Pick ’n’ mix branding

By Sharon Thiruchelvam 18 : 08 : 2016 Adobe : Workplace Futures : Brand Identity

Sydney – Creative business incubator For the People has launched an off-the-peg branding scheme for fledgling start-ups.

Held at co-working spaces, Start-Me-Up Labs helps young companies to develop a bare-bones brand
Companies are equipped with the resources to create branded presentations, stationery and websites at the funding stage

Having helped countless clients to develop business plans and identities, For the People wanted to offer a free service for more early-stage start-ups.

To create a visual identity, companies are asked to pick a shape, a typeface and an emoji expression from a selection, and then spin a colour wheel to fix their colour palette. To select a name, companies are asked to question whether their brand is ‘uber-conservative’, ‘conservative-ish’, ‘startup-esque’, or ‘ultra-startupy.’

The approach is light-hearted and slightly mocking, while informing start-ups about conventions on colour, naming and typefaces. ‘We don’t pretend this process results in a truly unique, differentiated and engaging brand, but this is hopefully a good start,’ says Jason Little, co-founder of For the People. ‘Down the line, when there is a good product and money to invest in design, any good studio/agency can help build the bespoke brand they need.’