The design of brand graphics can be divided into three stages, namely the excavation of the prototype of brand graphics, the privatization and transformation of brand graphics, and the ceremonial presentation of brand graphics.
1、 Prototype mining of brand graphicsAbstract prototype refers to the oldest "imprint" in the human psychological structure, reflecting the universal and common cognitive laws of humanity, and possessing tremendous energy that transcends time and space and spreads across cultures.Abstract prototypes always require concrete graphics or images to be represented, and the specific forms of expression of the same prototype often differ in different cultural contexts.Therefore, specific graphics can be found based on the "prototype", that is, existing image resources can be excavated to achieve communication with specific cultural groups.In specific cultural contexts, it is often necessary to borrow familiar graphics from specific cultural groups to facilitate identification and gain recognition.Of course, the older the graphics, the more they reflect the primitive cognition of the cultural group, making them easier to recognize and identify.In China, the traditional culture of the Chinese nation provides inexhaustible prototype resources; For the West, Greek mythology often becomes an important source of brand graphic prototype resources.
The so-called design is essentially the editing of images;The so-called creativity is essentially the requisition and possession of existing image resources.
Human culture has prepared us with inexhaustible prototype images and image resources.As an important part of brand marketing communication, the design of brand graphics should not only focus on what needs to be created or innovated, but also return to the cultural matrix and search for prototypes in order to achieve maximum communication efficiency at the lowest cost.This should be the basic knowledge of marketing communication, and more importantly, it should be the basic method of brand graphic design.
2、 Privatization transformation of brand graphics
When a suitable graphic prototype is discovered, the next step is to privatize and ultimately achieve the goal of "possession", making it a brand specific graphic.Telling stories is an essential characteristic of human existence and also the most basic way of survival for humanity.Based on this, the supersymbol theory advocates for the privatization and transformation of brand graphics. On the one hand, it is a design transformation of brand graphics, and obtains exclusive possession and use from a legal perspective;On the other hand, it is necessary to create the ability to tell stories for brand graphics, so that they have strong symbolic and communication potential.The transformation in the sense of design is only a basic requirement for privatization transformation. Empowering brand graphics with the potential to tell stories is the key to privatization transformation.
We believe that there is never pure originality, and design is just organizational weaving. The most direct method is to change the proportion of the prototype, amplify certain local features, and make people feel very familiar, that is, symbols that people already remember, familiar, and like, while also making people feel somewhat unfamiliar, activating the knowledge and experience stored in people's memory.
Human interpretation of many things is actually based on self imagination of unknown plots, reflecting one's own desires and emotions, often unrelated to truth and truth.The characteristics of brand graphics guide consumers to activate the brain boosting mode, activate their imaginative imagination, and involve them in the brand communication process, thereby transforming the symbolic potential and communication potential of brand graphics into the actual communication and influence of the brand.
3、 The ceremonial presentation of brand graphicsThe privatization transformation of brand graphics, in addition to requisitioning and occupying image resources, actually also needs to consider the presentation of brand graphics in the later stage of marketing and communication process.The prominent feature of ritualistic presentation is performance, which can be discussed from three aspects: the personification of brand graphics, the prop style, and the action style.
1. Personalization
The so-called personification of brand graphics means fully considering the possibility of transforming brand graphics into ceremonial characters, thus laying a good foundation for brand ceremonial communication.These personalized brand graphics are brand characters. Brand characters naturally carry the prototype of their characters, making it easier to transform into tangible and approachable characters.As a contemporary relic of human totem worship, mascots widely exist in the social and cultural life of various countries and regions.Mascots can play an important role in brand ceremonial communication and become an important source of brand identity.For example, the small sunflower image of Sunflower Pharmaceutical has the ability to be ritualized and disseminated.It does not require a detailed explanation of the brand or product information. As long as it appears and calls out "Little Sunflower Mom's Classroom Begins", it is enough to awaken mothers' attention and trust in Little Sunflower: wherever there is Little Sunflower, there are trustworthy children's medicines.
2. Propization
The props referred to here mainly refer to objects with physical properties.There are too many types of objects in rituals, and different rituals require different types of props. Even the same type of props have different specific styles.Innovating every prop to privatize them is clearly an impossible task.Is there a strategic tool to privatize and transform these complex props, in order to occupy them all at once? More importantly, can these props create a brand specific sense of ceremony through this strategic tool?Of course, this strategic tool is the brand pattern.The reason why it is called strategic is because it not only has strong visual impact and coercion, but also can transform all objects into private props through repetitive, identical, and array visual forms, creating a grand sense of ceremony and releasing huge psychological and social energy.For example, the ripples in Putian Restaurant and the red squares in Xibei Restaurant
The brand pattern is suitable for all props, making comprehensive media possible.The reason why the brand pattern clearly expresses lace is because it has strong adaptability. Whether it is small props (such as product packaging, meal signs, meal boxes, small gifts, small cards, aprons, etc.), or large props (such as dining tables, restaurant decoration, door signs, lightboxes, trucks, etc.), brand patterns can be flexibly applied.Fragments or fragments of brand patterns are enough to create a ceremonial communication arena for the brand.Among all brand graphics, brand patterns have the highest level of recognizability.This is not only because it has a strong visual impact and coercion as a simple graphic, which easily forms the sense of order required for rituals;Moreover, even if it is torn into pieces, it has extremely high recognizability, enough to make consumers use them as brand specific and exclusive props at a glance, thus perceiving the existence of brand dojo.
3. Actification
The movable nature of brand graphics actually refers to the possibility of transforming them into iconic actions, making the ceremonial dissemination of the brand possible.Once certain actions solidify due to continuous repetition, they become what we call iconic actions here.These iconic actions not only express special meanings, but also often have a strong sense of performance and ritual. More importantly, they can trigger imitation, thus becoming a reproductive and infectious spreading activity.When designing brand graphics, it is possible to consider reserving the possibility of converting them into iconic actions, so that the brand graphics are not only visible, but also experiential and imitative.
Principle level design methods for brand graphicsThe principle level design method for brand graphics is splicing.There are three common techniques for splicing, namely assembly, stacking, and grafting.
1. AssemblyThe so-called assembly is the process of combining several image elements as accessories to form a new shape.After millions of years of evolution and development, humans have formed numerous classic images, which have accumulated in human cultural memory and become image resources for brand marketing and communication.As long as these images are found and assembled as prefabricated components, brand graphics can stand out in the ocean of information, allowing consumers to unconsciously complete cognition and understanding, and stimulating their subconscious sense of familiarity and familiarity.For example, the image of Snow King in Honey Snow Ice City is the result of prefabricated assembly.These three prefabricated components specifically refer to: snowman, scepter, and crown.These three things are all familiar to everyone, assembled together, instantly stimulating the collective subconscious of the audience, allowing Snow King to be cherished by countless people from birth.
2. OverlayOverlay refers to combining image elements together to present the original image in a superimposed state.In fact, superimposition is also a combination of image prefabricated components, but the image formed by superimposition often presents a visual "bottom transformation".For example, the brand image of Zulijian elderly shoes is formed by a combination of an elderly person wearing a gentleman's hat, holding a cane, walking forward with great strides, and a red triangle as the base image.From a distance, what often catches the eye are red triangles, which can make the brand image stand out from the noisy streets;From a close perspective, the image of the elderly jumps out of the red triangle and becomes the visual center.
3. GraftingThe so-called grafting is the fusion of different image elements together to form an inseparable whole.The new image still retains the characteristics of the two original shapes, allowing for the simultaneous expression of their respective meanings.For example, the brand image of Xianfeng Fruit is an apple+an emoji with eyes full of love and drooling.For fruit shops, apple graphics have uniqueness and authority.The emoji with love in its eyes and drooling expresses a strong emotion of being super delicious and wanting to eat.When these two graphics are grafted together, a brand graphic with strong signal energy is created, which can express the category characteristics of Xianfeng fruits and also indicate that the fruits are fresh and sweet, delicious enough to make your mouth water.In short, images serve brand strategy, serve brand marketing communication, and take marketing communication efficiency as the fundamental standard.The essence of design is the weaving of symbols based on image prefabricated components.
Finally, we would like to use a familiar advertising slogan to express the image proposition of the supersymbol theory, which is:We don't produce products, we are just weavers.
