Complete Branding Identity Design from Ted DeCagna

Custom hand lettering design

Distinction between Branding, Identity Design and Logos

Business magazines and websites often feature terms such as branding, brand identity, logo design, corporate identity, and brand strategy. These terms may sometimes be used interchangeably or inconsistently, leading to confusion.

As a designer specializing in brand identity, it’s essential for me to ensure clarity with my clients regarding the scope of my work and what no designer can accomplish for them. 

Custom logo design

What is a brand? … A Brand is a perception of a company. 

Your brand constitutes the impression people form when they contemplate your company. It embodies your reputation, shaped by your values, products, marketing, and customer service. Influences range from magazine articles, the ambiance of your stores, to the comments your company elicits from .

acquaintances. This encompasses elements like your logo, website, and business cards. Every interaction with your company contributes to the overall perception. “Branding” is the conscious effort to shape this perception. While you may not control every opinion, you can strive to make a positive impact.

What is an identity ? 

A brand identity is a brand’s set of visual and verbal elements. 

A subset within the realm of a “brand” is its brand identity, also referred to as corporate identity or identity system. The crux lies in the term “identity,” akin to verifying one’s identity through an ID in human interactions. The tangible components visible when a company communicates constitute its identity design, encompassing elements such as logos, colors, fonts, taglines, photography style, illustration style, patterns, icons, and messaging.  

A brand style guide serves as a document that documents and preserves this identity, ensuring consistency by guiding everyone in using the correct fonts, colors, and other elements. Applications of this identity extend to various mediums, including websites, business cards, brochures, signs, packaging, vehicles, and more.

What is a logo? 

A logo is a mark that represents a company, product or service.

Among the components constituting your brand identity, the logo stands out as the most prominently recognizable element. Its primary role is not to convey every aspect of your business but to serve as a distinctive tag or identifier. For instance, a red bullseye doesn’t disclose the full range of products available at 

Target, spanning clothing, housewares, and food. Yet, it efficiently acts as a mental prompt, encapsulating all the accumulated knowledge about Target over time. Even if you had no prior information about Target, analyzing the logo alone could offer insights into the company’s style and personality.

What do brand identity designers do?

Brand identity designers employ strategic thinking to craft the components of your brand. These include your logo, color palette, typography, image style, tagline, voice, and tone, all of which should embody the distinctiveness of your company. These elements serve to visually represent and define your 

brand. While an identity designer may not enhance the operational efficiency of the machinery in your plant or advise on specific personnel decisions, we do play a crucial role in shaping the public’s perception of your company by establishing a fitting and consistent visual identity.

Advantages of hiring a brand identity designer for your business

Whether you’re a fledgling small business or an established one contemplating a brand identity update, the question arises: is investing in better design worthwhile? For businesses thriving on local referrals, like plumbers, mechanics, or dentists, visual branding may not be a priority as long as the service is excellent. However, in competitive markets or industries where aesthetics and messaging impact revenue (such as food and beverage, 

hospitality, fashion, tech, financial services, health and wellness, etc.), the expertise of an identity designer can be beneficial. Consider a brand refresh if your mission has evolved, your audience has changed, your products and services differ, new competitors have emerged, or you seek to alter your reputation. If your old identity design feels outdated and fails to resonate with consumers, this may signal a new era may be necessary.

Strategic design can benefit you in the following ways:

IGNITE DESIRE – Customers are attracted to visual appeal and a company that understands them clearly.

PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT – Even if your a newcomer, theres no need to appear as if you started yesterday. The appropriate brand identity design can convey stability and longevity.

FERMENT LOYALTY – When your design aligns with your company and is linked to a positive experience, customers establish a lasting emotional connection that can withstand economic downturns.  

LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION – A robust identity design sets you apart from other competitors, making a lasting impression. Ted DeCagna’s hand letting skills really make his work stand out from the average designer who most often uses standard fonts and do not possess Ted’s highly practiced, unique skill set.  In addition good design lasts the test of time. Many of Ted’s brand identities created 20 years ago are still working for his clients today making your relatively small design investment, one of the best investments into you business you could ever make given the longevity of an outstanding design. 

Indentity design requires a brand strategy

Occasionally, while viewing a TV commercial, it’s possible to deduce the product or company just from the distinctive style, even before the actual details are disclosed. Similarly, you can obscure the logo on a package, advertisement, or truck and still identify its owner. This is the effectiveness of a well-crafted identity design—it goes beyond a mere logo and forms a cohesive system.

The appearance of this system should be rooted in a strategic approach. What is the core concept driving your business? What values and work methodologies define you? What characterizes the personality of your company? Who are the like-minded customers who resonate with your endeavors? 

How do we connect with these individuals? What are their needs and preferences? What will draw them in initially, allowing them to discover the excellence you offer? Insights about your brand, coupled with an understanding of your target audience, shape your brand identity. When your design bridges the gap between these two elements, you’ve successfully executed it.

My role involves helping clients harness their unique qualities to create branding that resonates with their audience—encouraging them to sign up, join, purchase, endorse, or genuinely connect with the essence of what they represent.

 

Strategy first, design second…

We take the worry out of the creative process and your printing needs

We’ve got three words for you… Return. On. Investment. After all, you’re not just doing this for fun, are you? Strategy is at the heart of every brand we create and every project we tackle. We identify your unique brand value, and we design solutions that are powerful and memorable.

Ted is very meticulous with all phases of the creative process.  He’s process is straightforward and clearly spelled out in Phases in a detailed written proposal so you will never have unwanted surprises. This makes Ted DeCagna Graphic design extremely efficient with zero surprise costs. Ted always delivers on time and

on budget.  Ted is very knowledgeable about printing technical processes and how to choose the perfect printer with the prefect equipment for you needs. With the ocean of printers available choosing the right printer can be an overwhelming and nervous decision. Many clients welcome Ted’s 38 years of expertise in handling and supervising the printing of their jobs from die cut pocket brochures, T shirts to full color UV laminated folding carton printing. Ted will remove the stress and worry about choosing the right printer for your needs. So if you need a New Jersey brand designer look no further than Ted DeCagna Graphic Design.

Call or Email Ted DeCagna

Ted will speak to you directly and prvide a quote promptly.

908.272.6777   ted@tdgraphicdesign.net

6 Edward Place, Cranford, NJ 07016