Starting a public facing business with a comprehensive visual identity will increase your business’ memorability and present your offer professionally. Small brands can have big personalities and it doesn’t have to cost the earth.
Russell and Pamela Gall are my friends and long standing clients. I’ve worked with Pamela and her businesses for years and we both recognise the value of effective graphic design in marketing.
Pamela’s husband, Russell was starting a new enterprise with a brand new people carrier. They needed an identity design to personify their new business.
I designed business and appointment cards; letterheads and compliments slips; as well as leaflets and discount vouchers. I also designed, supplied, and applied the livery graphics on an eight seater Mercedes and a very nifty luggage trailer.
The trailer box was originally metallic silver. We all agreed it’d look better with black panels so I wrapped the trailer before applying the eye catching logo.
Pamela owns and operates several preschool nurseries in Dundee. With Kim Lee, Pamela’s business partner, they decided to start a training academy to improve their team’s expertise, as well as others beginning and progressing careers in childcare.
Once I’ve had a conversation with my client and fully understand their project brief, research and reflection follows. I look for ways to make my clients’ identity design fittingly memorable and appeal to their market demographic.
I begin with sketches for all identity design projects. This process enables me to thought dump over several days onto paper without too much scrutiny. Once I’ve exhausted as many adequate ideas as I can muster, I begin to develop concepts.
My initial thought for Balgillo Training Academy focused on creating a visual identity system. A set of shapes, patterns, illustrations, or clearly cohesive family of images flexible enough for applying on printed products and digital screens.
I drew pages of primary shapes and building blocks. I imagined a trophy made from a three dimensional sphere, cone, and cube, standing on top of each other. This concept would eventually lead to the scattered pattern of simple geometric shapes.
The shapes could vary in size, colour, and orientation, as well as overlap, fade, or animate. They could also be assembled into a structure resembling an academy comprised of children’s building blocks.
Pamela and Kim were very happy with their new business’ identity: ‘We just love it and think that this embodies the company vision well. Great work.’
Back to the sketch pad for Lavish Touch by Rachel. Rachel sent to me a description of her business, market, and aspiration, as well as example images conveying elegance.
I freely drew my interpretations of ornaments, crowns, and other lavish objects. Eventually, I found direction.
Rachel’s custom styled salon is modern, compact, and well equipped with high-end nail and lashes treatments. The visual identity had to convey Rachel’s fine approach to detail.
At Rachel’s early stage of business, her clientele was steadily growing, catering for ladies who can afford to spend a little more than average on manicure and lashes treatments. The logo concept and typeface is modelled to appeal to Rachel’s market.
My design included a simplified logomark for very small display as a social media channel avatar and favicon.
For Rachel’s official launch, I designed stationery; gift cards; and a sign including it’s application on one window; as well as applying large etched vinyl privacy panels on four panes in Rachels’ salon.
I also designed, wood stained, and painted an entrance sign on beautiful hardwood supplied by John Rennie, the joiner I regularly work with.
Get in touch to discuss your identity design project.