What are some examples of effective visual hierarchy in branding?

1 Contrast and scale

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to create visual hierarchy is to use contrast and scale. Contrast can be achieved by varying the color, shape, texture, or font of your elements, while scale can be adjusted by changing the size, position, or perspective of your elements. By using contrast and scale, you can draw attention to the most important or distinctive aspects of your brand, such as your logo, name, slogan, or value proposition. For example, think of how Nike uses a bold black font and a large swoosh logo to stand out from the white background, or how Apple uses a minimalist white font and a small apple logo to convey elegance and simplicity.

2 Alignment and proximity

Another way to create visual hierarchy is to use alignment and proximity. Alignment is the way you arrange your elements along a common edge, axis, or center, while proximity is the way you group or separate your elements based on their relationship or relevance. By using alignment and proximity, you can create order, balance, and harmony in your design, as well as emphasize the connections or contrasts between your elements. For example, think of how Spotify uses a left-aligned layout and a close proximity between its logo, name, and tagline to create a cohesive and consistent brand identity, or how Coca-Cola uses a center-aligned layout and a wide proximity between its logo and its bottle to create a dynamic and eye-catching brand image.

4 Color and typography

A fourth way to create visual hierarchy is to use color and typography. Color is the way you use hues, shades, tints, and tones to create mood, emotion, and meaning in your design, while typography is the way you use fonts, sizes, styles, and spacing to create personality, tone, and voice in your design. By using color and typography, you can create contrast, harmony, and emphasis in your design, as well as express your brand values and attributes. For example, think of how Starbucks uses a green color and a serif font to create a natural and classic brand identity, or how Netflix uses a red color and a sans-serif font to create a bold and modern brand identity.

6 Gestalt principles

A sixth way to create visual hierarchy is to use gestalt principles. Gestalt principles are the psychological rules that explain how humans perceive and organize visual information, such as similarity, closure, continuity, proximity, and figure-ground. By using gestalt principles, you can create visual hierarchy by manipulating how your elements are seen as a whole or as parts, as well as how they interact with each other and with the background. For example, think of how the World Wildlife Fund uses a black and white panda shape to create a strong figure-ground contrast and a sense of closure, or how the NBC logo uses a colorful peacock shape to create a sense of similarity and continuity.