Remember the first Bourne Identity film? The unsuspecting Marie gives fugitive Jason Bourne a ride in her vintage Mini, and they spend the rest of the movie on the run. One of the first things they do is change Marie’s appearance—she goes from redhead to brunette and chops off her locks to evade the spooks that are after Jason. She’s always still Marie, but her changing looks make it difficult to ID her.
As for Jason, he’s got a half-dozen passports, all with different identities. The picture remains the same, but the name and country of origin are all different. His identity’s all over the place, and he spends the movie discovering who he really is.
Your Brand Identity Kit Helps You Prove You’re You
Your business’s brand identity kit is like your passport, Social Security number, and driver’s license all rolled into one. Within it are all the details that make your business your business.
Without it, you’re Jason Bourne before he’s got his . . . kit together. It’s tough to prove to customers and prospects that you are who you say you are and that you’re a bona fide business. But with a brand identity kit, it’s easy to identify your business, whether you encounter it online, in print, or even on the road. And whether you handle your marketing yourself, have a staff member or team who manage your marketing, or if you outsource it to a marketing partner, a brand identity kit keeps everyone on the same page.
What Goes into a Brand Identity Kit?
Your brand identity kit should include everything that makes your business your business. Here’s a list of things the Solutionistas include in the kits we develop for our clients.
Logo Design Files & Guidelines
Once we’ve settled on a logo design, Angela, our design Solutionista, puts together about a dozen files. Brand kits include logos in full color, greyscale, black, and white and in a variety of image sizes and file types. This makes sure your logo color stays consistent, crisp, and clear across web and print applications. We even give you guidelines on how to use your logo without decreasing its impact on your customers.
Color Codes
We’ve covered the different types of color codes extensively on our blog. Your brand identity kit will include all of your brand’s primary and secondary colors and codes for use in print and online. This makes it easy for you to share the right codes with your printer and web designer so your brand colors stay consistent (noticed we’ve been talking about consistency a lot? It’s a big deal in developing a strong brand!).
Font Styles, Sizes & Guidelines
Font styles are an important design element in your brand. We often include two or three font styles within a brand kit. One is for headlines only—the prime real estate on your website or brochure. The other one or two are for subheaders or main text.
Tone & Voice Guidelines
Did you know your business has a voice? It’s true, and often, we include it in your brand kit. The voice of your brand can be formal or informal, stilted or conversational, serious or quirky. Your brand’s voice should reflect your industry and how you conduct business. If you’re an attorney who works with high-profile clients, your brand voice might stay consistently formal and serious. If you run a daycare, it may be warm and conversational. However you talk about your business, a description of the tone and voice of your brand is an important part of your brand identity kit.
Ready to get your kit together? Contact the Origin Smart Marketing Solutionistas today to put your brand identity kit together.
