In my last post on Branding, I mentioned that a “great logo must encapsulate the very essence of a company.” Exploring more on this topic I’d like to take a look at how a branding campaign is effected not only by the essence of the company, but by the visual standards for the industry as well. Visual identification clues the viewer into not only the ethos of the business that it is representing, but also the framework of the industry it is a part of. For example, a children’s clothing store will choose to use playful fonts, with primary color schemes. They do this to represent their industry and their product. It would be completely inappropriate and unhelpful for a children’s clothing store to choose a visual identity reminescent of athletic apparel, or even some industry outside of textiles, like banking, or insurance sales.

The question then must be evaluated as to why industries have developed distinct visual identities. Oftentimes this is because an industry leading or industry innovating company has set the marker for the industry identity. This is the case, in part, with companies like Nike and Apple Computers. Another reason industries begin to develop visual identities of their own is because of the demographic of their end user. In the Children’s clothing store example, their end user (parents/children) are perceptually drawn to primary color palettes and soft/rounded edges because of their environment, age, and developmental stage. This is vitally different from a sports apparel company whose end user is inevitably attracted to a dynamic, energetic, young and vibrant visual identity because it encapsulates their motivation for purchasing such apparel.

All in all, branding must take into account not only company ethos and product dynamism, but it must also be reminescent of industry visual standards and reflect the target audience’s use of product and lifestyle (or intended lifestyle). Once these issues have been addressed, the designer is ready to begin designing.