Let’s get one thing straight–modern is different from trendy.

At least that’s my own opinion. 

Here’s my definition of modern branding: up-to-date styles, techniques, and practices to ensure your brand will stand out from your competitors, but remain focused on your clients, customers, and users.

The modern brand is human. 

Gone are the days of standard fonts, predictable color schemes, and boring taglines.

Define the problem. Do you want to improve your health? Make more money? Move up in your career? Most of us have trouble keeping our eyes on the prize because we don’t really know what that prize should be. It’s not enough to wish vaguely for good things—you need to define what good looks like.

Having a clear idea of where you want to go will help you get there faster. The results will be more meaningful than if you had just wandered around aimlessly and stumbled into something by accident. A healthy person isn’t necessarily someone who has eaten a salad today; it’s someone who has committed to eating well and exercising regularly, who has developed healthy habits over time that allow them to live their life with energy and vitality. Similarly, giving yourself a goal as vague as “I want to make more money” means nothing unless you’re willing to put in the work necessary for it—and even then, any extra cash could be quickly squandered away if not being used effectively.

Before setting out on any new endeavor, figure out what you actually want from it. Then, when (or if) success comes your way, it’ll be in a genuinely satisfying form.

Don’t worry about other people’s goals or expectations—they are irrelevant. The only thing that matters is whether or not your goal makes sense for *you*. If your coworker is busting his butt trying to become CEO in five years while all you care about is getting home early enough every night so you can have dinner with your kids: great! That’s fine! You don’t have anything against CEOs or dedicated employees; they’re just not right for *your* goals at this point in *your* life. It doesn’t matter what anybody else is doing or thinks; all that matters is finding the best path forward based on where *you* are right now, no matter how much.

Your business branding needs to be unexpected.

Modern branding is about knowing what your customers expect from you and then turning that on its head. It’s about challenging the status quo to leave a lasting impression in an oversaturated market where brands compete for their audiences’ attention.

Take color, for instance. Your color palette will help you stand out from other brands with colorful logos. Still, it won’t mark your audience much if it feels too familiar—too classical or conventional. So don’t use the same hue as that one brand or pick colors that follow the same formula as your competition. Whatever you do, don’t stick to just two colors! 

The same goes for shapes: don’t go with circles when you could choose squares or triangles. Maybe even try… wait for it… an octagon! And when it comes to typography, don’t use Times New Roman like every other brand in your field. Trust me, there are different fonts out there (thousands)!

Anything you can do differently will help distinguish you from others in your industry when it comes down to it. So let loose with a unique tagline; write in an unconventional tone of voice; deliver messages that subvert expectations; do something so bold your competition wouldn’t dare attempt it themselves…That is modern branding.

Branding needs to evoke emotion in your audience.

Branding isn’t just about a logo, a tagline, and some font choices. Your brand is an entire identity that needs to be instantly recognizable by your audience. It’s also an opportunity to evoke emotion in your audience.

You can use branding to leave a lasting impression on prospects, clients, and anyone else you contact. The key is to make the right impression on your target audience. Here are some ideas for using branding to evoke emotion.

Make them feel something.

 A great brand will make people think something without prompting them to feel that way by saying it directly or displaying it prominently. Craft your marketing materials carefully so there’s no confusion about what you want people to think or feel when coming across your brand.

Be authentic and intentional in your marketing efforts so prospects get an accurate idea of what working with you would be like—and make sure it’s something they want!

Use imagery that evokes the right emotions in potential customers.

Be bold and confident.

In modern branding, I find that many companies have shifted their messaging to speak more directly to their customers. Gone are the days when brands used a timid, formal tone. Instead, brands are finding it beneficial to be direct and confident in communicating with consumers.

It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. Even if your brand mission isn’t loud or controversial — make sure your voice is heard! If you don’t stand out from the crowd, it will be difficult for customers to recognize who you are as a company or remember what makes you unique.

Use a memorable color palette.

One way to maximize your brand’s impact is through contrasting colors. The contrast draws attention, so by combining two contrasting colors, you ensure that people will notice your logo and branding.

For example, red and green are complementary colors, but their contrast can be incredibly striking. A darker shade of red will be complemented nicely by a lighter shade of green, and vice versa. The same goes for black and white, blue and orange, purple and yellow, brown and green—the list goes on!

I have a blog post on this if you want to read it. 

Don’t use standard fonts–I’m NOT saying you don’t use free fonts.

The first thing to consider is what fonts you’re using. Most companies stick with the default fonts on their design software or opt for safe and standard ones like Arial and Helvetica. These are fine to use in some cases, but if your branding is truly modern, you shouldn’t rely on them alone.

A brand that uses standard fonts will have a hard time because it will compete against all the other brands using those same fonts. So you need something that can set you apart from others while also tying into your company’s message and style. That’s where non-standard fonts come in. These will allow you to stand out from your competition while communicating more about who you are as a business, leaving customers with a lasting impression of your brand.

I love Creative Market for font inspiration.

Keep your logo balanced.

Your logo shouldn’t explain everything to your audience; it should say just enough so that you’ve got their attention and they can infer what your business is about.

If you’re a social media manager, you certainly don’t NEED a phone in your logo to explain what you do. Still, there are other ways we can convey what your business stands for through typography and design. 

A modern brand has a strong brand identity. This can make all the difference between success and failure.

When defining solid brand identity, some elements set businesses apart. These often include their design language, tone of voice, and logo. Suppose a company has a strong brand identity. In that case, its customers will know what to expect from them when they engage with the business. For example, if you have used Apple products in the past, you know that Apple products have a sleek minimalist design and are high-tech.

A good brand can be worth its weight in gold. If you think of Apple as a brand, I can guarantee you have a picture of someone who uses those types of products and what their life looks like. 

On the flip side, lousy branding can make all the difference between success/failure for a business, but not in a good way! While these characteristics may also exist among your competitors’ brands already—for instance, being “trendy” or “professional”—they don’t necessarily represent unique qualities about your company unless you’ve adopted them specifically as part of your branding strategy. 

These are my thoughts on modern branding and what it means.

If this sounds like something you need help with, fill out my inquiry form here. 

Xoxo Claire