One thing that seems to be important when it comes to branding, is consistency that stands out. The easiest way to maintain this is through strong colour. This post will demonstrate examples of Branding where colour is a huge factor in the overall aesthetic.
1. 'Thalamus Lab' - Marta Caro - Spain
"Thalamus Lab is a co-creation laboratiry in search of new cultural blends and evolutionary methods, with a global view of music. Innovation is important both in the final result and in the process of creation. The creation process is and has always been collective. It offers a free exchange of ideas under Creative Commons licenses, and works around electronic music, without leaving any musical style, with a special interest in new technologies and new media."
The colour used is definitely what brings this project together. The use of a royal (almost neon) blue helps the brand stand out against it's competitors. In fact, I have never seen any branding similar to the colour used here.
Contacting an appropriate printer must have been important with this project. The colours can easily stand out in RGB, but I wonder how sucessful they were when CMYK is used. The easiest method of print would have been to screen print, but this also limits mass production.
2. Belle Ninon - Chateaux Batard - France
'Full identity system about the fashion brand Belle Ninon in a poetic universe retro while combining a modern twist. By creating graphic elements, our concept was to focus on serif logo and a color range that is both lightweight and sharp supported by a dynamic pattern to create their own way of life.'
Although not as vivid as the previous example, colour is still a huge factor in the identity of this fashion brand. The use of a bold blue with an off white stock gives a classic aesthetic, and also a typically high - end French appearance.
'Sushi, Wok & Pizza'
The use of four different colours here creates a strong and sharp brand identity. They also give the brand quite a playful feel, which reflects the restaurant itself. The colours all hold a similar tone, meaning there is scope for more colours to be added or modified. I think it would be really interesting to see the interior of the restaurant, and see if it fits the brand.
4. 'Venere' - Darkoo - Hungary
Similarly to the previous identity, a palette of multiple colours has been used. However this time, a gradient is used to merge the colours, with business cards that also separate them. There is also the use of different opacities of colour. The combination of such a vibrant colour and classic Renaissance art creates a unique identity.
5. 'Malú Alvarez' - Javas Lehn Studio - New York, USA
'Malú Alvarez is a New York-based photographer whose work draws upon her upbringing and colorful world travels. To create a distinct look and feel, we decided to truncate her name to a punchy two syllables; to achieve a unique visual system, we extracted a deep blue from a favorite image and crafted a bespoke font — Azul Slab. We extended this type system across a variety of mediums including a stationery system, website and blog.'
Here the designer has taken a very minimal approach to promoting the photographer. A rich blue has been used sparingly on the edges of the business cards and on the type on the front to add subtle sophistication. The result is a brand that gives of a high end image.
Conclusion on Colour & Branding
It seems colour is a huge influence on how a brand is viewed. Colours can have connotations depending on different cultures, society and context. The examples I have shown above all seem to give off a high end look (in a Western Culture), and each give you a perception instantly.
Belle Ninon (Number 2), when I first saw it, I instantly thought of France, and something very high end. My intuition was correct, as Belle Ninon is a high end Fashion brand, from France.
It's human nature to judge things instantly, and the easiest way to do that with a brand is through colour. Colour isn't just used to make something look unique or pretty, but should be used and experimented with startegically to set the basis for a brand identity.
