I’ve had the luxury and punishment of working on a few major rebranding projects throughout my career. My most recent project with a massive international industry association brand has gone over very well and previous to that, rebranding a globally recognized Art & Design university went equally as well. With all that said, there is a lot of effort that designers put into developing a brand and visual identity that is often subtle and hidden from the consumer. I found this video which I believe provides a very interesting insight into the development of brands/workmarks and identities.
What I have come to appreciate is that there are a lot of people with a lot of time on their hands. Search through YouTube and you’ll undoubtedly find conspiracy theorists and a volume of random design critics who like to pollute the ‘sphere with their musings. What this tends to teach me about design and branding is this – keep it simple. Don’t get too cute, and above all, understand who your audience is and what/how you want to communicate. Be yourself, but be bold. Present yourself as best you can and make sure its something you can be proud of in 5-10 years.
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