Lean brand
I have a new company. It’s called Bright & Matt. I’m trying to develop an identity for it. But at this point the identity is a blank canvas. I am being cautious. My thoughts are:
How can you create a brand when you haven’t actually produced anything yet? Or any work to be associated with? A track record, a reputation is one thing, but that is not part of this new brand.
For a brand to exist, does work not have to be directly associated with that new brand image, identity? The brand only begins to exist when an experience of that brand begins. Doesn’t it?
A brand does not exist when an individual decides that it exists (in much the same way that securing a ‘great’ domain does not miraculously create a fantastic idea, product or brand – it is merely the securing of a domain). Long gone are the days when securing a clever sounding domain name gave you the right to print money.
A brand, a company, an agency only gains a life once it has done something (whether good, bad or great). You can’t just design a nice logo etc and go “hey, this is it baby” “we’re a fantastic thing and we do amazing work”. Obviously, the people/person involved with the creation of a new brand/agency/thing (usually) have some form of good/bad/indifferent backgrounds and the reputations contained therein will go some way to creating an expectation of what this new brand/agency/thing will produce, but it is no guarantee that the new brand is already fantastic and brilliant (there is just an expectation that it will be brilliant, fantastic etc).
So I think the best foot forward is to start plain, clear, clean, lean and build on the identity as and when it feels the right thing to do. Start with any form of logo or online identity as simple and clean as possible and as you produce work let that work and reputation build that identity and brand step-by-step. Avoid getting all stylised with a name.
Left aligned Helvetica is a perfectly good place to start (and maybe where you choose to remain). However, it isn’t a neutral statement though it is in no way an overt “look at me” statement. It is something that can be easily developed in multiple directions.
This is why I am maybe just starting with left aligned Helvetica.
(Filed under ‘There could be something in this’ or ‘Far too simplistic’ or ‘Utter codswallop’)