This document provides advice on creating a great visual identity in 4 steps: 1. Define your brand strategy to give the identity meaning and a foundation. 2. Give the identity personality through the brand idea. 3. Design unexpected elements to make the identity stand out. 4. Apply the identity consistently across all brand touchpoints while avoiding boredom.

1. Visual identity

2. Louise Kyme
Brand & Creative Consultant
Specialising in the charity sector and working with various brand agencies including
NB:Studio, Studio Texture, Circus and The Team.
Previously Senior Brand & Creative Manager at the British Heart Foundation, working
across all stages of their brand transformation from strategy to design and activation,
and winning multiple design and creative awards in the process.
More recently building brands for a range of health, international development and
military charities. As well as other activities to support the creative industry including
judging for design awards, and mentoring with the ‘Kerning The Gap’ scheme for
women in design.
louisekymestrategy@gmail.com
07779128620

3. Louise Kyme
Brand & Creative Consultant

4. What is a visual
identity?

5. It is a system of parts that combine to give a
vision impression of a brand. Daughter of a
brand idea, sister to tone of voice
photographycoloursfontslogo
typography
graphic
devices
illustration

6. What makes a great
visual identity?

7. 1.
It has to mean
something

8. 2.
It has to make
you feel

9. 3.
It needs to
stand out

10. 4.
It needs to
be memorable

11. How do you make
a visual identity
mean something?

12. You create a
brand strategy:
defining what your
organisation stands
for and why it exists.
With an idea at
its heart.

13. WHY YOU EXIST WHAT YOU DO
BRAND IDEA
BRAND STORY
VALUE 1 VALUE 2 VALUE 3 VALUE 4
Typical structure for a brand strategy
WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE

14. WHY YOU EXIST
To win the fight against
cardiovascular disease
WHAT YOU DO
Research
Fight For Every Heartbeat
Too many people are unaware of the risk and scale of
heart and circulatory disease. Heart disease is the
single biggest killer in the UK, radically and
permanently scarring millions of lives. Around one in
three deaths are caused by heart and circulatory
disease.
Only the British Heart Foundation is in a position to
fight this. Only we have the resources, commitment
and expertise to channel into life-saving research.
Our task is clear: to keep hearts beating by leading
the fight against heart disease. We are the UK’s
number one heart charity and are dedicated to the
fight.
Only through our generous supporters, and by
raising funds can we sustain the research that is the
key to our quest. Research that will help to predict,
prevent and cure heart disease.
We must continue to show care and compassion for
those affected and their loved ones. Providing
information and support wherever it is needed. And
we must commit to changing perceptions of heart
disease – giving the threat the prominence and
urgency it deserves.
Together, we will turn the anger we feel into decisive
action against heart disease.
Together, we will fight for every heartbeat.
BRAND STORY
VALUE 1
Brave Informed Compassionate Driven
VALUE 2 VALUE 3 VALUE 4
Example brand strategy: British Heart Foundation
WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE
A world in which people do not
die prematurely or suffer from
cardiovascular disease

15. Once you’re clear about
why your organisation
exists and what it
stands for, through a
brand strategy and
idea, you can create an
identity with meaning

20. (formerly, The Partners)
superunion.com

21. How do you create
a visual identity
that makes you feel?

22. You create a
brand idea with
personality

23. BRAND IDEA:
Amazing things happen here

24. Once you’re clear
about your brand
idea and personality,
you can create an
identity that brings it
to life with feeling

30. nbstudio.co.uk

31. How do you create
a visual identity
that stands out?

32. Design the
unexpected

33. National Apprenticeships Service

34. Birmingham Hippodrome

42. 07866 913316

43. How do you make
a visual identity
memorable?

44. You apply it
consistently
(but not boringly)

45. Identity
– Visual identity
– Tone of voice
– Marketing strategy
– PR
– Digital comms
– Fundraising
– Office spaces
– Online spaces
– Event spaces
– Shops
– Products
– Services
– Goods
– Price points
– HR policies
– Recruitment
– Employee branding
– Appraisals
– Benefits
BRAND
IDEA
Environment
CultureOffer
Brand touchpoints

51. theteam.co.uk

56. Summary:
How do you create a
great visual identity?

57. 1. Define your brand strategy
2. Give it personality
3. Design the unexpected
4. Apply it consistently

58. Thank you

59. Visit the CharityComms website
to view slides from past events,
see what events we have
coming up and to check out
what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk

60. Midlands Networking Group
7 February 2018
Birmingham
#ccmidlands
Brand: visual identity
and tone of voice
WiFi: BTopenzone