Building brand design that ignites and sustains creative thinking for businesses, is at the heart of what we do at R.S. Creative.
Lately I’ve watched our clients have ‘aha’ moments of how the illustration we’ve designed will serve as the powerful❗️that bookmarks their brand identity and further punctuates their brand strategy.
But getting from Point A to Point B, from ‘those are just doodles, why bother’ to ‘wow, what valuable pieces of reusable content’, can seem like a big leap (of faith) to take. I bet if you’ve ever considered a rebrand, or wondered whether or not custom illustration could help elevate or refresh a stale marketing strategy, you’ve asked yourself some of these questions:
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- What does my brand gain by having custom illustrations?
- How do I use these? How are these useful in the big picture?
- I have concerns these visual additions might have unforeseen consequences for my brand; for example, will my customers no longer recognize me by my logo or existing branding?
- How does illustration help make my business money?
- Couldn’t I use stock illustrations or a tool like Canva to save money?
Spoiler alert – this blog post isn’t about convincing of the ‘7 Ways Illustration Will Make Your Business Money in 2022’ or a list of answers to all of the above questions.
Instead, it’s a case study on a real life example of how a leading brand’s use of an illustration system built long lasting brand identity strategy over time, and how that same can be accomplished for businesses like yours.
While quite a few modern brands use illustration as part of their marketing strategy, we chose Casper mattress for this case study – why? Because they sell a product that is simple, easy to understand and relatable to everyone.
So… why, might you ask, would they NEED illustration?
To stand out from their competitors.
1. Simpler Business Solutions:
Ultimately graphic illustrations can often solve problems and answer questions faster, and much simpler than photos and words can. For example – this one graphic used to show the various mattress size options conveys more information more succinctly than 6 photos with captions ever could:
In a fast-paced world where blog posts like this one must aim to ‘stop the scroll’ and fears of ‘#TLDR’ (too long didn’t read) are becoming key factors of web and digital marketing, having succinct yet eye catching visuals is more than just trendy, it’s a critical component of getting the key takeaway message across to your ideal customer.
After all, what’s the old adage, a picture’s worth a thousand words?
2. Consistency Leads to Brand Recognition:
When you’re given a toolbox full of on-brand visual resources, there’s no more guesswork – for you or your customer.
This saves time for you, and your team in the content creation process. It also makes learning about your product easier and seamless for your customer. A win-win!
By using consistent imagery your customers become more comfortable with your content, helping establish trust and loyalty. Illustration and visual assets can help welcome your customers into your world, making them feel like they’re part of your inner circle
But, if you want to build brand recognition and loyalty, know that it’s a long game my friend. Keeping your brand illustration system consistent is key to making sure your customers stay with you throughout changing seasons, product shifts, etc.
3. A New Brand Language:
The clean line illustrations and series of characters created by Tomi Um – Dutch Uncle for Caspar have become synonymous with the mattress company, and have served as a simple way to make it known that their product is for everyone. Not only are the illustrations clever and fun, they also reinforce subtle messages about the company’s goals and values.
“An illustration system is a way to enrich a brand’s visual language and say more nuanced things that a logo, color scheme, typeface, or even words cannot convey alone.”
This illustrative style have become so woven into the brand language that is Caspar, that it’s hard to imagine the company without them.
And that’s the dream right? For your brand to have a life of its own, a visual world designed with purpose, that helps elevate your story and brings what is unique about you and your business to the surface.
To learn more about our illustration services, and whether it’s the right fit for you and your business, inquire with us today!
And whether you’re contemplating a full rebrand, wondering if you brand needs a refresh, or if you’re here because you love illustration as much as us, please leave your thoughts, comments and questions below:
