Brand Identity
Strategy + symbol
Design Disciplines · EXPLORE
Brand identity design gives an organization a recognizable face: a logo, a color palette, a typographic voice, and the rules for using them. Designers like Paul Rand and Saul Bass proved a single mark could carry the weight of an entire company.
The discipline is equal parts strategy and craft. A good identity is simple enough to survive a fax machine and flexible enough to fill a stadium — and it only works when applied consistently everywhere.
What gets designed
- Logos and wordmarks
- Color palettes and type systems
- Brand guidelines
- Stationery, signage, and merchandise
- Tone of voice and imagery rules
Principles
- Simplicity survives every size
- Consistency builds recognition
- Strategy comes before style
- Flexible systems beat rigid rules
Examples
- Paul Rand's IBM logo
- Otl Aicher's Munich 1972 Olympics
- The London Underground roundel
- Pentagram's identity for MIT Media Lab