Direct, Don’t Distract

Be a traffic cone, not a billboard.

I like my little traffic cone.

Because traffic cones and road signage use three key elements—color, type, and icons (shapes) —if your iconography and graphics aren’t directing your audience—and I apologize—you’re just creating visuals that look pretty.

Since the progression of my rebrand, my traffic cone has taken the back seat in my visual identity, but its message has not. What started as a blog logo evolved into an icon that represents my visual and verbal identity.

Every piece of your brand should indeed serve a purpose and move things forward. Today, I want to view a key element of your brand’s visual identity—your icons and illustrations—in the context of a story. Your story, their story, and the story you make together.

Show AND Tell Your Story

Show them where you have gone.

It was near evening, the networking event was over, and people sauntered about having side conversations of all sorts.

“This is where it all started,” Pat Miller, the leader of my networking group, said, pointing to the classic lightning bolt mark now placed in the “O” of the SBOC logo.

Connection.

Energy.

—But moreover, the energy that passes from business owner to business owner when they collaborate with intention in these networking rooms. I had heard many stories of how Pat built this community for connection, and all those stories tie back to that moment some months ago when he made that simple statement.

Another client of mine made an additional brand element out of an illustration that they previously used as a logo. Sometimes having a good story isn’t enough; having something to visualize makes it stronger.

Repurposing these elements also adds another layer to that story. Businesses that have more stories to tell are the ones that nail their marketing because they have more resources.

The story gets remembered, but the sales pitch does not. Since our logos don’t tell the whole story of our business, we add all sorts of icons and illustrations. This is why building a visual identity is so important: if you have your colors and logo marks lined up, your icons can align visually with those other assets. But also, these visuals need to tell a story… what do they say about? What do they tell people to do?

My traffic cone says, “CAUTION! Branding requires you to slow down, take note of your surroundings—if you don’t, you might crash.”

Tell Their Story

Show them where they are.

Iconography tells your story, it directs the narrative of your brand, but who’s to say your story can’t also be their story?

For many in my industry, a book is being read, a talk is being heard, or a video is being watched. The storyteller picks up their tools, proverbially speaking truth and wisdom to those who can empathize with their lesson.

When designing icons and illustrations, think of them as storytelling assets: how can you use these visuals to give a message to your younger self?

Your icons then go from being a bland visual element to a trail of breadcrumbs, signage, or something you have set forth along your journey to help you get to where you are today.

My megaphone… my audience uses their brand—their message to change and impact the lives of others.

Paint The Future

Show them the future.

If you’re the artist, then it is your job to set the tone, give meaning to the piece, and then let them ascribe meaning.

But what if they make their own meaning? What if they look at my illustrations, my graphics, and all these other things and think differently than what was intended?

There are two things you can do:

Scrap: take what you have, adjust it
OR: take note of what they are saying, use what they see to inform future creative decisions.

My “future” is the present, because I am more focused on what we have to do now. See my icon; it’s a blank sheet of paper. It represents the minds of our audiences when they don’t know about us… Print your logo out, tear it apart, and see how long it takes your client to put it back together.

`Scraps`