Curating a Local Business' Brand

Last fall, I had the opportunity to help a local business create a brand. Here’s how I kept everything consistent as we created all of the elements he needed to launch a digital presence:I met with the owner of Kim’s Import, a local mechanic shop that was looking to digitize their shop along with a new era of ownership. The shop was essentially starting from nothing; no website, logo, etc. I started by asking as many questions as I could, trying to find what his needs and wants were for the look and vision of his brand as a starting point. He wanted the brand to embody a sense of trustworthiness, reliability, and a small, local feel, while remaining professional and clean. He wanted a blue color as the main color, and showed me a graphic of a gear symbol that he wanted incorporated into the logo. 
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I got to work creating a brand palette for Kim’s Import, keeping in mind his ideas, while inputting my own creative vision for the shop. I created two options for the color palette, fonts, logo, tagline, and tone. He chose one of them, and we spent some more time refining the logo. A deep blue was chosen, with gold highlights, the logo was simple, included the gear graphic, and was locked up with a tagline we created: “Quality service. Honest care” to embody the feeling of reliability and family values we wanted for the brand. After everything was polished and set in stone, the second phase began. We used this as a base to start branding everything for the business: business cards, uniforms, lobby/bathroom remodeling inspiration, website, hoodies, etc.

These elements took the brand image and voice to digital and physical platforms, streamlining the familiarity and consistency of the brand. The logo, colors, and reliable, yet professional tone of the brand elements will continue to expand across all elements of the shop as time continues. Social media posts will follow these elements. Plans for a lobby remodel and bathroom remodel, will include the brand colors, logo, and clean, professional feel, without feeling sterile and cold to keep the tone consistent.Brand consistency is key when it comes to any business. It is especially crucial for a business that is starting a digital presence for the first time like Kim’s Import. Once these brand elements are set in stone and released, repetition of the elements are necessary to create a feeling of trust, familiarity, and comfortability with consumers as the brand grows and the elements are associated with it.