Minimalist branding looks simple because it’s meant to be, but this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t go through the same process as any other design, if not even more rigorous as it takes a lot of skill to pair back the unessential factors of the branding for a clean crisp aesthetic.
In this article, we will explain what minimalist branding is and give you some helpful tips to get you started on your design. This can be tricky if you have no experience with research, so speaking to a branding agency Manchester based will help you on your journey.
What Is Minimalist Branding and Where Is It From?
Minimalism has been around for a while and has certainly been a trending aesthetic. It can be seen in the early 1970s and late 60s art, but the ideation and foundations can be traced back before the 20th century. If you have noticed that minimalist designs resemble Zen and feng shui, then you will be right which has been dated back to the 12th century.
The idea behind minimalist branding is the deliberate act of simplifying a design that uses simple colours, shapes and typesetting to create a beautiful design. This may look simple, sleek, elegant, and sometimes even bland, but this is deliberate and aligns well with the modern aesthetic.
Key Tips For Minimalist Branding
Simplicity Is Key
Some of the most expensive brands in the world have minimalist branding, look at the likes of Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Armani. All have very different branding but are all simple and elegant. Complicated and over-stimulating branding can come off looking cheap, and cluttered packaging designs or labels will make it look confusing and unprofessional.
The best tip to take on board when looking at minimalist branding is to only pick one or two fonts or a single signature colour as this oozes confidence and is all a potential customer needs to connect with your brand. It needs to be clear and understood straight away what your trying to message to your audience. This means that too many colours, illustrations and elements will only distract your audience from the defined message.
Minimal Is Adaptive
One of the best things about minimal branding is that it is completely adaptable. When you are starting out, it is completely unrealistic to have the perfect branding straight from the start, how can you? You don’t have a clear identity of your audience yet as well as you do not have the time for this. Having a brand identity handbook is something that can be created once you have some data to learn from.
This can be done by hiring a design agency Leeds If you have an overly complicated brand at the start, it makes it much harder to adapt to the brand later on. The best thing to do is think simply, don’t complicate it and don’t overthink it. Launch the brand, and once you have the data to back up your decisions, you can add on or pair back.
Refined Means Classy, Not Boring
Just because your branding is minimalist, it doesn’t have to be boring or generic. A simple brand can be unique, bold and colourful if you choose and suits your business. One great method of making your minimal branding stand out is by playing with the scale. This means making things larger or smaller and maybe even a mix of both to create a mixed aesthetic. Another way is through colour. This could be anything from using a bold signature colour or going completely toned down and making it completely different to anything else in your market. By keeping it simple, you are not going to confuse your audience and it will certainly create a great impact on your audience.