There are numerous ways I can apply my brand to various materials and for different purposes. In fact, David Buck suggests

“Your brand is a gateway to your true work. You know you are here to do something—to create something or help others in some way. The question is, how can you set up your life and work so that you can do it? The answer lies in your brand. When you create a compelling brand you attract people who want the promise of your brand – which you deliver.”

This is a great quote and a brilliant way to consider branding. When it gets to the application stage in my opinion a lot of the hard work is done. You know have a clear identity it’s time to have fun with it.

The first things I will need to apply my brand to will be my portfolio website. This is an area we will cover in the module and I believe is currently one of the most important applications of my brand as it will be the primary touchpoint for most clients and employers. I really want to include my brand in my portfolio site in a way that works seamlessly with my tone of voice and that will enhance the work I am displaying. Other important applications include headed paper, invoices and potentially envelopes. This is an important consideration for me as I intend to freelance alongside studying and will have to incorporate branding on my invoices.

Social media is another important touchpoint that I need to add my brand to. I will also need to consider how to do this consistently across platforms demonstrating clarity and direction so that my audience is aware of the standard and focus of the design services I provide.

Branding stationery items may also be something to consider in the future. Branding stationary items is described by united-uk.com as a great way to show individuality and personality as these bespoke items will be unique to your business. This not an expense that I feel would have immediate value so it’s not an area I would invest in right away though I do feel that as a business develops this is a great way to further establish the level at which the company is operating.

Funding opportunities are another important area that my brand could be applied to within the application process. I believe this is an area that really benefits from attention to detail in this respect and most importantly requires a high level of professionalism which I feel is helped by considerations such as including personal branding on presentation slides.

Wearable items are an area that again I would want to review in relation to my personal brand down the line. However, this is a really nice way to get a brand out there and can even be profitable if marketed correctly. In the case of my personal brand, I feel the current monogram and wordmark may appear too commercial to be applied effectively to clothing. I think I would approach this in a more creative way potentially developing a slogan or mark or even including my 5th element as an alternative option. As shown in the above image Hey Studio incorporate branded clothing on the shop section of their websites. I think this is done very effectively as Hey Studio has such a distinctive and creative feel as a design studio and their branded clothing matches this. They also present their brand as high-quality. I feel this adds to the desirability of their clothing, print and book lines.

Video idents are also a great way to get a brand more recognition if video is an area that is included within the service provided for prototypes or motion graphic etc. This can be commonly seen on music channels such as MTV and vevo.

Another consideration may be the incorporation of branding within an office. I think one of the most notable applications in this respect can be found at Google and is generally popular among tech companies. I think there a number of positive impacts that can come with brand applications on this level, not only does it present a high level of success and professionalism to clients but also to those working for the company. I think this approach really gives the sense that all who work within this office are a part of something exciting and special boosting morale and enhancing the idea of teamwork.

 

Finally, an item that branding must be applied to as an essential part of its function is the business card. This is an area that is particularly important for networking and providing contact information to clients. As such we were given the below task of creating our own business cards.

What have I learnt?

• There are lots of ways to have fun with brand application.
• When applying a brand you need to consider the tone of voice and the visual language you are trying to achieve.
• Branding stationery items can be a great way to add individuality and personality to a business
• Branding can even be applied to office design which can be a really fun way to boost team morale.

How can I apply this to my work in future?

• As my brand develop I can consider designing and ordering branded items such as stationery items. This could double as a good freebie that would promote my services with clients.
• If ever applying for funding in the future adding my brand to a slide presentation or required printed items is a really important application that has to be included.
• Including branding in a video could be a great way for me to begin to experiment with animation and is definitely something I would like to incorporate in the application of my brand.