David Airey

Graphic Designer & Author | Logo Design Love & Identity Designed Books & Blogs

The visual identity for a brand does not have to be complicated to be done well and for it to be impactful. Think about the most recognizable global brands: the swoosh, the golden arches, and the red cross. Their effectiveness is in their simplicity. The art and talent for creating memorable and influential brands comes mastery over the process of starting from a blank sketch pad or white digital screen. Creating a visual story, imagery, and ultimately a strong brand id or logo is a process of distilling down the wide world of possibilities into only the necessary elements that convey a feeling and experience that reinforces the brand story.

With more than 100,000 copies sold, translated into 13 different languages, and visual identities created in over 30 countries, from his independent design studio in Northern Ireland, David Airey works with clients worldwide and writes for his two blogs, Logo Design Love and Identity Designed have attracted millions of views.

David’s exquisite work is a consistent source of inspiration, and his blog and books have helped us both reign in and expand out our process on our own visual identity projects.

“I’ve never met a color I couldn’t love.” -Leatrice Eisman

Leatrice Elsman

The Complete Color Harmony

Color is one of the most essential elements in design. It has the potential to draw us in or drive us away. The way we use color can influence our thinking, cause emotional reactions, and shape our choices.

Memorable and impactful brands are developed from in-depth research about the brand story, the brand promise, and careful color planning. The color palette for the visual identity of a brand is one of the most critical considerations and tangible components and often what people notice first and remember most.

A thoughtfully-designed color pallet that reflects the personality and characteristics of the brand evokes an emotional response, cultivates connection, and is a powerful tool for communicating the values of the brand.

We so appreciate the decades of experience that Leatrice (Lee) Eisman, Director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information & Training and Executive Director of the Pantone® Color Institute, has offered our work. Her many books and ‘Color Blog’ have been a source of inspiration and have assisted us with the color research and planning we do for our clients and the design projects we work on.

This paraphrased quote by Lee sums up just how critical color choices are for a brand and the impact they have. We get it, and we wholeheartedly agree.

“The power that color wields is seen at every level of communication: in corporate identification, packaging, signage, advertising on television, billboards, in print media, on the computer, at point of purchase, and in the product itself. Color is often called the ‘silent salesperson,’ and it must create enough interest or curiosity to induce the would-be buyer to find out more about the product or service.”

Sarah Hyndman

Type Tasting Online Home and ‘Why Fonts Matter’ Book

Brand typography is one of the influential elements of the overall brand identity that ties together the written content in a way that visually communicates the brand values, personality, style, and tone.

Thoughtful development of a typography palette evokes intended emotions and associations and creates trust, confidence, and credibility.

When developing a typography palette for a client, we aim to create a font story that:

• Attracts our client’s ideal audience
• Engages their attention
• Establishes a hierarchy of information
• Creates and builds recognition
• Contributes to continuity and harmony in the overall brand identity

Sarah Hyndman has been a graphic designer for nearly twenty years and specializes in how fonts influence us. In her work, she has collaborated with psychologists from Oxford University and built on perception research from around the world. She has given talks about typography at TEDx, TYPO, SxSW, and a range of other conferences.