Written by
November 30, 2022
Mallika Malhotra
Does the look of your brand match who you are on the inside?
Creating a visual vibe that’s linked to your core story is an important step in developing your brand identity. Your brand narrative, personality and values should be reflected in your aesthetic.
The objective is to avoid being a copycat or looking like a trendy, glossy brand. Instead, the goal is to design a brand that is authentic — a brand that has depth and meaning. We want to create a sustainable and cohesive look that you can use for your business across all of your marketing… from your website to business cards to photography to your logo.
How can we bring our brands to life through images and develop a cohesive aesthetic for our business?
The first step : create a visual mood board
A mood board is a tool that will serve as your visual road map. It will represent the look and feel of your business — a collection of carefully curated images that act as creative direction for your brand identity.
If we don’t intentionally think about our brand “look” and take time to define it, our brand will end up being vague and boring instead of memorable and brand recognizable. Once you’ve designed this mood board, this tool can share your visual vision with people you hire (web designers, copywriters, photographers, etc). It will help clearly communicate your brand vibe to anyone who works in your business and keep them on track and consistent.
How to Create a Mood Board
Take a step back and revisit your mission, your vision, personality and keywords. You’ll use those elements as a springboard to develop your visual vibe.
Grab some paper and think about the feeling you want people to get when they interact with your brand. Think about the mood you want to develop for your audience. Think about the overall client experience you want to create. Think about the look and personality you want to convey with your personal brand. Think about the style and vibe you want to evoke. Jot all these thoughts down.
Start compiling pictures via Pinterest or from pages in a magazine. Pin pictures, colors, expressions, locations, outfits, moods, textures, fonts, environments — anything that stands out and connects with your brand story.
Themes and ideas will emerge from the visual mood board. You might begin to see patterns and reoccurring stories. Begin to connect the dots between the images. When you notice an overarching theme, write it down and begin to curate and edit the images so the selections reflect this particular story.
Eliminate any visuals that don’t fit your vision or brand story. You’ll begin to see your individual aesthetic and style take form.
Your Next Step
Once your visual vision is complete, jot down a few words that reflect your brand identity and style.
Is it rustic, boho and natural?
Calm, nurturing and feminine?
Modern, edgy and disruptive?
Look closely at the stories and subject matter in the photos. What objects and scenes keep showing up?
For instance, if flowers are in several images, maybe you have a feminine, colorful vibe and should consider using a floral element in your visual content. If a beach location keeps popping up, maybe the serene ocean colors are something you want to consider for your website and logo.
Keep in mind that as your brand grows and evolves, this is an exercise that you can revisit again and again to revise your aesthetic. Our brands are never really “done”. They change as we change, but at the same time, we need to be cautious not to be a chameleon and change your visual vibe too often. This will cause confusion for your audience.
If you need support creating a cohesive visual narrative that is unique, consider joining my Brand Breakthrough Mastermind that starts in January. Only 4 spots left in the program!
While you’re at it, are you a member of my FREE Facebook group yet?
We are a supportive group of entrepreneurs who love to nerd out about branding and hear experts speak on different business building topics. Come join the fun! bit.ly/brandconfidentialparty
Meet Your Brand Mentor
Hi, I’m Mallika Malhotra, The Brand CEO—an award-winning brand builder and niche expert. I’m passionate about supporting female entrepreneurs—women just like you! I’ll help you find your oh-so-you niche and share your brilliance with the world. Together, we’ll break through the noise and make your brand the go-to choice in your industry.
When not building brands, I’m either sipping coffee or enjoying a glass of red wine, diving into a stack of books, or dreaming of global adventures. I live in beautiful coastal Maine with my husband, three sons, and our mini Bernedoodle, Jax.
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