Designing brands that are designed to be used

When people think about new branding, they often picture the exciting part: the logo reveal, the colour palette, the mockups showing a business coming to life. They're important milestones, but they're not how I measure the success of a visual identity.

For me, a successful brand design doesn't just look good in the presentation I show my client. It has to work just as well six months later when they're updating their website, ordering uniforms, creating a PowerPoint presentation or sending their logo to a printer. I think my job is to make sure those tasks are as easy as possible for my clients.

In other words, your brand identity needs to be designed to be used. That's why I put a lot of thought into what happens after my part of the design process is finished.

Every question has a purpose

The strategy stage is about much more than understanding your business. Every question I ask has a purpose. I'm not just trying to understand what you do. I'm trying to understand where your brand needs to work, both now and in the future.

Will it appear on packaging? Vehicles? Uniforms? Signage? A website? Social media? Presentations? Trade show displays?

The answers to those questions influence the design long before I start sketching ideas.

Of course, neither of us can predict exactly how your business will evolve. New opportunities come along, products change and businesses often end up using their branding in ways nobody anticipated at the beginning. That's why I also design with flexibility in mind. My role is to think ahead where I can and create a brand identity that's capable of growing with your business.

For example, a recent client is in the process of building a new entrance sign for their property. During our strategy session we talked about their long-term plans, including a custom fabricated metal entrance sign featuring their new logo. That meant that while I was developing the concept, I wasn't just thinking about how it would look on screen. I was also considering how the logo would translate into a three-dimensional form, reproduced at a much larger scale and viewed from a distance. By asking those questions at the strategy stage, I can make design decisions that will continue to support the business as those plans become a reality.

Sometimes that means developing a visual system that can grow as new products are introduced. Rather than treating each product as a standalone design, I'll think about how future additions might fit within the range. It takes a little more thought at the beginning, but it creates a framework that's easier and more cost-effective to build on as the business evolves.

I don't expect you to become a design expert

Most business owners aren't designers, nor should they have to be. That's why they've engaged me after all. Your expertise lies in running your business. Mine lies in creating a brand identity that supports it.

I don't expect you to understand vector graphics, print specifications or colour profiles. You don't need to know every technical detail behind the work. You simply need to feel confident using your brand.

Good design removes friction

A lot of what I do happens behind the scenes. Sometimes that means designing a logo system rather than a single logo. Other times it means thinking about how packaging will work once it reaches the shelf, making sure mandatory information sits comfortably within the design, or creating artwork that can easily be adapted as new products are introduced.

Whether it's designing a visual system instead of a single logo, supplying the right file formats or creating concise brand guidelines that people will actually use, every one of those decisions has the same goal: removing friction so using your brand feels straightforward rather than stressful.

If you've already read my articles Why your business needs a logo suite and Good design communication shouldn't need a translator, you'll probably recognise the same philosophy here. Good branding isn't about adding complexity, it's about removing it.

You're not on your own

When I deliver a project, I don't expect my clients to remember the difference between a PNG, an SVG and an EPS file two years later. That's why I explain which files they'll use most often, which ones are there for professional suppliers and why they're all included. My aim isn't to turn my clients into design experts, it's simply to give them the confidence to use their brand well.

That's also why one of the last things I say before a project finishes is, "If you're ever unsure, just ask." Not because the project is incomplete, but because businesses grow and unexpected situations arise. A printer might ask for a particular file format, a web developer may need something specific or a signwriter might have a technical question. Rather than expecting my clients to remember every detail from our conversations months or even years earlier, I'd much rather answer a quick email and keep everything moving. I see that ongoing support as part of the service, not an extra.

A brand should work hard for your business

I've always believed that a brand identity should work hard for the business it represents. Of course it should be memorable, distinctive and professionally designed, but it should also be practical enough to support your business as it grows and changes. It should work across a wide range of applications, adapt to opportunities you haven't even thought about yet and be straightforward enough that you can use it with confidence.

Ultimately, the success of a brand isn't measured by how impressive it looks in a designer's presentation. It's measured months and years later, when it's helping people recognise your business, supporting your marketing and making it easy for you to communicate consistently.

If you're confidently using your brand without having to think too hard about it, then I've done my job well.