Research. In-depth research is the first and one of the most important aspects of brand identity design. Research has many variables involved when it comes to brand identity development. It is composed of detailed study of: 1. The target market. 2. The industry in which the brand will be entering. 3. The competition - brands that already exist in the said market space and are doing well.
How does research help in developing unique brand identities?
The more detailed this process
is, the more information you have to work off of. From this raw collection of
information, the brand designer can
pull out elements that can be used in the sketching phase to craft out concepts
for a unique brand
identity design. From here, it’s all about connecting the dots, not
being afraid to try out different combinations of different concepts and
refining until a truly one of a kind concept is created.
The more refined the initial
conceptualization is, it gives way to brand clarity. Brand clarity leads to
confidence. Confidence to the brand
designer to move into the actual design phase with a great sense of
creative direction. Also, the brand owner feels confident moving forward
because the research + findings presented by the brand designer helps them with a much clearer brand
vision.
All the refined research is put
together in a proper documented format called a creative brief which acts a
base for all future design decision making and it also helps to set a tone for
a unique brand identity design.
Timeline:
The timeline for brand research
can vary depending on the industry. Some industries are fairly common like the
beauty, lifestyle, wellness industry so information like customer pain
points etc is widely available online. Research for brands from such
industries takes less time because of data being readily available. Whereas,
there are some fairly new industries like some innovative new product. Such
brands need more research time because we have to dig into the offerings to
gain information, learn about audience mindset etc.
Despite the timeline, we
make sure we go in-depth to have everything we need to design great,
stand-out brand identities.
