Brand boards are great! Not only for Designers but also for brand ambassadors and Founders too.  In case you don't know what a brand board is, it is a mini style guide.  A simple overview of your brand element all on one quick reference document.  It usually contains your primary logo, any logo variations, a submark, patterns fonts and colours.

Like I said they are pretty simple, but can be soooo handy!

Today I want to go a little deeper into creating a brand board - how to do it and why you should.

As a designer a brand board helps me keep consistency when creating assets for a client - whether that be social media graphics, collateral, a website design, or anything else. All the visual elements of a brand can be seen in one document.  They represent the values set before the brand assets were even created.

As a business owner and founder, a brand board helps you make sure you are using the correct colours the most suitable logo - whether that is the primary or a variation of the primary logo.  It also helps you stay in-line with the style that has been set.  

So you can see, no matter what side you sit on, a brand board is very helpful.

What do I include in a brand board?

For every brand board I create I always include the following as a bare minimum:

1 | Main logo / Primary logo

The main logo or primary logo is is used on the website, collateral, opt-ins, etc.

2 | Colour palette 

A colour palette is always included.  It is a set of 6 colours that have been derived to compliment the brand based on the key terms used to describe the brand.  I tend to include a name for each colour as well as a hex value as well. 

3 | Logo variation x 2

A logo variation is another version of your main logo.  It could be that your primary logo is vertical, and the variation is square - so more suitable for social media profile pictures.

4 | Submark

A submark is essential a graphic or an element which is taken from or associated with your logo and brand.  It can be used as the favicon, or as a watermark.

5 | Graphic elements / Supporting patterns

A pattern isn't always included on a brand board, but I find it adds an extra element to a brand!  It nice to be able to use this subtly on print designs, like opt-ins or even as part of your website.

6 | Brand style

It's always nice to remind people what kind of style you want your brand to represent.  So including a small snapshot on your brand board can definitely help keep things in line.  

7 | Fonts 

Fonts are really important.  Including the main font and a supporting paired font is always best.   I often find that choosing the right fonts can take time and pairing them to make sure they "fit" is really critical.  Its best to include the name of the chosen fonts so that it is easy to identify when looking for it.

These seven elements are what make a visual brand identity.  That's not to say you can't add more, but these are the key ones that I always include.  Are you after a brand board to help you visualise your brand identity? Why not check this page out to see how I can help!

Do you create brand boards? What do you include?