You want to build a strong connection with your customers through telling them your brand story and you need to communicate clearly, confidently and positively. It is absolutely vital that your logo represents your core values. 
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Here’s my design principles and some of my logo designs.

Unique 
Your logo must have the ability to stand out against the crowd and it should be easily recalled after just a glance. Keep it simple for easy recognition. Less is more.

Memorable  
A few seconds is all it takes to make a first impression, but you need to make sure your logo makes a lasting impression as well.

Appropriate  
Your logo must represent you. It must be relevant, tailored to your audience and easily identified with your industry. However, it must not become a “me too” version of any other similar business to yours.

Versatile 
Your logo will be used in a number of ways and in multiple contexts and it has to be effective at any size.

Timeless   
Focus on your brand rather than what the latest trends are. You want your logo to be able to stand the test of time. I designed the logo for Berg Hansen (1) in 1996. Twenty years later this re-design (2) still has links to the original logo.

Talk with one voice. Show one face.

Just do it. Think different. My goodness, my... 

Do you know the brands these taglines represent? If so, it proves my point that great taglines can work on its own, without a mention of the brand name. 

While logos are visual representations of a brand, taglines are audible representations of a brand. If your business name is not already descriptive of what you do, well then your tagline should be.

This blog will list a few tips on how to go about writing a great tagline for your business. However, before beginning, let’s agree on what a tagline is supposed to do. 

It starts with the values and truths that make your business what it is. What do you do? How do you do it? Why do you do it?

Descriptive, inspirational or humorous, the best taglines are both a mission and an outcome. It should stand for something. A great tagline makes your business’ benefits clear to the target audience. 

Start by doing your research. 

What do people say about your business, product or service? List everything, being it positive or negative.

In one session, do the following:
1. List all your business features and describe every single benefit in great detail. 
2. Write down any random words that comes to mind, including the negative ones. Let Thesaurus help you if you get a bit stuck. The more words, the better, even if they don’t sound right at all. 

The next step is to create short phrases from all these random words. Try not to be too clever. The best taglines use very simple words combined in a way that makes you remember them. A great example is Ronseal’s tagline: Does exactly what it says on the tin. 
Think clear communication and remember to be truthful.

Here’s a selection of memorable taglines, to inspire you.
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The National Lottery: It could be you.
Volkswagen: Think small.
L’Oréal: “Because you’re worth it” 
Tesco: “Every little helps” 
Nokia: Connecting people.
De Beers: “A diamond is forever”
KFC: Finger lickin’ good.
Mastercard: There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s Mastercard. Kit Kat: Have a break. Have a Kit Kat.
Airbnb: Belong anywhere.
Orange: The future’s bright. The future’s Orange.
​Wonderbra: Hello boys. 
Pringles: Once you pop, you can’t stop.
Carlsberg: Probably the best lager in the world.
Esso: Put a tiger in your tank.
Interflora : Say it with flowers.
Gillette (razors): The best a man can get.
Audi: “Vorsprung durch technik” (“Advancement Through Technology”)
Avis: We try harder.
Ebay: Buy it. Sell it. Love it.

Now, which brands are these?
Just do it. 
Think different. 
My goodness, my... 

Colours have the power to convey and communicate meanings and messages without words. It is the most important component of a logo design and by far what people remember the most, much more so than the shape or word of the logo itself. 

In branding and design the use of colour is hugely important as they are signifiers for emotions which we are often unaware of. In fact, most of us, weather we are conscious of it or not, would make a snap judgment about a product, based on its colour alone.
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Choosing the colour (or colours) that best represents your brand is no easy task as different colours can provoke very different reactions in people. However, there’s a few things I think we can all agree on. Warm colours are associated with energy and cold colours bring calmness. Black is total absorption in complete contrast to white, which is total reflection. 

Red is a passionate colour as it stimulates us and raises the pulse rate. Green is the colour of balance. Blue is the colour of the mind and is essentially soothing. But then there’s light blue and dark blue and..... Not to mention the use of more than just one colour.
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In this blog I have created an infographic which illustrates 12 different colours and my (researched) definition of what these colours communicate.

So what colour suits your business the best? 

Here's a very simple exercise that might help you find an answer to this.

Write down the words that best represent your brand’s personality. What colours represent those words?
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My infographic is very simplistic and chances are you didn’t find a colour match for your words. If this is the case there’s plenty of knowledge to be found online that goes more in depth. You could also check your competitors to see what colours they use... Or you could contact me. I love the psychology of colours and I would be more than happy to help you.

Every brand, from the smallest startup to a corporate giant, need a set of branding guidelines to maintain their identity. 
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A brand style guide is a rulebook containing specifications on everything that plays a role in the look and feel of your brand. Everything from the design of a logo and how it can be used, to what typefaces, colours and type of images to use. It lets everyone know exactly how to present your brand to the world. 

A great brand style guide will also include the brand story; the vision and the mission of the brand, the core value, the target audience and the tone of voice of the brand.

There are some brand style guides that are over 100 pages, and some that are as short as one single sheet.

Here’s a list of what I believe is essential information for a brand style guide.

A simplified brand story 
Mission and vision
Write a mission statement about why your company exists and a vision statement about where you want your brand to go. 

Brand personality/tone of voice
Make a list of 3 to 5 adjectives that describe what your brand is and what your brand is not.
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To see the SKYPE brand style guide, click on the image below.

Logo size and placement
​Your logo is the simplest thing people have to identify your brand. Make sure you maintain a consistent use of it by dictating exactly how to use it by showing examples of usage. It’s also helpful to show how not to use the logo.
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To see the SPOTIFY brand style guide , click on the image below.

Typography  
It’s essential to be consistent with your typography throughout any collateral you produce. Choose fonts that reflect your unique identity, but keep it simple. Stick to one or two fonts and dictate which goes where and how to use it.
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To see the PFIZER brand style guide,  click on the image below.

Brand voice
A brand voice is just as important as the brand style. Your brand should sound and look a certain way. This applies to everything from the headlines in an ad to the way blog posts are written.
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To see the PUMA brand style guide,  click on the image below.

Images
Guidelines for images are about more than just whether you will rely on photography or illustrations. It should explain the style, black and white or color, what way they should be edited, cropped etc. 
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To see the ORANGE brand style guide,  click on the image below.

That’s it for the essentials. A more detailed style guide should include: Core value: Describe who you are and how you behave in the world.

Target audience:
Describe who your customers are and describe how your products or services solve their problems. 

It should also include samples of letterhead and business card design, design layouts and grids for print and web-based projects, brochure, signage and outdoor advertising guidelines along with visual examples with proper and improper use.
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The purpose of the visual style guide is to create a distinct and unified presence for your brand. And it should inspire its user to create greatness!