A bold brand identity is more than just a logo; it’s an entire personality wrapped in colours, shapes, and images that resonate with your audience. No one ever achieved greatness by blending in. Bold brands don’t shy away from being unique. Here’s exactly how to command attention for all the right reasons.
1. Define your brand personality: who are you, really?
First things first, let’s figure out who you are as a brand. Are you fun and quirky like a rubber chicken at a serious meeting? Or are you sleek and sophisticated, like a luxury car gliding down a sunny country road?
We use brand archetypes to define your brand personality, and use this to create ‘brand maths’ which is adding elements from your brand strategy together to give us new directions on your visual identity.
Case study:
We worked with Suptropic on their brand strategy and visual identity. They’re a creatine gummy brand that give people more energy and cognitive function. Their brand strategy was bursting with attitude and positive vibes, wanting to make things better but feeling p*ssed off about people not living to their potential. Combining these two elements made their visual identity a spectrum of personality.
2. Choose a colour palette that packs a punch
Colours can evoke different feelings; blue can be calming, red can spark excitement, and yellow can bring a smile to your face. Select a colour palette that not only represents your brand personality but also resonates with your target audience. Always look at what competitors are doing and find opportunities to stand out and make sure your palette has breadth to be vibrant AND toned down, as there will always be cases where you might need to seem a bit more serious.
Case study:
When we did competitor research in the creatine / supplements market, it was an ocean of red, and a lot of black. Products all focussing on ‘gym bro’s’ and getting ‘buff’. While Suptropic didn’t want to alienate this audience, they knew the people they could help were far beyond the gym. Our primary colour was lime; gender neutral, positive and away from anything competitors were doing. The secondary colour is deep grey which the tertiary colours represent the product flavours.
3. Design a logo that’s unforgettable
Your logo should be memorable, versatile, and, above all, simple. Your logo is the most recognisable part of your brand. A bold logo should be:
Scalable – Looks great in all sizes, from social media icons to billboards
Simple & Memorable – Easy to recognise at a glance
Versatile – Works across all mediums (print, digital, merchandise)
Relevant – Reflects your industry, audience, and brand personality
Don’t settle for generic symbols. Consider unique shapes, custom typography, or even a cheeky mascot that embodies your brand. Remember, less is more; sometimes, a simple design can make a louder statement than something overly complex.
Case study:
Suptropic is backed by tonnes of science, studies and medical benefits so it has a serious side to it. But they also want people to level ‘up’ and feel more ‘optimistic’ so we created a logo that combined a typeface with hand-drawn lettering to create something completely unique.
4. Select your typography: words matter
Fonts are like the tone of voice for your written content. Do you want to be serious and sophisticated with a sleek serif font? Or playful and friendly with a bubbly sans-serif? Whatever you choose, ensure that your typography aligns with your brand personality.
Limit yourself to a couple of fonts, one for headings and one for body text, to maintain consistency. Too many fonts can confuse your audience. Aim for clarity and readability. If your audience can’t read your message, what’s the point of being bold?
Case study:
We recommend not using any fonts from the logo in your body copy, to not distract away from the brand elements. For Suptropic we chose ones that were similar but not the same. One bubble font that played into the fun personality and another that was bold caps for impact and seriousness.
5. Create Visual Elements That Tell Your Story
Now that you’ve got your colours, logo, and typography locked in, it’s time to create visual elements that enhance your brand story. This could include graphics, patterns, and imagery that reflect your brand values and mission.
Think about the images and graphics you want to associate with your brand. Are you all about stunning photography, eye-catching illustrations, or a mix of both? Visual elements should complement your overall identity and evoke the emotions you want your audience to feel.
Consistency is key, so create a style guide that outlines how to use these elements effectively across different platforms. You want to be recognisable whether someone sees your content on Instagram, a flyer, or your website.
Case study:
With low creatine, you feel sh*t, but with it you feel amazingly energised. We wanted to tell the story of moods depending on your creatine level, so we created illustrations of suns that could act as mascot’s for different emotions. These are then used alongside different messaging to visually reinforce the brand’s narrative.
6. Be bold with your application
Here comes the fun part, applying your brand visuals to various platforms. Your visual identity should shine across all channels, from social media and your website to packaging and advertising. Be bold in how you present yourself.
Use eye-catching imagery in your social media posts, incorporate your brand colours in your email campaigns, and ensure your logo is front and centre on your website.
Remember, this is your chance to showcase your brand’s personality, so don’t shy away from being vibrant and engaging. Think outside the typical templates and create something that makes your audience stop scrolling and take notice.
Case study:
After the branding was completed, we worked with Suptropic on their packaging design which also featured spray paint splats to show the attitude of the bran, as well a the sun mascots. The logo needed to be big to raise brand awareness as the primary goal of the brand project was to grow their audience. It was important for the logo to be legible on online stores as a D2C brand.
7. Consistency: no one likes a hot mess
A bold visual identity needs to be consistent. No matter who works on your brand, internal team members, freelancers, or partners – nothing is more important than being consistent. If you can’t look after your own brand, how can clients trust you to look after them?
Use your brand guidelines to make sure that your colours, fonts, logo placement, and imagery are all in harmony. The more consistent you are, the more recognisable, and trusted you’ll become.
Building a bold brand visual identity is your chance to make a splash in a sea of sameness.
Embrace your uniqueness, take risks, and above all, let your personality shine through. Because when your brand identity is bold, memorable, and authentic, you’ll not only capture attention, you’ll keep it.
Forgot where your brand guidelines are? Or realising you actually could do with a little brand chat? We’re here.