A Practical Guide to Brand Patterns and Graphic Elements
Repeatable shapes, patterns and graphic devices that extend a brand beyond its logo.
Priya Raghunathan
The key figures
- Recognition
- graphic devices help identify a brand without the logo
- Legibility
- patterns behind text can reduce contrast
- Scale
- elements need rules for different sizes
- Guidelines
- brand guides define use and misuse
Why this is worth getting right
Graphic elements make brands recognizable without logos, but they must not reduce legibility or clutter layouts.
Do this, not that
Do
- Define rules for scale and placement
- Keep text off busy patterns
- Test elements across formats
- Provide ready-made assets
- Show misuse examples
Don’t
- Patterns behind body text
- Using every element at once
- Inconsistent scaling
- Missing guidelines
When to bring in help
Our advice Bring in help when extending a brand system.
Where this comes from
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative — Understanding SC 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
- Interaction Design Foundation — Brand strategy
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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