Shopify

Branding Guide
 Shopify
Branding Guide

We’ll go over:
The importance of brand character
Branding concepts - The foundation
Values - Voices & Tones -Brand Story -
Purpose A list of styles and traits for you to
choose from Developing a strong visual
identity
How colors affect emotions and impact sales
Logo design tips
When you think of your favorite brand, you immediately
know exactly who they are and what makes them unique.

Just like how individuals are distinguished by their

unique characteristics and preferences, brands too
have a distinct personality and character.

So what goes into creating this unique brand character,

and why is it so important?

In this guide, we'll explore the key elements that make up

a strong brand and how this can help you create thriving
and outstanding business from scratch. Let's dive in and
discover the power of branding together.
 BRAND
CHARACTER
Brand character is important for
several reasons:

Differentiation:
In a crowded marketplace, a brand's character helps it to stand
out from competitors and differentiate itself in the minds of
consumers. By establishing a unique personality and set of
values, a brand can create a distinctive identity that sets it apart
from others in the same industry.

Emotional Connection:
A strong brand character can help to build an emotional
connection with customers. By communicating a brand's
personality and values, it becomes easier for customers to
identify with the brand and feel a sense of loyalty and
attachment.

Consistency:
A well-defined brand character ensures that a brand's
messaging and visual identity are consistent across all
touchpoints. This consistency helps to build brand recognition
and reinforces the brand's identity in the minds of customers.
 Just a couple
more...
Brand character is also
important for:

Trust & Credibility

A brand character that is consistent with the brand's values and
messaging can help to build trust and credibility with customers.
When a brand is perceived as authentic and genuine, customers
are more likely to trust it and feel confident in their purchase
decisions.

Brand Extension:
A strong brand character can also facilitate brand extension into
new product categories or markets. When a brand has a well-
defined identity, it becomes easier to extend that identity to new
products or markets, while still maintaining consistency and a
strong image.

All of these factors play a

huge role in the overall
success of your business. So
how can you apply this to
your new brand?
---
BRAND
CONCEPTS THE
FOUNDATION
Let’s start by getting familiar
with a few foundational
concepts:

Personality
A brand's personality is the set of human characteristics and
traits that are associated with it. These traits can include things
like friendly, confident, adventurous, or sophisticated, and are
often communicated through the brand's messaging and visual
identity.

Values Position
A brand's values are the Your brand position is how
guiding principles that shape you differentiate yourself
its behavior and decision- from the competition. You
making. These values can need to clearly articulate why
include things like honesty, your brand is unique and
integrity, innovation, or social better than other options out
responsibility, and are often there. This requires
communicated through the understanding your audience,
brand's mission statement or knowing your competition,
corporate social and identifying the key
responsibility initiatives. attributes that make your
brand unique.
Voice & Tone
A brand's tone of voice is
the way in which it
communicates with its
target audience. This can
include the language used,
the level of formality, and
the overall style and tone of
messaging.

Visual Identity
A brand's visual identity includes its logo, color palette,
typography, and other visual elements. These elements should be
consistent across all marketing materials, and should reflect the
brand's personality and values. Your color palette should be
consistent and evoke the emotions you want your brand to
convey. Your typography should be legible and consistent with
your brand voice. We’ll go deeper into visuals in the next pages.

Story, Mission, Purpose

A brand's story is the narrative that communicates its history
and mission to its target audience. A compelling brand story can
help to build an emotional connection with customers and
reinforce the brand's character.

Your brand purpose plays a big role here. This is the reason
your business exists. It's the "why" behind what you do. Focus
on how your business can make a positive impact in the world.
Defining this will help you connect with your audience on a
deeper level. You can then use storytelling in your marketing
campaigns, social media posts, and other content to create a
unique and engaging status.
Now that you’re familiar with
these concepts,

...

Here’s a list to help you choose the

right traits for your new brand:
VISUAL IDENTITY
BRAND DESIGN

The Psychology of
Color
 How to Use Colors to Influence
Your Customers and Increase
Sales

Making intentional decisions about your color use can impact

not only the emotional connection your customer has with your
brand, but also their purchasing decisions. In fact, your
customers emotions are the often the subconscious driving
factor to purchasing decisions.

Believe it or not, research has shown that up to 90% of snap

judgments made about products are based on color alone! That's
according to a study by the advertising agency, Colorcom. And it's
not just about products - people make subconscious judgments
about people, environments, and products within the first 90
seconds of initial viewing, with up to 90% of that assessment
based on color, according to the Institute for Color Research.

Here's another: The Journal of Retailing found that the

perceived appropriateness of a product's color can actually
increase the likelihood of purchase, especially when the
product is seen as new or innovative. And there's more! The
University of Winnipeg conducted a study that showed color
can increase brand recognition by up to 80%... Just to name a
few.
The point here is, Intentionally choosing the right colors for
your brand can have a significant impact on how customers
perceive your business. While many people may have an
intuitive sense that color can impact emotions and purchasing
decisions, being aware of this fact and making intentional color
choices can make a significant difference, especially when
creating a new brand.

By understanding the psychology of color and the emotions

they can evoke, businesses can strategically use colors to
create a strong emotional connection with their target
audience, increase brand recognition, and ultimately, drive
more sales.

Sounds good? Then let's have a

look at how you can use colors
intentionally, beyond the
aesthetic.
Red
Red is an attention-grabbing color that can evoke feelings of
passion, excitement, and urgency. It is often used in sales and
promotions to encourage action and impulse purchases. In
branding, red can be used to create a sense of energy and
boldness, but it can also be perceived as aggressive or dangerous.

An example of brand that uses red color for strong branding is

Netflix. The company's logo features a simple, bold, red letter "N",
and the color is used extensively throughout its website and
marketing materials.

The color red is used by Netflix to convey a sense of

excitement, passion, and energy, and to create a strong
emotional connection with its viewers. It is also a very
attention-grabbing color, which helps to draw in potential
customers and create a memorable brand experience.

Moreover, the color red is associated with the entertainment

industry, which makes it a perfect fit for Netflix's brand identity.
The company's innovative approach to streaming entertainment
has disrupted the traditional media industry, and the bold use of
red in its branding helps to reinforce its position as a dynamic and
forward-thinking brand.
Orange
Orange is a friendly and energetic color that can create a sense
of enthusiasm and playfulness. It is often used in retail and
ecommerce branding to convey affordability and value, as well
as to make products stand out. In sales, orange can be used to
encourage impulse purchases and to create a sense of urgency.

In a way, it's quite a refreshing color.

One example of a brand using the color orange for strong

branding is the social media platform, Hootsuite. Their branding
features orange in its logo, across its website, and all over their
marketing materials.

The color orange is often associated with enthusiasm, creativity,

and energy, which are all qualities that align with Hootsuite's
brand messaging of empowering individuals and businesses to
engage with their audiences on social media.

The color also conveys a sense of friendliness and

approachability, which is important for a company that is focused
on building relationships and fostering connections.
Yellow
Yellow is a bright and cheerful color that can evoke feelings
of optimism and warmth. In branding, it can be used to
create a sense of friendliness and approachability. In sales,
yellow can be used to draw attention to promotions and
discounts, and to create a sense of urgency.

An example of a brand that uses yellow for strong branding is

the
electronics manufacturer, Best Buy. Yellow is often associated
with energy, innovation, and excitement, which are all

qualities
that
latestalign with Best Buy's brand messaging of providing the
and greatest technology products to its customers.

The color yellow is also a great choice for a brand that is

focused
on
it providing a positive and engaging shopping experience, as
conveys a sense of friendliness and approachability.
Green
Green is a calming and refreshing color that can evoke feelings
of growth, harmony, and nature. It is often used in branding for
environmentally-friendly products and sustainable initiatives. In
sales, green can be used to convey the value of eco-friendly
products and to create a sense of health and well-being.

One example of a brand using green for strong branding is

the coffeehouse chain, Starbucks. Starbucks' branding
prominently features the color green in its logo, signage,
and across its retail stores and marketing materials.

Green is often associated with growth, freshness, and

sustainability, which are all qualities that align with Starbucks'
brand messaging of providing high-quality, ethically sourced
coffee in a welcoming and environmentally friendly atmosphere.
The color green also represents a connection to nature and the
outdoors, which is reflected in Starbucks' use of natural
materials in its store design.
Blue
Blue is a calming and trustworthy color that can create a sense
of security and stability. It is often used in branding for financial
services, healthcare, and technology, where trust and reliability
are important. In sales, blue can encourage customers to make
thoughtful purchases.

An example of a brand that uses blues in its branding is

PayPal, using the tones to represent trust, security, and
reliability, which are all essential factors when it comes to
online financial transactions.
Purple
Purple is a luxurious and creative color that can create a sense
of sophistication and exclusivity. It can also encourage
customers to make indulgent purchases.

An example of a brand using purple in its branding is Twitch,

the live-streaming platform. The use of purple in Twitch's
branding is meant to convey a sense of excitement and
enthusiasm, while also positioning the platform as a fun and
engaging place for gamers to connect and share their passion.
The purple color here represents creativity, passion, and
energy, which are all essential factors in the world of gaming.

Purple can also be associated with mystery, magic, royalty,

wisdom, nobility and even devotion.
Brown
Brown is a warm and earthy color that can evoke feelings of
reliability and comfort. It is often used in branding for natural
and organic products. It can encourage customers to make
practical purchases, and can also evoke feelings of warmth,
neutrality, security and nurturing.

An example of a brand using brown is UPS, the mail delivery

company. From their trucks and uniforms to their logo and
packaging, the company has fully embraced the earthy hue as a
core element of their visual identity. So what's the reasoning
behind this choice?

Well, brown is often associated with qualities such as

reliability, dependability, and strength. This makes it an ideal
color choice for a company whose core business is delivering
packages and ensuring their safe arrival at their intended
destination. Brown also has a very grounded quality, which
aligns with UPS's focus on providing a simple, no-nonsense
service. More obvious even, guess what's usually brown? Yep,
cardboard mail packages.
Black
Black is a sophisticated and powerful
color that can create a sense of luxury
and exclusivity. It is often used in
branding for high-end fashion, jewelry,
and technology.

One example of a brand that uses

black in its branding is Nike. Their
logo features the brand name in bold
black lettering against a white
background, which conveys power,
strength, and sophistication.

As black is often associated with

luxury and high-end products, it
surely is the perfect fit for Nike,
standing as one of the most
recognizable and respected
sportswear brands in the world. On
top of that, black is also a completely
neutral color, which it makes it
possible for Nike to pair it with many
others colors, allowing for a diverse
creation of marketing campaigns and
product lines.

To close it off, Black is also

associated with elegance, darkness
and prestige.
 A quick note!

You don’t want to create a total mess, but

rather use them subtly to support your goals.
VISUAL IDENTITY
BRAND DESIGN

Tips For Logo

Design
 The Power Of Logos

A logo is a symbol or design that represents a brand or a

company. It serves as a visual representation of the brand's
values, identity, and personality.

A well-designed logo can convey a brand's unique qualities, set

it apart from its competitors, and communicate its core
message effectively.

Logos are essential because they can be easily recognized

and remembered by consumers. They can appear in variety
of places, including:

Whether you are designing yourself or working with a

designer, here are some things you should keep in mind:
Use Use the
Appropriate right
Colors typography
Choose colors that reflect Fonts can significantly impact
your brand's personality and the readability and effectiveness
values. Use all you’ve just of the design. Consider the
learned of color psychology to legibility of the text, especially
consider how they may impact when the logo is resized or used
your audience's emotions. on different mediums.

Be Critical
A poorly designed or executed logo can have a negative impact
on your brand's image and credibility. Therefore, it's essential to
invest in a high-quality design that accurately reflects your
brand's values and identity. Be critical, and seek feedback.

Make It Scalable Make It Unique

Your logo should be able to Understand your identity, and
scale up or down without reresearch your competition.
losing quality or legibility. Being unique is key.
Congratulations! You’ve made it this far.
 Shopify
Branding Guide