. According to BusinessDictionary<\/a>, a brand is a unique design, sign, symbol, words, or a combination of these, employed in creating an image that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors. In other words, a brand is a visual representation which people correlate with a company or a product. An effective brand identity is the one which customers associate with a high level of credibility and quality.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, powerful branding depends not only on aesthetic features of brand elements but on the details such as message and emotional appeal standing behind it. To create a <\/span>proper brand identity, designers need to get deep into the details about business goals as well as do research on the market and its target audience. Here we\u2019ve divided a branding process into six essential stages which designers need to go through on the way of brand creation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"andre<\/p>\n

Creative process of branding design for Andre<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Stage 1. Business goals and brand personality<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Of course, it\u2019s not a designer who sets the goals of a company or defines its personality still it is a foundation for all the branding processes. To receive the expected results, the company has to set the priorities and values at the start point so that the crew working on branding could see which way to go. They do not necessarily need to be defined and used for all the cycle of brand existence. The goals can be modified later during a creative process but it\u2019s vital to have some directives in the beginning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, before designers start working on a visual part, they need to identify the character which the company or product wants to present. Designing a brand without this knowledge is like drawing a portrait from a photograph. You can do the copy quite right but the work won\u2019t have an emotion in it. The same is with branding. If the clients didn\u2019t provide a designer with a description characterizing their company, it\u2019s good to ask for it. For example, designers can ask customers to make a list of 4-5 keywords describing their business, or at least what they want a company to be.<\/span><\/p>\n

Practice shows that not all clients come to designers prepared. They may not think of details and ask only for an attractive visual presentation that will bring success to their business. There is nothing remarkable about it. Clients often see designers like artists creating beautiful pictures and you can\u2019t expect them to know all the peculiarities of designers\u2019 workflow.<\/span><\/p>\n

In one of our previous articles, we\u2019ve mentioned the role of psychology in design. It can be quite helpful on the way of understanding users\u2019 behavior and their possible reactions to the design. Moreover, psychology principles can help designers establish effective communication with clients. There are many customers who are not certain about their desires and preferences and that\u2019s when psychology assists. If a designer finds proper questions to ask, it will be easier to create a guide based on the client\u2019s wish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"binned<\/p>\n

Corporate identity for Binned<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Stage 2. Market and user research<\/span><\/h2>\n

When the goals are set and a company\u2019s personality seems clear, designers go to the research work. This step is essential for all kinds of designer\u2019s job, be it a logo or a mobile app. The research helps to immerse into the environment of the future brand and comprehend the peculiarities which may influence its success.<\/span><\/p>\n

First goes the market research. Designers dig out the information about the market and potential competitors. It\u2019s good to learn from someone\u2019s experience be it good or bad. Having the necessary data experts can create a unique and efficient logo and build a brand identity that will stand out from the competition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Designers and clients\u2019 preferences should step aside to the needs of the target audience. A brand needs to make a good impression on its potential buyers or users to gain their trust. User research helps to get deeper into the preferences and psychological peculiarities of the target audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

The design is not pure art. If you rely exceptionally on the sense of beauty and talent, there is a risk of failing the task. Research takes less time compared to doing the job over.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"stickers<\/p>\n

Stickers designed for Reborn<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Stage 3. Logo design<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some people often mistake a logo for a brand but it is only one stage in the process of branding. However, it would be wrong to underestimate the role of logo design. It is the basic mark of brand identity, the most prominent symbol of brand image and the foundation of an effective marketing strategy enabling its connection with the target audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

In our article Logo Design: Creative Stages<\/a>, we\u2019ve described essential stages of the creative process in logo design. They are:<\/span><\/p>\n