Brand Identity Guidelines

There is a self-effacing joke that gets often brought up for anyone trying to make a living in a creative endeavor and that is to be “on-brand”. If you are putting yourself out there in a creative pursuit, you are selling yourself to an audience. And if you are selling something, you have to market it. That is where branding comes in. And while many would argue that branding is more than mere advertising, the two are inextricably linked.

As a graphic designer, there is a reverence for Standards Manuals. They are the antidote to the chaos. They teach us the rules of the brand so that the communication remains consistent and precise. With the graphic standards manual, the work can be handed off to any professional and they will know what to do, as long as you do not stray from the predetermined formula.

As a graphic designer and an artist, I must begin selling myself. If I am to sell myself, I must have a good answer to who I am. Therefore, I have created this guide as an exploration of who I am as a person and what it means for me to “on-brand”. Using the language of the Standards Manual, I will finally get the opportunity to define a real identity for myself.