It’s really hard to arrive at a great visual identity. If you do it right, a lot goes into the invisible part of brand building that sits below the surface: the brand positioning, concept, personality, so on and so forth. In fact, we like to say that without the underwater foundation of the iceberg, you’re likely to tip faster than the Titanic (mixed metaphor, but you get the point).
And, if you have the right creative talent — which we do — you’re left with a series of well executed and compelling options. So by the time you get to a short list of identities, it becomes difficult to choose the winner – you’ve done a lot of hard work, so they all should resemble the way forward.
Sometimes, the easiest way to pick an identity is to rank based on which ones your customers are most likely to wear as a badge of honor (again, your customers, not you…assuming you aren't the primary target audience for your brand):
Would they carry your brand on their canvas tote bag to the farmers market?
Would your crewneck sweatshirt rise above the trendy vintage thrift?
Would your water bottle see the light of day in the sexy darkness of an Equinox Pilates class?
Would your welcome card evolve into a display piece on the coffee table?
One of the biggest testaments to the success of a lifestyle brand is your customers’ willingness to draw a deep association with their personal brand identities and your brand–especially within the context of fashion.
Try it out, ask the question “would they wear it?” and thank us later.
🚨 WHO IS NO WALLS STUDIO (AND WHAT DO WE DO)?
No Walls Studio is a design and brand consultancy that helps placemakers create spaces that people love.
Our mission is to make sameness extinct in real estate, which means that everything we do comes with new ideas and unique angles — all, grounded in a deep understanding of culture and consumers.
We do three things for our clients (often, all in the same project):
Research
Brand Development
Spatial Experience Design
Want to work with us or learn more?