A breakdown of What We Do
The Brand Identity System: A Visual Representation of a Brand A Brand Identity System is a collection of design elements that work together to visually represent a brand. These elements come together to create the visual appearance of the brand on various mediums such as magazines, websites, business cards, flyers, posters, brochures, banner ads, social posts, packaging, and more. Here are some key components of a brand identity system that we create for clients:
Primary Brand Mark – This is the main logo of the brand and is used as the primary visual representation of the brand. It should have an element of timelessness and become the most recognized visual queue of the brand.
Secondary Brand Mark – This is an alternate version of the logo that serves as a substitute for the primary mark when the primary mark does not suit the environment. The secondary mark may include variations in the color palette and other elements such as shape, typography weight and spacing.
Lockup Variations – These are positional variations of both the primary and secondary brand marks that allow for positional flexibility in different environments. Common examples are “Stacked” (iconic element above the type) and “Horizontal” (iconic element beside the type).
Image Style – In today’s digital environment, it’s becoming increasingly important to have a distinctive image style to visually represent the brand. Image style includes elements such as color, tone, filters, content, photography style, and graphic application. A unique and distinctive image style can have a significant impact on brand recall.
Graphic Library – A comprehensive brand identity includes a library of graphic elements that can be used in various applications of the visual brand. This library helps ensure consistency in the brand style and expression.
Color Palette – The color palette is a set of specific colors with specific color values that ensure consistency in the color representation of the brand. The palette includes primary, secondary, and complementary colors as well as supporting neutral colors.
Typography – Typography is an important aspect of a brand identity system as it can add character and help achieve the intended style and positioning of the brand identity. The subtle differences in spacing and weight can completely transform the character of the type, making it a sensitive element in the successful design of the brand visuals.
Brand Collateral – This is where the brand identity gets to visually express itself. All elements of the brand identity, including the logo, image style, color palette, graphic library, and typography, come together to create cohesive brand collateral such as business cards, brochures, advertisements, and websites.
Brand Guidelines – A set of governing brand guidelines is essential to protect the application of the brand and ensure consistency over time. These guidelines help ensure the longevity of the brand and its expression, even as personnel within the business change.
Selim Kagee, Founder
As a young boy, I had a deep fascination with brand logos, particularly those in the sports industry due to my love of tennis shoes. I spent hours redrawing the logos of well-known brands such as Nike, Converse, Adidas, and Reebok by hand, and even created my own fictitious logos.
Every Sunday, I would accompany my father to his wholesale business and work at the cigarette counter, which gave me the opportunity to interact with the distinctive, embossed logos on the various cigarette brands. As a teenager, I pursued my passion for art and design through playing tennis and creating drawings and paintings. This led me to study graphic design. After gaining valuable experience working in both large and small design studios, I founded Signature Design, in 2005.