How much does brand design cost and who do you go to for this service…
I’ve spoken about how much does a logo design cost before and it’s a very similar answer. Asking this question is the same as asking ‘how long is a piece of string’, because every person you ask will give you a different answer. So, I thought I would break it down for you…
When I joined the graphic design world in 2006 at the start of my Foundation Degree in Graphic Design, there were some very clear ‘tiers’ when it came to being a graphic designer within the creative industry.
There were 5 tiers: artworker, junior designer, middleweight designer, senior designer and creative director. Transitioning from one tier to another was down to how long you’d be designing for and your level of skill too.
In the self employed world of graphic design, it’s a lot different. Yes, you’ve got ‘graphic designers’ as a whole, but because you can choose to specialise in a certain area if you want to, you can be more specific with your title. For example, you can be a logo designer, brand designer, print designer, editorial designer, book designer, typeface designer (where you just design fonts), digital designer, powerpoint presentation designer… the list goes on.
This is why it can be confusing to small business owners when they say they’re looking for logo designer recommendations and such a wide range of designers will be recommended, all priced at different points and all with their own unique skills and styles.
Personally, I have chosen to call myself a Brand Designer, because brand design is an area of graphic design I specialise in. I’ve spent the last 12 years honing in on and perfecting my brand design process so it not only gives my clients clarity on their brand as whole, but it also gives them direction and confidence. I do specialise in print and digital design too, but I love brand design and I love working on that area of graphic design the most.
This now leads me nicely onto – how much does brand design cost and who do you go to for this service.
Brand design is so much more in-depth than logo design.
The difference between the two, quite simply put is brand design involves looking at your clients WHOLE brand. It involves immersing yourself into every part of their brand, including their brand values, mission, personality, ideal clients, brand story and signature (what makes them different). It involves looking at their competitors, doing background research into their industry, looking at what their core message is and then incorporating all of these elements into a visual brand – which is essentially their brand colours, fonts, logo design, graphics, printed materials etc. to achieve the desired look and feel.
Brand design is also a much more lengthy process because you’re really getting to the heart, soul and inner strength of a clients brand and looking at its purpose and what it really stands for and who they ultimately want to help – their ideal clients.
I love helping all my clients go through this process within my Elevate-a-Brand package.
Logo design is lighter, faster work. You would still (hopefully) get a questionnaire to fill out, but the questions would be a lot more basic and won’t take any real elements of your brand into consideration.
The biggest difference overall between brand design and logo design is, because logo design is lighter and faster work, it means your logo may not stand the test of time and it could be you become unhappy with it after 1-2 years.
Since brand design is a much more in-depth service and process, you end up with a brand design which is 100% reflective of you and your business. It is unique to you, it’s originally, it represents your values, message and everything else fully AND it will stand the test of time. And this is why I am so passionate about brand design, because your brand is so much more than a logo.
How can you tell the difference between a logo designer and brand designer?
Firstly, they’ll be priced a lot differently. Logo design prices can range from anything between £35 – £150+. Brand design on the other hand can range from anywhere between £499 – £4500.
Secondly, look at what’s included within their services/packages. Logo design will address the basic needs for that purpose – creating a logo design, whereas brand design will address looking at your brand as a whole.
How much experience a designer has will also let you know whether they’re a logo or brand designer and also the quality of their work too, so always make sure to check their portfolio. Look at how up to date it is and the look and feel of their work too and whether that fits in with the style you’re looking for.
How they design your logo/brand is another aspect to watch out for too. There are certain standard practices I stick to and have stuck to the whole time I’ve been designing, such as supplying my clients with ALL their final logo files, including vector files. Some designers will actually design your logo/brand in the wrong colour format and in the wrong design program too. I really wouldn’t want for this to happen to you.
With all of this in mind, here’s a few questions for you to think about next time you think about getting a new logo design:
• Do you have crystal clear clarity around your brand?
• Do you know what your brand values are?
• Do you really know who your ideal clients are and are you attracting them?
• Are you 100% confident in your brand as a whole?
• Why do you think you need a new logo design?
• Are you constantly tweaking your brand colours and fonts?
• Does your brand align with your vision for the future?
If you’d like to have a chat about any of this, then please do get in touch.
