We recently talked about what brand identity means. Many times though, people confuse brand identity and logo design and think that they are the same thing.

A logo is a very simplified visual element that identifies the business. A designer creates a logo, which then identifies the business or product to consumers. Some of the most iconic images for companies have been simplified to a basic icon.

That logo is then used to form the brand’s identity, which includes items such as business cards, letterhead, marketing collateral, packaging, apparel, signage, etc.  All of these items make up the company’s identity and help support the brand as a whole.

As we mentioned in our last post about brand identity, your company’s brand is the way the public perceives your company. A designer creates the foundation of the brand­– the logo­– and then it is up to the company as a whole to create a good image and brand identity for itself through its actions and involvement.

We have been talking a lot recently about branding and the trend of brand minimalism. Branding is so important for your business because it quickly expresses to your customers what your company is all about. We have been hard at work lately and I wanted to show you some of the branding elements that we have been working on. You can also find more branding work that we have done here.

A recent trend in branding has brands leaning more to minimalism. This means they are focusing on the basics of their design like balance, negative space, typography and color. We have all heard the saying that “Less is More” which seems to be holding true for brands. Once brands reduce the clutter of their branding, it increases their impact and helps them stand out more from a world of crowded designs.

Another key perk of brand minimalism is that it helps all your branding remain more consistent. Remaining consistent makes brands extremely effective because it increases their brand recognition amongst consumers.

There are many great examples of brand minimalism including Nike, KFC and Starbucks. Starbucks is probably one of my favorites, though, because their change to a more minimalist design helped ease the brand’s expansion. Their latest branding doesn’t have the word “Coffee” in it at all, which allows them to introduce their new products that include tea and ice cream.

Minimalism makes sense for a lot of brands, and if done strategically, it can make the brand more memorable and consistent.

We're thrilled to have been a part of the formation of Red Chair Architects, based in Knoxville and announced yesterday. Here's what the Knoxville News Sentinel had to say about the merger:

And what about that unorthodox name? Cockrill said the team worked with a Nashville marketing firm called Locomotion Creative.

"I charged them when we first got started 'I'm going to set a goal that you cannot meet, but I want to achieve an iconic name of the firm that begins to rival the Nike swoosh or the McDonald's arches,'" he said.

They've got plenty of work to do before reaching that level of brand awareness, but Cockrill said red is a color that demands focus, while a chair is a component of architecture with a human scale to it.

Cockrill added that in conversations with employees about the name, he told them "if you like it or don't like it you're going to ask about it because it's so different. And they agreed."

Read the full post here: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jan/04/community-tectonics-cockrill-design-planning

While we’re loco about marketing, we’re even more loco about marketing programs that help people improve their communities. We’re working with the Nashville Metro Public Health Department on a new project called NashVitality, which shares ways to make positive, healthy changes where people live, work, play and worship — like adding more walking trails, bringing healthy food options to schools or growing community gardens.

The program was recently featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal: What's Playing in Nashville? It's Got a New, Healthier Beat.

We collaborated with the health department and the mayor’s office to develop the brand for the program, including the name, logo and advertising.