Building Brand on A Limited Budget

 

Marketing: the promoting and selling of products through market research & advertising

Tool: device used to carry out a function

Visual: an image or a display visible to the eye
 
Communication: transmitting information to evoke understanding; to share a feeling and relate socially

 
Design elements make or break your brand. Be diligent about consistency surrounding all communication and develop brand without added cost. Ask yourself:

Is my logo properly displayed?

 
Establish rules and boundaries for your logo that ensure a certain amount of space around it, its position within a piece and its proportion in size to the rest of the information. Your logo should exist in an image format that will not be subject to font change across platforms or media and should have a grayscale version for use in non-colour publications.

Does the piece utilize my corporate colour and font?
 
Define a corporate colour and font, both of which should be part of your logo, to become the foundation for the visual portion of your corporate identity.

Is the layout similar to my existing pieces?
 
Especially important in recurring pieces, layout quickly becomes recognizable and associated with your message. Familiarity helps viewers navigate a piece with confidence that they will find the information that they need.

Are the media and concept conducive to my annual plan?
 
Be sure to define an annual marketing plan that considers budget, timeline and distribution for a meaningful, measurable and focused campaign. A strategic plan with a clear message will be much more memorable than random plugs.
 

Is the piece streamlined, to the point and clearly branded?


Don’t clutter your promotions and advertisements in an attempt to educate the viewer on your entire product line or service offering. Highlight or feature one idea or product and back it up with your brand.

 
Amy Perzan Merrill is a graphic designer in Calgary, Alberta. Her company, Meringue 3.14, specializes in creative branding and cost-effective print solutions for small business. For more great tips on how you can turn your material into powerful marketing and communication tools, subscribe to "Designer",  Amy's monthly ezine.