Making a brand that doesn't have a colour
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- display
Has any got any good reasons why this would be a viable route to go down?
My argument is that given we have distinctive typography, shape container (for ads etc) and colour that is contextual to the content, then that alone can create a powerful brand distinction to the user.
I'm trying to find good hard facts why we don't rely on a brand colour. Baring in mind, our rationale for choosing this direction was because we wanted something that was expressive, playful and connected with the content or the customer.
- monospaced1
I think there are a lot of good reasons to do this. Freeing the brand from color lets it live in more places. It puts a lot of emphasis on the message, or mark, or other visuals, or just the product or offering. It allows it to be better co-branded, to adapt, to assimilate into a wide variety of environments much easier.
On the other hand, there's the risk of diluting the brand if the brand, without color, isn't memorable. It puts a lot of emphasis on so many other things, so those better be good: copy, pattern, mark, message, tone, personality and image.
- All good pointsdisplay
- yepfadein11
- you're talking about an identity system, which is not branding. yes, single color logos work better with co-branded shit.doesnotexist
- Depends on the brand. Color is highly psychological so I disagree slightly but understand.Hayoth
- yes, I am talking about an identity system, which is what display is talking about too.monospaced
- and while you're right, a brand can't even have color in the first place, I'm also talking about tone, message and product, which ARE brandmonospaced
- display2
There are actually a few brands that have achieved this pretty well over the years, so the idea is by no means unique or untested with multiple demographics and cultures.
MTV and Nike
Even Apple in the last 10 years changed from a rainbow logo
- yurimon-4
Are you looking for ROI justification? you could do a competitive advantage analysis over their competition. how it will differentiate them in the market place by your direction, show why your direction ads value.
- adds*yurimon
- So their competitor (very well known) has a distinctive rigid colour palette. My strategy was to not just be a different colour but in a way own all the coloursdisplay
- lolmonospaced
- monoboy2
A multi-coloured palette with no singular 'brand' colour can be a good identifier in itself.
All depends on the brand values. Playful would suggest lots of colour used in lots of different ways.
City of Melbourne ID is a good example. Some even change shape like the Oi logo.
Different is always better.
- antimotion0
Muji is probably a good brand to reference
- Muji has a purple logo though?detritus
- I think they usually use a KO logo over a color or photography. Maybe the color is maroon or various warm greys...antimotion
- I'd say they are a good brand to look at for their "no brand" philosophy...antimotion
- No doubt it's a good brand to reference, but in my experience, they fairly liberally use purple across their brand :)detritus
- omg0
Each brand should have its own reasons for communicating a colorless logo. The reasons why Apple may choose a colorless path based on its product and the history it has created.
- doesnotexist0
sounds like bullshit
good luck
- doesnotexist0
an identity system with no color? sure. kind of obvious. rational.
a brand with no color? why? color is expressive and you're taking it away?
- deathboy0
because bruce lee would agree.
I personally like brands without rigid color guidelines that adapt to the objectives. especially if its a more creative brand. its harder to accomplish than a brand with a simple jingle slogan and color palette relying on message saturation over and over until you know what it is.
- Miguex2
Contrary to what someone said earlier, I believe EVERY logo out there should first and foremost work in black/ white.
I think the concept of adding color to a brand had the same justification of not adding any, meaning that if color is a way to stand out or be memorable, why can't the lack of color also be a way to stand out or be memorable?
- exactly!
and we have a very distinctive shape language and type which only adds more to elements to associate the brand bydisplay
- exactly!
- since19790
You brand a cow and there is no color. Only black.
Be black, my friend.
- since19790
Brand the sheep.
YOU
BRAND
THE
SHEEP
