“Everything is brand,” says Philip Kotler in his book, Principles of Marketing. “The brand is everything that a product or service represents for consumers.”

A strong brand is similar to an atmosphere that envelops and influences its consumers. It is not just about the visual elements or the verbal messaging; it is about the overall experience that the brand creates.

Let’s think about the Earth’s atmosphere: it is made up of multiple layers that cannot exist alone; they need to stay together. A brand works in the same way. It is made up of multiple elements such as the company’s scope, vision, mission, and values, with each layer being the result of the previous one.

Figure 2.1: Brand atmosphere

Building a brand takes time, which is why I invite you to experience it as a challenge – more specifically, a four-day challenge. I recommend you do one section a day and, as you...

Imagine the stories you love. They usually involve a brave hero, a wise mentor, and a fun-loving trickster. These characters aren’t just words on a page; they tap into something deeper in our minds. These powerful patterns are called archetypes. Think of them like mental shortcuts; instead of explaining every detail, they instantly conjure up feelings and ideas. No wonder they’re powerful tools for brands!

Now picture your favorite company: does it feel friendly and relatable? Powerful and inspiring? That’s the magic of archetypes – they connect with our core desires and values. So the next time you see a brand you love, ask yourself: what archetype do they fit into?

Crafting a strong brand can feel like a juggling act, but identifying your brand’s archetype helps in two ways:

• Archetypes can help you find your communication style. Think of your brand’s unique personality. Is it quirky and funny, similar...

Feeling overwhelmed by the visual side of branding? This section is your cheat sheet for developing your brand’s visual identity in Canva. We’ll ditch the jargon and get straight to the good stuff: crafting mood boards that capture your vision, picking color palettes that pop, and choosing fonts that speak your brand’s language. We’ll have your brand looking sharper than ever, without the need for any in-depth design knowledge. Let’s turn your brand into a visual masterpiece, one click at a time!

Mood board

Your graphics style should be as unique as your fingerprint. Just as Van Gogh’s work couldn’t be mistaken for Picasso’s, and vice versa, your brand should have unique, immediately recognizable visuals.

A brand mood board is perhaps one of the most subjective parts of the entire design process, as it aims to encompass all your sources of inspiration. Imagine it as a large...

This chapter wasn’t just conveying information, it was also a brand-building launchpad!

In this chapter, we explored your brand’s core vision, mission, and values, defining the unique “why” that will inform each of your branding decisions. We also unlocked the secret sauce of audience connection – identifying your brand archetype – and created a visual feast, your mood board, which ensures that your brand has a consistent visual identity.

Why is this exciting? Because a strong brand, similar to a rocket taking off, attracts the right customers, fosters their fierce loyalty, and blasts you past the competition!

Now, equipped with these initial building blocks, you’re ready to shape a brand as unique and memorable as you are and start getting hands-on with Canva. Remember, consistency is your fuel, so keep it rolling!