Why a Visual Identity is the Best Anger Management

 “Make it more fun!” “It just feels like something’s missing.” “My daughter’s best friend’s sister doesn’t like that shade of blue.” Are you currently experiencing a slight twitch in your left eye?


Most creatives encounter (and dread) this type of feedback during their careers. It’s vague, it’s distracting, and it’s not constructive. No matter how many of these articles you read, there will always be that one person in your office who’s full of this kind of advice. In this article, we’ll call him Chad from sales. Chad has a “passion” for design. And Chad will always be happy to share his feelings about the margins in your latest email campaign.


Unfortunately, I can’t tell you to un-invite Chad from all future meetings. I can tell you that a strong Visual Identity will help Chad frame up more constructive feedback. A Visual ID will also lead to better communication between you and Chad. And it will provide you with the guidelines you need to create stronger work.


The results are calmer creatives (which everyone benefits from) and a firm foundation for your brand’s visual future. Below, you’ll find the top three reasons why a Visual Identity is the best form of anger management. But first, let’s define what exactly a Visual ID should do.


What is a Visual Identity?

Great question! Broadly, a Visual ID is made up of the logos, slogans, fonts, and color palettes employed to bring a brand to life. But it should be and do so much more. A great Visual ID will break down how and where each of your assets should and should not be used.


Your brand’s visual identity should also serve as a style and voice guide. This will take it beyond asset implementation. Make sure your Visual ID breaks down your brand’s tone-of-voice, so that marketing copy aligns with design. And always include guidelines for photography lighting, styling, and composition.


Do you rely on user-generated images for some of your content? If so, it’s also a good idea to nail down what kind of images you will and will not accept from your audience. And make sure to define how all these guidelines differ for video creation.


Finally, outline the use guidelines for graphics. Share your texture and linework libraries, and include examples of how each should be used (i.e., don’t set silhouetted images on our wood texture).


Once you’ve defined these guidelines for your brand, it’s time to document and share. Digital Asset Management (DAM) is an easy way to share your Visual Identity and creative assets. DAMs also make it simple to share assets with external partners. The best part? You’ll always be confident that you’re providing them with the most up-to-date assets.


So, once you’ve created a Visual ID, how will it curb those creative review rage blackouts? From one creative to another, allow me to explain.


Why a Visual Identity is the best form of Anger Management

They make it easy to scale


Yep, it might seem like a lot of work up front, but having a Visual ID saves you valuable time down the line and makes it easier to scale creative operations. For starters, your Visual Identity makes onboarding new creatives a lot easier. It serves as a guide for new hires to revert to often during their first few weeks, instilling with your brand values and standards.


Do you work with a lot of freelance designers or guest contributors? Having a Visual ID also allows you to quickly share design standards with freelancers who may never even visit your office. This allows you to scale your army of freelancers or marketing team at a pace that’s on par with an ambitious growth strategy — all while maintaining the integrity of your brand.


During Uber’s recent rebrand, a primary goal was to create a Visual ID that would help them scale at a fast pace. Uber began six years ago as a way for 100 friends to grab luxury rides around San Francisco.


Today, they provide transportation in 450 cities, 72 countries, and counting. To reflect their evolving brand, Uber released a refreshed visual identity in 2016. In it, they say “At the pace Uber grows, scalability is a key success factor when making design decisions. We needed a system that could grow at the pace we do.”


Uber’s redesign yielded 65 country-specific color- and pattern-palettes, as well as five global palettes. These assets help regional employees create marketing materials for local programs, including Columbia’s Uber Angel. But it also allows them to remain true to country and global themes.

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