You don't need a brand book (yet)

I remember when CorelDRAW was a very popular vector drawing app. Making gradients was so easy that an array of companies had these crazy gradient schemes as part of their logos. And more often than not, the font of choice was the standard Avant Garde, especially in size 24. It was the easy access to the tool that made these "aesthetic" decisions so common.

So, what's my point here? We all like visual stuff, sometimes devoting more time to how they look than to the core business itself. I'm a designer, so I understand this tendency. However, this isn't about graphic designers; it's about those who hire them.

To all new founders out there, don't waste your energy on visual identity just yet. True, a strong visual identity is crucial in the long run, but at this early stage, it's merely a distraction. Focus on delivering exceptional products and services first. Once you have a solid foundation, then you can start to develop a memorable visual identity.

The most important rule of branding is ‘first, they must know that it’s me’. The second-most important rule is to remind them that ‘they still need to know that it’s me’. – Mark Ritson

This quote by itself should be a good reason to have a distinct brand identity right? Except a brand is much more than a logo, consumers need to remember what you stand for, what makes you stand out. It doesn't matter how stunning your Instagram feed is or how trendy the beanies in your e-commerce shop are. Nor does it matter how empowering your brand manifesto is. What brand story can you even tell when you're just starting out? Relax, focus on delivering exceptional products and services.

Branding isn't merely a job you can outsource; it's the constant way of running your business. Branding is what the CEO should embrace daily. It's not detached from leadership; it is leadership, influencing everyone around. Sure, you can hire someone to provide the basics, give some pointers, but branding isn't a one-time job you commission and consider done.

And it doesn't involve a brand book at all, at least not from day one. If you've hired a designer to spend hours crafting your visual identity, logo, and typeface before you even have a product, I have to say, this isn't the right flow.

Well, I know, as I write these lines, that I'm guilty of doing the same in the past. Developing a whole identity without really considering if the business had any logic at all.?And perhaps advertising legend Dave Trott would say that's how the process should be. Selling or caring if the product works isn't advertising job (nor design for that matter).

But bear with me for a few more lines (well, a lot of lines). How many times have you passed by an awesome coffee shop with a well-crafted visual identity, only to see it go out of business within six months? Or a cool shoe brand that seems to have everything right—website, brand story, color palette, dos and don'ts—only to read in the newspaper three years later that they filed for bankruptcy?

The responsibility of work

It's a bit contradictory to the speech of most agencies and designers, who often tout how they can help businesses increase revenue, charge a premium extra, and so on, when the businesses they've worked for no longer exists. We're starting projects from the wrong end of the stick. We should help guide clients to make the best products, ensure they work well, establish a quick and responsive customer support structure, and create a workplace where people are happy and engaged.

It's a significant point, actually. As creative professionals, should we decline work? How much are we invited to meddle in the client's business, or how many clients are willing to listen? Perhaps the middle ground should be being as honest and transparent. Explain that the product is still subpar, or the service has faults. With that out of the way, if the client still wants the Brand VI, go ahead and deliver the best you can.

Speaking of design, Dieter Rams says something funny about bad design “I find things like these unnecessary… we need the resources for better things.” And I agree, we should be more responsible with the things we put out there, the things we invest. Although, in honesty, I also understand how difficult it is to gauge relevance before you even start. Sometimes the value only happens once it’s out to the public, to use and explore.

About letting the product do the talking: take Chobani, the now-famous Greek yogurt brand. Very scrappy beginnings; but they had a solid recipe and customers coming back for more before their yogurt legend began. And that's it, really. Once you've persevered for 5 years, that's the time to encapsulate your values into a brand narrative. Document how you've weathered the storms and solidified your identity.

Why rush, really? Google's logo remained basically the same for ten years, and even Airbnb's website was humble, to say the least. But the foundation of great service was already there. It was enough to let word-of-mouth do its job, and when new users came, the service actually delivered on its promises. To some the Agip six-legged dog symbol could be considered a disaster, but insist long enough, and now is a valuable asset; hence, design something meaningful to you, don't overthink it.

Remember I mentioned CorelDRAW at the beginning? Because this is still the reality today. Everyone likes to be hands-on, and if the founder isn't mindful of the real tasks at hand, it's only natural that they will prefer to tinker with colors, fonts, and layout instead of delving into the revenue structure, supply chain issues, and product quality control. Those are the boring steps; everyone wants the "fun" part of making the logo bigger.

Well, where was I? Right, putting the cart before the horse. Imagine the rounds and rounds some startups spend talking about values even before shipping the first product. Isn't it wishful thinking to sit with your agency and start ranking keywords that sound nice, to build your "Our Values" poster – even before hiring any employee. You haven't faced any crisis to know how you really respond under stress, that's when culture is made.

Most real businesses start with a passionate founder who simply wants to do good work. Packaging, logos, the right kerning... That's tertiary (not even secondary) because during this initial period, they are distractions.

Hey, I love design, I love advertising. But if there's a reason we're becoming the joke of the moment, with our moldy practices, it's because we allow ourselves to be pulled into these projects and assume everything else is the client's problem. Yes, you can create great packaging, but if the content is terrible, part of the responsibility falls on you, whether you agree or not.

Here's another example of delivery over the years infusing excellence on the visual identity. George Lucas's Lucasfilm logo, an almost 1880s Western logo, for what was already a leading-edge film company, born out of Star Wars... Now, we all see the logo and praise it for all its meaning. "It's such good branding!" some might easily say. But if you consider the typeface, the style, there's nothing technological about it. Most design offices would never suggest to start with this style, but hey, it still fits perfectly at the end of each Mandalorian episode.

And that's the thing. We're overthinking the whole process, forcing companies with pre-packed values, culture, and brand voice even before uttering their first word. We've replaced heart and passion with complications and processes.