5 Tips On Brand Identity with Jody Johnson of J2 Graphic Designs
Jody Johnson
As a child, my parents were always supportive of me when I wanted to “do my own thing,” which I think was imprinted early on. I was raised by the best parents—including my father, a successful entrepreneur. I graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism with an area of emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations. During my time at TCU, I was immediately drawn in by the few graphic design courses required and knew this was going to be my career goal. Though I didn’t jump straight into the world of graphic design upon graduation, I did get my foot in the door with my first job as an advertising copywriter with Dillard’s in Fort Worth, Texas.
Keeping an eye on my goal I worked my way into a graphic design role designing ads and other marketing collateral for Dillard’s nationwide. I LOVED IT! I was finally doing what I enjoyed. But whomp whomp …. eventually my job was moved to Arkansas! With my roots in Fort Worth, I stayed back and roped in a position at the American Paint Horse Association as an Art Director/Graphic Designer. It was new to me; it was different. It was interesting! I was coming from the retail fashion industry and jumping into the equine community. I was so excited and could not wait to learn more! And, I have done just that.
Now I serve APHA as their Senior Creative Director. I love and enjoy my graphic design and other managerial roles and experiences, but the entrepreneur in me wanted more. Through the years I dabbled here and there working on small freelance projects. The small projects and my connections grew, and I finally made it official by starting J2 Graphic Designs LLC in early 2021. Through my business I am get to keep things fun and interesting by being able to provide services so many industries including equine, Western fashion & tack, home improvement, real estate, health & beauty, medical, fitness, religious, educational, nutritional CBD, distilleries, and even waste management to name a few. Working with APHA has even helped me develop my own brand while working on the association’s overall look.
Here are five tips to find and develop your own brand identity.
1. Understand your “brand” and “logo” are different.
Sometimes unknowingly used interchangeably, logos and brands are not the same. Your brand is your company’s center. It is its foundation. It may be made up of your logo, tagline, design schemes like specific color palettes and font usages. But it’s who you are and how you’re perceived.
2. Know who you are. If you don’t know your company inside-out, you cannot expect others to know or understand you.
Have a solid mission. When you develop your mission statement, this is your “why!”
Know your company’s core values and/or beliefs.
Have a plan to stand apart from the rest.
Your company should have a personality and voice. The personality could be anything from fun and energetic to serious and thought-provoking. Your voice is your way of communication.
3. Understand your company’s design. It’s an important bedrock. It should include the tangibles which can include your company logo, other identifying graphics (like social media icons), your business stationary (letterheads, envelopes, business cards), and even uniforms (depending on your company’s needs or requirements) Within these elements are many other key factors to understand:
Logo design: It needs to communicate who you are. Most often a simple, clean and clutter-free design will be most effective and better able to stand the test of time. If you try to get too cute or elaborate, you may run the risk of “dating” your logo and minimizing how it can be used.
Develop and choose your typography and color usage: A professional designer can help lead you in the right direction. But these element are important to use consistently throughout all your medias. (logo, icons, stationary, website, email, etc)
4. Build a “Brand Style Guide.” This guide will have all the above assets and elements contained within it and explain how and sometimes when and where to use them. It may include explicit do’s and don’ts. This guide is key to keeping your brand “on brand” over time. It ensures other design work you have done in the future is in line with your brand identity. It helps to keep your look and feel (your identity) consistent across all the board … you want consistency in all media areas … logo, email, websites, social media, etc.
5. Hire a professional. When you’re ready to get the ball rolling there are plenty of professionals who can help you along the way. You may want to hire a brand consultant to help you really develop your brand identity. Or a professional graphic designer to create your logo and other image assets. And there are lots of website and social media designers who can help carry your brand identity to the next level in the digital world. Remember, you probably wouldn’t hire a graphic designer to act as your CFO. So, get the help from the right pros. It’ll take much of the guesswork of your plate and free you up to focus on whatever goods or services your business provides.