If you are starting a company you might find this article of interest. Where do you start when you need to launch a new company with a new brand.
The Name
Finding the name of your new company is a very important part of the journey in the development of your new brand. What’s in a name you ask? Quite a lot actually. Ideally, due to the structure of search on the internet, naming your company in some way that reflects your business helps. ie. The Graphic Design Shop. It says what I do ‘on the tin’ so to speak. Search will now find me if someone is looking in Google for a ‘Graphic Designer’. Therefore people who see my name will immediately know what I do. But these names are hard to find especially as they have to be tested against a domain name finder, like 123-reg.
Ideally you want to get the .com and the .co.uk for a business and the .org for an organisation etc.
What about adding in a dash. So, I could have ‘the graphic – design shop (.co.uk)’. I could get that but what if the other Graphic Design company turns up at a networking breakfast meeting that I am at too. It might be a bit embarrasing when another company turns up with the same name. So at all costs look for an original name and especially in the UK if you are UK based. It’s always better to be original if you can. Once you have found your name, buy it. Don’t wait to think about it, just get it. They are only £20 to £10 so grab it while it is there.
The Logo
It is really at this point you should contact a designer. Graphic Designers always have the Creative Suite with Illustrator, the industry default.
The objective is to make each item in the branding ‘say’ your product or service, always pointing back to what you do.
name>icon>typeface>colours>strapline>ideas
By creating with these tools and techniques a new and successful brand emerges.
- If the name says what it does on the tin then this should make your task visualising easier.
- Look at typographic solutions, maybe a signature or hand crafted type could work well
- Look at shapes, play with them to create something striking
- Use a typeface. In Adobe Illustrator the program is vector so you can simplify, extend, flatten and add to make the look unique.
- Think about a simple illustration.
- Develop a character.
- Graphic icons look amazing, simple is best, but beautifully drawn
- Always add a visual idea.
The options are endless, but are narrowed down at the brief stage, in the client discussion.
Develop a strapline. A brand is always more than a logo. Pick unique imagery, and select a colour palette to define the company. Every part is important choose with care. The choice is yours!
If you have a new company and are looking to develop the brand, please contact me, or call 07876 207100.
To read many other articles and posts on graphic design and branding please go here