You're unique, so your brand should be, too.

1. Keywords & Statements

To begin, we work with our copywriter to formulate the most effective keywords and statements that will position us to build your brand identity from the ground up. Doing this first allows us to create a foundation to build the visual elements upon. It is important to realize that branding is much more than a name and a logo. The keywords and statements that we formulate with the copywriter are vital to every element of your brand, from the way you communicate to the way you are positioned in the market. Formulating keywords and statements allows us to build a thorough identity that meets the needs of your brand.

2. Inspiration

Inspiration can come from anywhere. At HIP, we take this to heart and leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding inspiration in our branding process. We dig into similar and competing brands to find out what works, and then we do it better. Our designers sift through every available avenue of inspiration, discovering experiences, engagement, attitudes and purpose. We compile all of this inspiration on what we call “mood boards.” These mood boards grow throughout the branding process as we develop and flesh out the identity. All of the discovery, both visual and emotional, is what inspires us to create a brand identity that best speaks to who you are.

3. Sketch Concepts

At this stage, we begin to visualize concepts that represent a combination of both the name of the brand and the keywords that were formulated in the first phase. When sketching out concepts, we draw from the inspiration we gathered and discovered in the second phase. This, along with past experience in branding and a knowledge of what works, helps us to create visuals that are not only attractive, but also useful and innovative. Here, we also begin to think about how the logo design can be used on different platforms and different types of media. We also consider all the elements of the logo design and how they could be used as design elements throughout all of the branding. We strive to be thorough in our sketching stage, as it usually leads to many visual opportunities through the whole branding process.

4. Rendered Proofs

We have sketched our hearts out! We then chose which direction to pursue – then refine, refine, refine. We then take our refined sketches and render them into proofs that can be mocked up and visualized across all of the platforms that the brand might require. The ideas, emotions and inspiration that we gathered all come together to form a visual identity that is unique to your brand. This stage is always exciting, as the brand identity really begins to take shape visually.

5. Final Design

After the proofs have been pitched, we then do more refining until we have achieved a brand identity that is attractive, meaningful and useful. The final design is a complete brand identity that is unique to you. It fits you like a glove. It is the perfect definition of who you are and what you offer. If we helped make that happen, then we’ve successfully done our job.