Whether we’re conceptualizing a brand-new startup or rebranding an established business, we utilize mood boarding in our Brand Development Experience to lay down the foundation. The mood board acts as a guiding tool when it comes to exploring the brand’s personality, finding the brand voice, and defining the visual direction.
So, yeah, we’re a pretty big fan here at The Brand Brew™.
>> Real mood boards, from real clients.
What is a Mood Board?
Taking the form of a digital collage, mood boards are a collection of inspirational assets.
If you’re getting flashbacks to middle school art class, you’re not far off.
The mood board allows our creative team to accurately share the vision we have created for the overall direction, look, and feel of the brand identity. It enables us to get on the same page as the client strategically before we fully dive into the design process.
Anatomy of Our Mood Board
Colours
One of the most crucial aspects of your brand identity is your colour palette. The mood board is a great place to experiment with hues through swatches and other design elements.
Images and Texture Images are a great way to add some personality to the mood board. In addition to photos, we may also add illustrations, patterns, or even just simple shapes. Visuals could include inspirational stock photography, product images, packaging ideas, or even an early-stage logomark concept.
Typography Typography is another significant aspect of your brand identity. On the mood board, we experiment with different types of combinations and see how they work together in the form of general styles or specific fonts.
Words and Phrases In addition to visual elements, words are also incorporated into the mood board. This could be a potential mission statement, a significant quote, a trial-run tagline, or just a few keywords that describe the brand. By including words we can start to get a feel for the overall tone of voice.
After we’ve brewed up a solid brand strategy with a mood board to match, we present it to the client with our thoughts to articulate the vision. We take care to explain the colour psychology, shape theory, and typography perspectives to give context to the elements they see on the mood board.
Every choice is made to support the brand goals, and it’s our job to make sure there’s a fluid understanding of how the presented assets intend to work together. We love watching a client get that twinkle in their eye when they see a mood board that captures the essence of their brand just so.
>> More mood boards, from real clients.
Why the Mood Board is Essential to Our Strategic Process
Provides inspiration and a clear vision: A mood board helps new ideas come to life and inspires concepts that may not have been otherwise considered. It enables us to visually articulate the vision and for clients to see their brand realized for the very first time. This visual representation keeps everyone on the same page and collaborating toward the same goals.
Streamlines the design strategy: Creating a mood board in the early stages of the branding process means that the barrier to entering the concept stage is lowered since a lot of the strategy work has already been accomplished. The established visual direction of the mood board helps simplify the branding process and pave the way for future marketing campaigns.
Creates a consistent visual identity: A mood board acts as a guide and helps keep us focused, providing a visual direction that all parties can refer back to. It allows us to navigate future design decisions with ease and make sure that all choices stay cohesive and faithful to the brand's message and personality.
From just an abstract idea all the way to a fully-fledged brand that’s ready to make its mark, a mood board works to inspire the process. It allows creativity to flow and ensures that all decisions stay true to the essence of the brand.
You can think of a mood board as the North Star of the branding process. Whether you’re here with us in Waterdown, ON or somewhere else on the globe, the mood board is there to guide you along the right path!
Note: Our Brand Style Guide includes a reference to the mood board, encouraging clients to utilize it as a tool when selecting imagery, creating graphics, or making any other decisions that could affect brand consistency.
Does your business need a brand facelift? Check out our Launch Showcase for how
real-life mood boards have transformed into full-brewed brands!
If you are ready to build a brand that will leave a legacy, contact The Brand Brew™ to book a discovery call.