Resources for New Brands | Michael Lovdal

Brand Conception

Your brand is not who you are, but rather who people THINK you are! It is the shorthand for all that you stand for and project into our communities. It cannot possibly describe all that you do or desire (that would be an impossibly long name!), but it can be a symbol for those things.

The name and logo design process is reciprocal—the brand is designed based on the unique qualities of the organization—and the organization infuses new meaning into the brand over time. That’s why a brand needs to be so communicative. Read on!

Brand Names Should Be:

Short
Memorable
Unique
Timeless
Agile
Universal

Avoid:

Difficult to say
Difficult to spell
Similarity to other brands
Terms that limit growth potential
Accidental similarity to coarse phrases
Ugly or useless as a URL or hyperlink

Trademarks

Colors

Primary Color(s)

Few as possible
Unique within your space
Appeal to your target audience
Agile for use in all mediums (web, social, print, merch, signs)

Secondary Colors

Work well with primary color(s)
Create proper contrast
Useful for highlighting important information or calls to action (CTA)
Robust palette needed for a consistent brand identity across campaigns

Avoid:

Low contrast
Ugly
Overdone

Logo Color Theory

Congratulations! It's a baby brand. Here's how to take care of her…

Do:

Announce the birth
Celebrate this accomplishment
Post about it everywhere
Explain it (make it fun!)
Blast it everywhere (merch, wall colors, social media backgrounds, website)

Don't:

Dilute it with low contrast, similar colors
Revert to using old brand assets
Let non-designers represent it poorly by making their own assets
Forget that a strong, consistent brand is one of your strongest assets as an organization

Register a Trademark for your Name
Register a Trademark for your Logo
Update ALL digital properties (web, social, apps), all business collateral (business cards, forms, brochures), and any other reference to your brand (signs, decals)

Watch for:

Brands infringing on your name, logo, colors
Changes in your market that weaken your brand position
Internal attempts to steer the brand, resulting in brand confusion and dilution
Time to refresh the brand again! Even timeless brands adapt in subtle ways to stay relevant