The One Concept Brand Design Method
You may have seen in the last few years that many designers are starting to move to the One Concept Method, which is really interesting because it’s been pretty much industry standard to always deliver multiple concepts to a client to review. In fact, when I first started offering branding services, I had to be very careful to mention my process in the consultation because often clients would naturally assume that they’d be receiving multiple concepts. And while I still ensure to educate my clients before working with them, I’m finding that the One Concept Method is becoming more and more well-known.
Why I use the One Concept Method
When you deliver multiple concepts to the client, they will inevitably always pick their favorite design, bringing personal preference into the design process, and this is a perfectly natural reaction. Every day people are becoming more and more visually inclined, thanks to social media and platforms like Instagram.
When presented with multiple concepts, instinctually clients will always choose what “sparks joy” for them, what catches their eye. This shifts things for the client, putting them in the position of their customer, and truth be told, the client is not always their target market.
When a client decides to work with me, I’m being hired for my skill and my expertise. And as the expert, I am not only creating a brand for my client but more importantly, I am are creating a brand for my client's target market. If we put the client in the position of becoming their customer, then it’s likely that the client’s own preferences are going to shift the design in a personal direction that may no longer appeal to their target market.
For example; say I have a client whose target market is aged 50 and up. She’s let me know that she really, really loves the color orange and wants this as the primary color in all her branding. But statistically, the color orange does not connect well with people over 50 and if we go ahead and do what the client is asking, it’s highly likely that her brand will not connect well with her customers. The same can be said for a client who has a more male-driven customer base, but wants her branding to be feminine, “more her”. The list goes on…
In order for us to be able to create something that will connect with the client’s customers, a strong foundation is key and so we always start every brand package off with an in-depth market evaluation and strategy before the concept development phase and any actual designing begins. Thorough research is done to determine the client's target market, age range, trends, and competitors. This strategy is then presented and approved before concept development begins. This way everyone’s on the same page, right from the get-go. From there, I start building the brand by working with one comprehensive concept that meets all the necessary checkboxes and is aligned with the pre-approved strategy.
WHAT’S THE END GOAL?
Our main priority is to develop a brand that will not simply be effective but will also stick around. Re-branding is time-consuming and prohibitively expensive, especially if the established logo is on stationery, branded packaging, commercial advertisements, and any number of other marketing merchandise.
In the beginning, when companies are just getting off the ground, they're creating brand recollection so rebranding too soon may be detrimental to their bottom line. Simply put, it does not help a startup if an image is not effective and does not fulfill its marketplace goals.
That being said, it’s also really important to me that the client be proud of their brand. To bridge this gap, as part of the client’s homework, I get them to submit a Pinterest board so I can get a sense of what they’re naturally drawn to. This is used to help me connect the similarities between what their target market is and what their own preferences are so I can then create something for them that fits the client's niche as well as appeals to their own unique brand passion. But if any of those preferences don’t meet or align with the client’s brand strategy, I make sure to educate the client and explain why it might not be beneficial to their brand to go in that direction (ie: why the color orange is probably not a good fit).
WHAT ABOUT REVISIONS?
I always make sure to educate the client that there is one revision round included in all of my brand packages, but because I’ve taken such a holistic and comprehensive approach to the brand strategy phase, by the time I start the design process I know the client’s target market inside and out. I then present the initial brand to the client in a way that best showcases the designs by packaging it in a PDF presentation document that includes the primary and secondary logos, marks, brand patterns, and mock-ups (so they can see how their brand will live in real life). From there, the client is prompted to provide real, honest feedback from the perspective of their customers (consulting their brand strategy if need be!) Then, once we reach the refinement process I’m only making small tweaks or adjustments (if any!)
My clients trust that I have their business’s best interests at heart, our collaborative process makes them feel like their needs are met, and the experience and expertise I bring deliver a fully comprehensive service that ensures the greatest value for their business needs. To sum it all up… there is a method to my madness!
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