Written by Lien Design ©2019

As the world of branding evolves, so too does the packaging of the products being sold. Looking ahead, there are many trends that are predicted to dominate when we consider custom design packaging. Read on to find out more about how these trends will shape the future of branding.

Sustainability:

Sustainability has been incorporated into packaging for some time now and this is a trend predicted to continue to grow. Not only is this eco-friendly move favorable with many consumers, but governments are initiating taxation programs that will make non-recyclable products costlier to buy. In response, manufacturers are increasing their efforts to produce recyclable packaging and even taking over the recycling of their packaging. There will also be an increase in more economical and sustainable bulk packaging.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

Every brand should have certain guidelines which set the tone of their image. This will ensure that the brand is always recognizable and appeals to their target audience.

But being too rigid in what you’re looking for can be a turn off to your creative department. And maybe they have a point. After all, if you’re too unyielding, your brand can start to look unoriginal and stale.

So, what’s the best way to bridge the gap? Read on for some great tips on finding that sweet spot between creativity and consistency.

Avoid Getting too Specific:

Brand guidelines should be detailed but they should also leave room to allow designers some freedom. While fonts, colors, photography style and how to use the premium label design should be included, you don’t need to dictate font size, grids and how to use each element.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

If your business is getting ready to move on to the next level, you may be thinking about hiring a brand manager. Your brand manager will be responsible for all communication necessary to maintain the image of your business.

If you are looking to hire a brand manager, it is important that he or she have certain skills necessary to ensure your brand message is strong. Here are some things to look out for.

1: Process Design:

Process design is mainly responsible for maintaining brand consistency. To this end, it will be helpful to develop a brand guide. Your brand guide will let everyone know your logo and label design and what colors, images, etc. they should be using to represent your brand and what formats to use them in.

You should work with your brand manager to create a style guide or make improvements on one that may previously exist. He or she will also be responsible for making sure the style guide is followed so that all marketing materials will be up to company standards.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

If you are an entrepreneur that is working with a graphic designer, it is a good idea to provide them with a design brief. This will help make their job easier and it will leave no stone unturned when considering what they need to provide in their graphic design packages.

If you are working on a design brief, here are some things you will want to include:

Objectives and Goals:

Your graphic designer will want to know whether they will be creating a completely new design or working with one that already exists. They should also be told what you are looking to do with the design, where it will be featured and how it will be used to raise brand awareness.

Budget and Schedule:

This will let your unique graphic designer know how much you are looking to spend on your project and when you are expecting to get the work by.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

In today’s internet focused world, it’s likely that your website will be the first impression a consumer has of your brand. If your website looks unprofessional or is difficult to use or navigate, browsers could easily turn to a competitor never to return.

If you are focusing on creating a custom website design that you want to make as user friendly as possible, here are some great tips.

Focus on Emotions:

A website should be informational, but it should also work to elevate mood and connect with users. Use graphics, layout text and interactive elements that will not only present consumers with information but will enhance the user’s experience.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

When we think of the most popular brands, there is one thing they will all have in common…simplicity. These brands may do several things, but when it comes to the great user experience and how to describe it, you probably only need a couple of words to get the point across. Google helps us find stuff, Amazon is a huge online marketplace and McDonald’s is a fast food restaurant where you can get a burger and fries.

There is a reason why these companies thrive on simplicity. It’s because that’s what the people want. Here is some statistical data to back that up:

·       63% of consumers will pay more for a simpler experience.

·       69% are more likely to refer a brand that offers a simpler experience.

·       Brands that lead in simplicity have been shown to consistently beat the global stock index.

Not every brand is as simple as it seems but marketing it to the public in a way that makes it seem simple is key here. Therefore, you should start your branding process by asking yourself some questions and answering them in as few words as possible. Here are the questions you should be asking:

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

It seems that drones are all the rage these days. Originally relegated to military use, these self fliers are now popping up just about everywhere. New trends in branding are showing them to be an effective marketing tool as well. Here are some ways drones can work to boost your campaign.

Filming:

Need footage for a commercial or video? Drones can do that quickly and efficiently. They can get hard to capture shots saving you money on pricey equipment and hiring crews.

Drones are easy and can even be programmed from some smartphones making spur of the moment advertising a possibility. However, it is a good idea to hire a professional for these types of shoots as they will be able to combine technological knowhow with filming expertise to get the best possible results.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

When you are building a brand, the designs you use play an important role in how your company is perceived by consumers. You want to use colors and images that represent your brand well and will appeal to your target audience.

If you are working on brand design for your company, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1)

Start with Competitor Research:

Your first step in creating a brand design will be to take a look at what your competitors are doing. This will help you get a feel for the industry and to create a design that really stands out.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

A brand manifesto is an important part of how your brand represents itself. It is a simple statement that is meaningful, inspires action and lets people know what you want to accomplish. It serves the purpose of drawing in individuals that are interested in supporting your goals.

Writing a brand manifesto can be tricky. After all, you are trying to express so much in just a few words. With that in mind, here are some tips on how you can create a manifesto that will help make your company’s message apparent to consumers.

Ask Yourself Questions:

When writing a manifesto, there are several questions you should ask yourself about your business. Determine your goals and what gives your brand meaning. It’s a good idea to get a team of your employees together to answer these questions so that you can get to the heart of the matter.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

If you are an entrepreneur, you know how important graphic design is in the business world. In fact, when thinking of branding and graphic design, the two are practically interchangeable. Not sure if that’s the case? Here are some great ways that graphic design can be used in branding.

Visual Identity

Visual identity uses qualities like images, shapes and color to create logo and label design, typographies and color palettes to represent a brand’s personality. These visuals should be kept consistent in future applications to further promote awareness.

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Contrary to what a lot of people think, running a small business isn’t a walk in the park. Today, branding can make or break your company, this is a fact that you can’t ignore. No matter what industry you’re operating in, your business needs to be branded or it won’t survive long enough for you to reap the fruits of your work and investments.

Believe it or not, a solid brand can make the difference between success and failure for a lot of businesses, especially small ones. Quality branding, when done the right way, and developed along with a good marketing strategy, helps not only build a relationship with your audience but also develop customer loyalty.

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For over two decades, we have delivered award-winning products catered to our clients in packaging, branding, and logo design. We firmly believe in delivering quality products that increases the brand value of our clients no matter their budget. Big or small, there is no project that we cannot do and our ability to do so is being noticed by Clutch!

As a B2B ratings and reviews firm based in the heart of Washington DC, Clutch is committed to connecting businesses of all sizes to solutions providers that match their business needs. They rank service providers by using a unique methodology that evaluates a firm’s technical capabilities, market presence, and in-depth client reviews. Due to our ability to deliver quality and strong client feedback, Clutch features us in their list of the top 10 logo designers in San Diego! Take a look at a snapshot of one of our reviews:

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

In today’s world, we are so focused on the internet, it is easy to lose sight of how effective promotional items can be. Shirts, keychains, tote bags, pens and other items can all come in handy in our every day life. When people use them, they are reminded of the brand they are advertising. When other people see the items being used, it helps to spread the word.

If you are thinking of using promotional items to boost your company branding, here are a few things you should keep in mind.

Promotional Items are Great Investments

If your company is on a limited budget, you may not want to invest in promotional items. However, these are great investments that will help your company to grow. It will help build trust and loyalty and lead to customers having a more favorable attitude towards your business.

Also, remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on your promotional items. While t-shirts and hats featuring your logo and branding can be nice, things like pens, magnets and tote bags will have a similar effect.

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If you are an entrepreneur, you probably have heard a lot about branding…how to build a brand identity, how to market your brand, how to sell your brand…and the list goes on. But it is important not to overlook a very important part of branding, coming up with a name.

Your brand name will be your first identifying factor and it will set the scene for everything your company does and how it is perceived. Also, once you come up with a brand name, it will be very hard to change it if you’re not happy with it down the road, so it better be a good one!

But how does one come up with a great brand name? Well, here are a few suggestions.

Descriptive Names

These are effective because they describe the company’s product or service. Some examples of these are Shredded Wheat or Whole Foods. There is no ambiguity as to what the brand offers. If you can add a bit of personality to a descriptive name, it’s even better. Toys R’ Us is a good example of a descriptive name that adds some personality.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

Every great company needs a powerful tagline. When you think of Disneyland, the slogan ‘happiest place on earth’ comes to mind and M&M’s is nearly synonymous with ‘melts in your mouth, not in your hands’.

A tagline means so much for your company. It will help identify you as you continue to grow. That’s why it’s important to come up with a tagline you are happy with from the very beginning.

Some companies might have in-house marketing teams that can help them come up with a catchy tagline. If you are just starting out and have a smaller business, you may want to see if you can brainstorm to come up with a tagline for yourself. If you choose this route, here are some pointers that can help you succeed.

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Branding design plays an important role in everything you do to represent your company. If you are looking forward to participating in a live event this year, you want to make sure your brand is well represented and looks as up to date as possible. With that in mind, here are some great event branding tips for the new year.

Authenticity: Authenticity may not seem so much like a trend but more like something that goes without saying. However, there seems to be a change in morale that increases a demand for authenticity as time goes on. Therefore, any speakers you have at your event should have an innate sense of what your brand is, be well educated on any topics they might be asked and represent what your company is all about.

Setting the Stage:

If your event includes public speaking, the stage will be the center of attention. Therefore, you want to make your visuals as exciting as possible. Lettering and backdrop should include your logo brand design in your setting. You can also use dramatic lighting and modular stages to make the stage even more eye catching.

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If you are in the performing arts industry, you may not think of yourself as a brand. However, just like any other industry, it is important to sell yourself, and branding is a big part of this. Therefore, in order to be a successful artist, it is imperative to be familiar with branding basics that will help you to stand out. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips for branding yourself as an artist.

Make Sure Your Brand Image Portrays Your Image and Personality:

Every artist has an image. Maybe it’s soft and flowery or maybe its tough and edgy. Whatever your image may be, make sure it comes through in everything that represents you including your logo and website design package, merchandise and more.

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If you are launching a marketing and branding campaign for your company, it is important to pay attention to small details. These can easily be overlooked when you are focusing more on the big picture, but you would be surprised how important smaller pieces of the whole work to get the message of your project across.

When thinking of these smaller details, typography is very important. The font you use should work well with your company identity while appealing to your customers. Keeping that in mind, here are some trends in graphic design typography you can expect to see in the coming year.

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Written by Lien Design ©2019

Although there are some general rules every company should remember when branding their products and services, these may change a bit depending on the type of business you are in. In this article, we will take a look at the business of consulting and what unique challenges are faced when building a branding campaign in this industry.

1) Selling the Business:

When you think of most businesses, their specialty is pretty clear as soon as you mention them. For instance, if we talk about clothing retailers or equipment manufacturers, we instantly have a good idea of exactly what it is those companies do.

Consulting, however, is much more vague. Therefore, when you brand, it is important to educate your audience on exactly what it is you do. Let potential customers know that you give advice and the type of advice you give.

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