What Exactly is Graphic Design? Visual Branding & Identity

Anything that cannot be communicated verbally must be displayed through a means of design to convey the message. Enter graphic designers. They combine art and technology to achieve your desired purpose. In a broad sense, graphic design is the execution of transforming ideas and experiences into visual and textual content. These works of art surround us every day. The pack of gum on your desk, the typeface on a TV ad or even the dollar in your pocket all utilize graphic design. This complex field requires a great knowledge of both visual/verbal communication and creative programs in order to produce an exceptional and effective design. There are multiple forms of graphic design can manifest; it can be physical or virtual, containing images, words, and graphic illustrations. The scale of the design can range from a postage stamp to an international television commercial. Most importantly, graphic design is created around its purpose. This can be commercial, educational, political or cultural.

How Strategic Graphic Design Powers Business Revenue

There is a reason graphic design is also called communication design, 67% of experts say they expect graphic design to become increasingly important to the success of their business over the next five years. Our purpose is to communicate your message through visual language. This can be to inform, persuade, engage, motivate, entertain or even attract an audience. Using typography, colors, images, and positions, we compose a design to communicate your vision. We understand the importance of details and the impact they have on your brand. Your business’s visual communication is what leaves a positive first impression. We strive to create the perfect representation of your vision and values through an enticing, unique, and specialized design that will set you apart from competitors.

Versatile Design Applications: From Logos to Full Corporate Identity

There are countless mediums graphic design can be applied to. It all depends on your purpose and the message you wish to convey. A few application within specialized areas include:

• Typographic Design: Font design, hand lettering, and custom typography.
• Publication Design: Book, newspaper, magazine, journal, and booklet designs.
• Information Design: Graphs, charts, infographics, pictograms, signs, symbols, icons and websites.
• Interactive/Experience Design: Games, websites, widgets, video/photo sharing, blogs, and vlogs.
• Package Design: This can range from CD’s to shopping bags. Anything that involves visual identity on structural packaging.
• Advertising: Print ads, static or animated banner ads, web films, television commercials, direct mail, outdoor ads, and online ads.
• Promotional Design: Book covers, invitations, giveaways, motion graphics, posters, announcements, promotions, and motion presentations.
• Branding: Brand naming, conception, identity, revitalization, launch/re-launch, strategy, or anything else that represents the ‘corporate image’.
• Identity Design: Logos, products, and packaging, signage, apparel design, marketing collateral and anything else visual that represents the brand.
• Corporate Communication: Annual reports, brochures, publications, websites, sales kits, annual reports and new product offerings applications.

A world-class visual identity rarely stops at a logo. To fully realize your brand’s potential, we recommend pairing our design work with Professional Product Photography to ensure your physical products match your digital aesthetic. For brands looking to capture attention through movement, our Video Production services can translate your new graphic identity into high-impact motion graphics and commercials.”

What Do You Need to Bring to the Table?

There are a few things you should know before we start discussing concepts. In order for us to create the best possible designs, it is helpful to meet before the creative process to discuss any requirements or guidelines. This will give us a better idea of your vision and will save us from wasting any time creating something unfit.

What the Specifications Are

Since we are not mind-readers, please inform us of any specifications you require. This can be anything from color to dimensions.

What is the Message

What are you trying to do, say or elicit to the target audience? The overall message could be a simple thank you or it could be to persuade your audience to buy a product. This will help with the overall mood as well.

Any Creative Direction

We would hate to create something that does not appeal to your personal likings. Any sort of direction will help us tremendously. Some design elements you could suggest are colors, fonts, mood, works of art or even pictures.

Who the Target Audience is

Who exactly is this form of communication intended for? Targeting your desired audience can help us cater the design perfectly towards this area. This can be an intended age group, geographic location, gender or other factors.

The AD Leaf Creative Process: Precision, Speed, and Results

• Plan: The first order of business involves connecting with you to discuss your business needs and marketing goals. With this information, we then research your market, competitors and target audience.
• Design: Once we have a good idea of these aspects, we develop a basic layout of our ideas without any design elements, also known as wireframes. At this time, we now brainstorm and design concepts.
• Develop: The next step is to present these concepts to you and explain our reasons behind our designs and choices. Based on your feedback, we make any revisions needed. We then continuously create concept designs until you are 100% satisfied.
• Deploy: Once we have achieved that golden stage, we deliver the content files to you. The final step is to output all content you require.