A branding project influenced by the combination of corporate and sustainable foundations
Hannah Saxe Virtual Assistant Branding
Initially, our client requested a logo and business cards but we knew that we would need to deliver much more than this in order to complete this project to a professional standard. We decided to offer a document of the branding guidelines as a way to aid our client to manage a consistent visual communication. This visual identity will help the client to build their branding on the likes of social media as a way to reach out to new potential clients.
Hannah Saxe: Virtual Assistant Branding Package
Our client approached us with a branding brief to help set up her new business. Hannah Saxe’s business is a virtual assistant proposition that is intended to help businesses to be more knowledgeable on sustainable factors that feed into their own business. In Hannah’s words exactly:
“Assisting sustainable business owners with administrative tasks and projects, so they can maximise the time they spend on doing the things they love!"
Client
Hannah Saxe
Year
2022
To conclude, the main aim of this project was to build a representative brand that will help our client build a recognisable brand image. Despite having claimed a username on instagram, previous branding is non-existent meaning we had a clean slate to work with, and similarly a relaxed brief that encouraged our creativity. In fact, one of the only initial requests from our client was an autumnal colour scheme which not only represents the sustainable values of the brand but also has a more personal relationship to the client.
We agreed to the following deliverables:
Logo
Colour Scheme
Business Cards
Email Banner
Branding Guidelines Document
Due to this business being slightly different from the norm, we initially found it hard to truly gauge the essence of the unique selling point in question. After further queries with our client we managed to clear this up and gained a better understanding of what Hannah provides within her business. To sum up a couple things this business can provide goes as follows: Calendar management, research, organising travel arrangements, admin managements, lifestyle management et cetera - all of which with sustainability in mind.
Design & Development
Design Process
We worked closely as a team in order to organise ourselves and our workload. Similarly, we built on our relationship with the client over the course of this project so we could provide a brand that represented the business. At times we presented multiple ideas to our client as a way to better understand Hannah’s preferences. As the project progressed we also established the need for other deliverables such as the email banner, which concluded of a much higher standard of client satisfaction and was done so in hopes to help build better relationships with Hannah’s clients.
After our initial research we felt better educated within this sector of business and design. We found the best way of doing so was through our competitor analysis which positively impacted some of our design choices. Following on from this, we followed a well curated, yet relaxed schedule that allowed us to analyse the impact of each step along the way. Starting with our logo we knew this influence would bleed deeply into the other aspects of this branding package. From this came our colour scheme and from this our business card design was easier to establish and similarly so came the email banner.
Branding
In order to build our brand guidelines we needed a basis to work with and so we started building the branding as a beginning step. We started with the logo, developing hundreds of ideas, and we experimented with colour schemes along the way. With the brands building blocks in place and established deliverables in place, business cards and email banner, ran much smoother and seemingly fell into place. We regularly met with our client to present ideas and ensure satisfaction, as well as sharing ideas and better gauging the needs of the branding and business identity.
Logo & Typography
Grasping the logo was the most challenging part of this project. With such a unique business proposition, it was difficult for us to include all information from aspects of the brand in a simple, coherent, yet characterful way that stands out from competitors while representing the brand well. Very initial ideas presented the prospect of more illustrative designs but after feedback from our supervisors, we early on decided that this was not the best approach and that the brand needed to conclude of a more corporate outlook as a way to be taken more seriously from customers. We then went on to develop logo types that feature the client's initials ‘HS’ but soon after decided against this when we felt it was not impressionable, did not express the true values of the company and did not inform the consumer well enough of the aims of the business.
Narrowing down ideas from the intense brainstorming.
Finally having 4 substantial ideas to present to the client. All of which portray very different symbols which helped us provide a wide variety of options to our client.
After choosing a favoured logotype we presented variation of the same shape but using different colours and illustrative approaches. From here we were able to narrow down exactly what the client desired.
The final logo design. We used a simple floral/leaf design that consists of 4 leaves. We felt this communicated the sustainable aspects of the business as well as remaining a strong stand alone logo type. Similarly so, this complimented the more complex design decisions which we felt represented the more corporate values of the business.
Analysis & Breakdown
Colour Scheme
As mentioned, the colour scheme was something we had dabbled in over the course of the logo production. Similarly, this was a particularly important aspect to our client who specifically requested in the initial briefing a preference for autumnal colours. With a clearer creative direction requested, this aspect progressed simultaneously as we developed our logo ideas and as a result of this, happened naturally. A similar factor that contributed to the ease of developing our colour scheme was the sustainable values of the business - it could be perhaps argued that a colour scheme representing nature and eco-friendly values would be within the realms of autumnal colours anyway.
Branding Guidelines
As part of our deliverables, we suggested to the client that we could design her a set of branding guidelines. This is done in an attempt to help keep up a consistent visual identity that builds better relationships with clientele. We made sure to keep this document really thorough in terms of the information provide which ensures the ease of any future designers who may need to pick up from where we left off. We provided information on colour variations, logo variations, graphic elements and typographic detailing. Click here to see the document.
Brand Assets
The following evaluation depicts other brand assets within the project which we represented as a way to build on visual communication and identity.
Business Cards
This deliverable was outlined by the client from the very beginning. It was also one of the smoothest parts of progression within the project due to the building blocks of colour schemes and logo design now established. As a team, we had already discussed introducing a pattern as a graphic element that can build this branding identity. We designed the pattern and discussed ideas with our client who was very happy with the ideas presented. We developed a few initial ideas of which we decided on the best concepts from early on and was able to agree with our client who was also impressed with the designs. After a few typographic and spacing adjustments, we established our final design.
With designs established, we began to think about print finishes that could add the perfect character to the business card design. With autumnal colours in mind, and sustainability at the heart of this branding, we felt a gold or white foiling could add the perfect personality. Foiling not only adds a wow-factor to designs, but it's also a favourable eco-friendly option that further practises the sustainability values of the brand.
Email Banner
The final asset designed was the email banner. This idea was one that came later on in the project as requested from the client. This was a concept that came up in a meeting of which we asked if there was anything else the client felt they wanted us to include which added value to the brand and business.
Hannah_Saxe_Banner
Reflection & Key Takeaways
This project took a lot longer than initially intended but this was mostly due to the restated proposition being much more ambitious than first anticipated from the client. We knew from very early on that the time restraint was too tight, however our client made it very clear that the due date was just something to work towards and was in no way a schedule that was essential to follow. Although we headed towards this date, we never wanted to rush the thought process and design experimentation. This dedication is evident in the success of the project. We believe we trialled many different approaches within this process but have chosen one that best represents the values of the business. One of the main aims was to build a clientele that recognises the ambitions of the brand from the visual identity represented on social media and other outlets. We worked well as a team in order to produce the best possible outcome that fits the clients needs.
This process has been a learning curve for all those involved and one of which we feel will positively impact thinking processes in future branding projects. Similarly, we learned more about working closely with clients who may have specific requests and direct requests for changes of design elements. We listened thoroughly to our clients' needs in order to conclude the best representation of the business and its main values. We made sure to receive plenty of feedback from peers and supervisors along the way to better inform our design decisions. One way in particular we did this was by setting up a poll which allowed users to vote for a favoured name whilst we pondered upon the substance of ‘HS VA’ as a recognisable logo and business name. In the end, our client made it very clear we had exceeded expectations which gave us comfort in knowing we had done our jobs well as designers.
By pushing ourselves to be more ambitious we have taught ourselves to better manage time, feedback and workload. As a result of this we have curated a much more complete project which has challenged us to be more professional in our approach to designing for the client. The branding guidelines in particular were a part of the project which gave us better insights to designing in the real world for real clients.
"I am so happy with the outcome, you have exceeded my expectations."
- Hannah Saxe
Brand Guidelines
View the product outline of this branding project by clicking the button below. This document is what we provided to our client as an outline to the brand guidelines to help them keep a consistent visual identity.
