Your freakin’ logo is probably the most visible and recognizable symbol of your brand, so we spent some serious time dreaming up the design for ours. Whether you are thinking about a DIY logo or you plan to direct a professional to design one with you (or for you), this episode offers things to consider as you embark on this important project.
#13 - Style Guide
Brand Badasses
This is not just to ensure white space all the way around your logo! It is to ensure your brand is consistent through every communication. It's a litmus test of sorts…It's something you can have at your back as reference as you build materials to promote your business—from email or letter to your google my business page. This is especially important if you have team members all sending out information on your business's behalf.
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#12 – Our First Brand Badass
Brand Badasses
Ryan is a Business Solutions Manager and Team Lead for Ledgent Technology. He provides support to local Phoenix businesses and jobseekers, working to fulfill their employment needs and connect them with the best talent available. Half business support and half recruiter, he is constantly on the lookout for candidates that are both skilled and a cultural fit, empowering them to reach the next step in their career.
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#11 – Imagery & Photography
Brand Badasses
Your image depends on cohesion…not only in your messaging but also in the way your brand is depicted in all of your communications and promotions. From Instagram to In-Person Appearances, your imagery says a lot about the work you do and who you do it for. It positions you, so it is important!
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#10 – 360º Brand Engagement
Brand Badasses
360º brand goes beyond your external image and reputation. It looks at the internal impact of the brand, too. From greeting to goodbye, your customer's journey is determined by infusion of your brand throughout every interaction.
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#9 – Design Identity: Choices: Colors & Fonts
Brand Badasses
Usage of color and fonts can communicate your brand without words. Be thoughtful and intentional with their use rather than just "picking your favorites."
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#8 – Logo Logic
Brand Badasses
Your freakin' logo is probably the most visible and recognizable symbol of your brand, so we spent some serious time dreaming up the design for ours. Whether you are thinking about a DIY logo or you plan to direct a professional to design one with you (or for you), this episode offers things to consider as you embark on this important project.
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#7 – Paint the Picture. Then Tell the Story.
Brand Badasses
Even your words should paint a picture in your dream customer's mind's eye.
#6 – When is it Time for a Brand Refresh?
Brand Badasses
Brand can be like last year's outfit. Try it on and see if it fits. Some styles are timeless while others are trendy. When looking at your brand inside and out—from its design identity to its message—has it evolved with you? Here's a look at the elements and how they may stand the test of time to sustain your brand and business over the long-term.
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#5 – Are You a Machine?
Brand Badasses
When you first embark on building your business, you don't stop until you drop. Driven by passion, you resemble the energizer bunny…going and going and going. Is burnout knocking on your door? Do you know when to say when? How can you recharge and rediscover that spark to keep the fire burning?
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#4 – Small Business Brand Success
Brand Badasses
"If your internal treatment of your ideal customer…is just as consistent and strong as the brand you developed in the beginning…and your heart and your head are still in it, creating the habits to carry that through, those are the businesses that succeed."
"Your brand is your most valuable asset…and your logo is the most visible and recognized symbol of your brand."
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
DESIGN Identity: We’re talking logos
There are 4 Types of Logos
- BrandMark – An emblem, Iconography
- WordMark – Make it unique
- LetterMark – Acronyms and abbreviations
- ComboMark – Usually a wordmark with something else
Logo Usage, Trends, and Evolution
- FedEx evolved from Federal Express
- Apple evolved from Apple Computers
Considerations in Logo Design
- Meaning
- Positioning
- Ease of understanding what the business is or does
- Uniqueness
- Can it be trademarked?
Trademark Checklist
Four Categories:
- Fanciful or Arbitrary: The most distinctive, creative and unusual, these are strong and easily protected. Fanciful marks are “made up.” They are words with no other known meaning. Arbitrary marks are actual words with a known meaning that have no association or relationship with the brand they protect. Fanciful and arbitrary marks are registrable and, indeed, are more likely to get registered than are descriptive marks. Online Shopping Examples:
- Fanciful: Zappos
- Arbitrary: Amazon
- Suggestive Marks. Suggestive marks suggest a quality or a connection to the goods or services. Example:
- Glance-A-Day for a calendar
- Descriptive: Descriptive marks are words or designs that describe the brand. Weaker than the other two, they are more difficult to protect. Examples of descriptive marks:
- New York Bagels
- Buttery Spread
- Generic words don’t qualify as legal marks. Common, everyday names are extremely difficult to protect. Examples of marks that became generic due to widespread, non-trademark use are:
- Escalator
- Aspirin
Resources Discussed in this Episode:
- Intellectual Property Brand Protection Toolkit
- Trademark Checklist
- US Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Basics
Also Discussed in this Episode:
