Back in October 2011 Gemini Press and Visual Identity were approached with an exciting brief.

The project was a new Sixth Form College in East London, sponsored by a group of eight independent schools and is the first Sixth Form College to be set up under the government’s Free Schools Scheme.

We were briefed to create a logo and brand identity for the new school which was to be called ‘London Academy of Excellence’ along with a number of promotional items including adverts, brochures and a website.

They wanted a prestigious yet modern brand that would appeal to the prospective students whilst keeping the sponsor schools happy.

We came up with a number of concepts and ideas for the logo, mostly based around the idea of the eight schools coming together to form one. The end logo comprises of a symbol created with eight elements. The symbol is slightly representative of iconic London building, the Gherkin, and also slightly reminiscent of the Olympic torch. Both of these are very current and help to elevate the status of the LAE’s branding.

An upper case Avant Garde typeface was used to keep the look clean yet authoritative and a rich blue and gold were used to portray a corporate feel with a sense of luxury.

The symbol, logo, house colours and fonts are used throughout all promotional material for the LAE. We were commissioned with the design and build of the website which was created through CMS platform, Joomla. This enables the LAE to update their own content as and when needed – making sure the consumer gets the most up to date information possible. Visual Identity are on hand for larger site developments or page alterations.

All aspects of the design (print and digital) were very well received by the client and we are looking forward to developing the brand further as the school opens and continues to grow over the coming years.

With a reputation for creating great designs, often within tight budgets, our work benefits from almost 40 years of design and print experience.

Recently, we’ve been reorganising our Shoreham-by Sea studio, sorting through old filing cabinets and book cases, discovering some long lost design treats in the process! The different samples we found range from the 1980’s to today. They really show how graphic design has developed over the decades. The gala invites & menus we found are especially interesting with lovely illustrations and typography. The covers also have a great glossy ink finish on an uncoated stock.

The imagery on the Leisure Simulation brochure really takes you back and shows you how far technology has come in the last 20 years. The designs definitley show how the industry has developed and provide a bit of inspiration!

Different elements such as lighting and positioning are often overlooked when promotional photos are being taken, especially when taken by an amateur photographer. Even something as simple as using a tripod can make a huge difference. In many industries, new business is becoming increasingly harder to come by and the importance of photography must not be overlooked. Although money may be tight, one thing it is always worth investing in is a good bank of images.

Here at Visual Identity we work closely with skilled professional photographers to provide you with a strong bank of imagery that can be used over a variety of media and relate specifically to your customer base or target audience. Whether it be landscape shots, product photography, portraits or images of day-to-day lifestyle shots, we can find a photographer to meet your needs! Call us on 01272 441 449 or email letstalk@visualid.co.uk to find out more.

“When we wanted a sales brochure that was both stylish and eye catching but also highlighted our value for money products we thought of Debbie and her team at Visual Identity first. What they delivered for us, with the help of their photographer, was perfect on all counts. Two weeks after sending out the brochures to our customers, our sales have soared. Great work!”
Lawrence Marsh, SD Products

Here at Visual Identity we believe colour can sway thinking, change actions and cause reactions...

Colour is an element that can easily be overlooked by companies when looking at their branding. However, it is not something that should be taken lightly. Colour has emotional connections to the sub-conscious, meaning when your clients see your logo and branding they automatically have an idea about what kind of company you are before finding out what you do.

It is important that you give out the right impression by using appropriate colours that relate to your values. For example, Cadbury uses a luxurious purple to promote it's chocolate. This has connotations towards royalty and high class, making the consumer believe they are in for a quality treat when they buy a Cadbury's product. When used in the right way, colour can become the staple of a strong brand identity, making your company instantly recognisable above the rest.

Colour and how it is produced on screen and on paper can often be a source of confusion between clients, designers and printers. We have come up with this simple glossary to explain some of the terms used.

RGB -
 Red, Green, Blue - the three colours used to produce full colour images on screen. This is used in all screen and web applications but is not suitable for printing.

CMYK - CMYK refers to the four inks used in colour printing: cyan, magenta, yellow and key black. Also known as four colour process and used in litho and digital printing for colour printing on paper and board.

PANTONE - A set of standard coulours for printing, which is specified by a single number (eg. PANTONE 287u). Used for 1 or 2 colour printing and also in silk screen printing (eg. t-shirt printing).

Colour Meanings - Colour can have a massive impact on your brand and the way people perceive you as a company, whether it be consciously or sub-consciously. It's vital to understand the connotations of different colours to get the most out of your logo and branding.
We at Visual Identity are here to help, if you think your company needs a colour revamp, give us a call on 01273 441 449 or email letstalk@visualid.co.uk

Here are a few colour examples and their connotations... If you can think of any companies that use these colours to enhance their brand post them up with a picture!

Red - passion, anger, stop, battle, love
Yellow - joy, intellect, caution, cowardice, youth
Orange - creativity, invigoration, unique, energy
Green - fertility, money, healing, success, growth
Blue - knowledge, tranquility, calm, peace, cool
Purple - royalty, wisdom, spirituality, luxury, imagination

As a creative graphic design agency providing both large and small companies with promotional materials and campaigns, it is easy for clients to forget about Visual Identity's stunning and stylish wedding stationery service. A wedding is one of the most important events in a couple's life and the Stationery goes a long way to pulling together the whole style of the day...

"It was that time in my life which every girl dreams of, my wedding! The proposal was just magical and a complete surprise, my fiance lived up to all my expectations and a lot more. So after the formalities of telling all the family and showing anyone who was, or not interested, the beautiful ring I began to think about my, I mean our, dream wedding!

At first we wanted to do it abroad in the Caribbean, sun, sand, steel band and then have a lavish party back in England, the whole works, but then you start looking into these things a little more! Finding a venue, catering, flowers, photography, entertainment... the list goes on and on, no wonder it takes so long to plan a wedding! 

A good starting point for us was picking a colour or theme. Deciding on whether you want to get married in a church or registry office and also to start looking at venues. For the bride, one of the most important aspects is your dress. The dress of all dresses and it has to be just perfect! They say that you just know when you have found the right one, I have to say that I agree, I defiantly knew it was the one for me, the most beautiful dress I had ever seen!

When it came to my wedding stationery, I really felt it had to be amazing, not only as it was for my special day but because I am a designer, my family and friends expected something spectacular. I did have an idea that I really wanted to do but wasn't sure about the practicalities of it. After looking into the options I decided to just go for it and I was absolutely thrilled with how they were received. 

Chocolate was the theme for our wedding so I decided to have the wedding invitations as a golden ticket inside a bar of chocolate, just like from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story. The invite was written and designed to reflect the original ticket from the movie and then printed using metallic gold ink so it looked really authentic. Having purchased around a years supply of chocolate, the invite was carefully inserted and then delivered. The reactions were just amazing and it felt great to see sour guests faces once they realised it was our wedding invitation.

I really feel that attention to all the details of your wedding is important, especially when your guests really appreciate them, it really makes it all worthwhile and doesn't have to cost the earth.

If you would like to add that extra sparkle to your day then give Visual Identity Wedding Stationery a call on 01273 441 449 or have a look at our specialist website here.

This is an article from a previous edition of our VI magazine on the benefits of Social Networking. 

Many of you will already be on Facebook and/or Twitter already, but why not have a look and see how it might be able to help your business...

"A social network service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, 
e.g, who share interests and/or activities.

A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging.

What are Social Networking Sites?

Social networking sites are websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace, Flickr and Bebo (a list that is ever-growing with the development of new technologies and ideas).

 They are an increasing tool for promoting businesses in the digital age we live in; however large or small they may be. It is becoming an increasing necessity for businesses to have websites, but many are unsure about what social networking sites are and how they can be utilized to make the most of promotion.

They usually work by you creating a profile for your company and adding or inviting ‘friends’ to follow you, (these friends could consist of your clients, customers, friends and businesses you deal with). You can then post public messages and photos, chat directly with your followers and alert them of any events or special offers and direct them to your website. 

Twitter and Facebook are becoming increasingly popular among businesses to promote their services and interact with their customers. They give the opportunity to develop and improve communication and relationships, shrinking the emotional distance between your company and customers. For example, you can post up new ideas, products or projects for your business and get your consumers to comment and give feedback. This feedback helps you to understand what your customers want and also makes them feel involved and valued as a customer if you listen to what they say. It also helps to build intrigue and excitement towards the new project.

Another benefit is that most of them use real time, giving you immediate communication with no delay. Many businesses use social networking sites as an informal way to connect with their followers by posting amusing anecdotes or photos of what goes on at their office. This gives a little insight into how the business works, often making it seem more friendly and approachable.

If you think Social Networking could help your business then check out Visual Identity’s profiles on Twitter and Facebook and join us for updates, insights and discussions!

Twitter: www.twitter.com/VisualIdLTD Facebook: www.facebook.com/visualidentityltd

The school was due to open in September 2011 but a website was needed straight away to generate interest and inform potential new students and parents about the school and its state-of-the-art facilities.

 They approached us with the proposal for the website which they wanted to be slick and easy to use, with the facility to update it themselves, as and when they needed, to ensure their students got the most up-to-date information possible.

We designed a site that worked well with the existing Brighton College branding, yet showed Brighton College Abu Dhabi (BCAD) as a pioneering school in its own right. We worked closely with skilled coders to create a content managed system (CMS) website, meaning the client can easily log into the front end of the site themselves to edit and update the content, from text to images and links. 

Imagery was also a vital component in the creation of the site as the school itself is visually stunning. Also, due to the fact that many potential students will not be able to visit before attending, it is essential that they can get a feel of the school from the imagery on the website. To achieve this we decided to add image banners as well as interspersing the text with images.

The site has been has very well received with comments on all aspects from its visual impact to its usability. Other features on the site include a search box, image slider, 'Latest News' and 'Media' links, contact and admission forms, making it as easy as possible for parents to get information and apply for places at the school.

 William Blake from Brighton College Abu Dhabi said: 

"We needed a website created for our new school in Abu Dhabi; it had to be accessible, versatile and visually impressive. Visual identity delivered on all fronts, and we are very happy with the final product.
 They have remained resourceful and helpful since, and we recommend them highly"

Have a look at the website online at www.brightoncollegeabudhabi.net

Minimalism, or the idea of ‘less is more’ is a practice that is occasionally, but not often used within design for many commercial businesses.

 At a time when many companies are fighting against each other for business and clients, they often make the mistake of trying to ‘shout the loudest’ with their branding and advertising, using garish colours and bold typefaces to be the most eye-catching and stand out above the rest. On occasion this can be an effective way to get noticed, however, often a slick, clever design using minimal elements can stand out much more against the crowd.

Often a striking symbol, image or word is all you need, for example, this lovely image of Karey Olive Oil, which simply uses the brand name of ‘Karey’ with a drop of oil creating the tip of the Y’s descender… 

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2011/2/10/karey-organic-extra-virgin-olive-oil.html

Waitrose have taken a similar typographic approach with the packaging of some of their products, executing the idea in a slightly different way… 

http://mypbrand.com/2011/02/21/waitrose-wins-dba-design-effectiveness-award-part-2/ The subtly coloured packaging (or transparent where possible) and plain and simple typography really stand out against the alternatives with busy packaging on the shelves and are instantly recognisable as being Waitrose’s own brand. 


‘Less is more’ doesn’t just apply to packaging, have a look at Starbucks rebranding (or more appropriately brand-development) which is simply a paired down version of their previous logo…

 http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/january/starbucks-new-logo In this Creative Review article you can see how the logo has been changed and simplified since it’s creation in 1971. Of course Starbucks is a global brand so the symbol is instantly recognisable to most people, meaning that the text ‘Starbucks Coffee’ is no longer really needed. This has allowed Starbucks to focus just on their symbol and in one colour, simplifying the whole brand into a clean, modern era marking their 40 years of existence.

Does your brand or business need modernising or that special something to make you stand out from the crowd? Let us at Visual Identity help to create something unique for you to help your company win over clients, customers and new business. Give us a call on 01273 441449 to arrange a meeting.

The core element of any successful marketing has to be a strong corporate identity to build around. Visual imagery that is both memorable and meaningful to its intended audience will help brand any company in a very favourable light.

 But beware! It is easy to be complacent and take your housestyle for granted. Logos can date, strategies can change, aspirations within business move on. It is at this point in a company's history, in order to move with the times, that they may consider redesigning their approach to the market.

With increasing competition within the marketplace, the importance of good design for all new marketing materials becomes essential. Being visually stimulating and produced to a high standard, the marketing cannot only boost confidence within your clients but also with the morale of your sales force.

If you think your brand needs a revamp, why not contact Visual Identity on 01273 441449 or email letstalk@visualid.co.uk