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The Five Ws and an H

1:54 with Matt Yow

A good way to begin the brand process is to observe it through the lens of a journalist: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Establishing these circumstances as questions can help us develop an understanding of how to help our clients with their project.

Salt - by Matt Yow

Salt is an interrogative and exploratory essay that explores the brand identity design process. Salt takes an analytical look at the relationship between methodologies, quality, and value.

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    [MUSIC]

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    Hey guys, my name is Matt, and I'll be your teacher through this course.

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    I'm a proud graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design,

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    and I'm a brand identity designer at Focus Lab in Savannah, Georgia.

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    Check out my website at mattyow.com.

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    Design is my passion, and I especially love branding.

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    Brand identity has always intrigued me because

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    it is so often discussed and disagreed on.

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    It is so intellectual and contemplative

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    while also being very, emotional and irrational.

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    When building a house for instance, there is a

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    strict process, the floor plan, materials, measurements, so on.

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    Otherwise the building will fall, not fit it's

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    occupants or simply be uncomfortable to be in.

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    Branding is unique, however.

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    Designs can look amazing and we can, as designers,

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    drool over how beautiful a logo or branding system is.

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    But if the user base doesn't latch on, it's a failure.

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    The same can be said of ugly, poorly designed brand

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    images that somehow still retain consumers and continue to grow.

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    Just like you I'm still learning, so I wrote an essay on the branding process

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    to explore experiences and practices to try to hone my skills and better my work.

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    It's called Salt.

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    Check it out online.

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    And I've read books on design trying

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    to find a faultless brand identity design process.

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    So far I've only read very good books

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    that talk around it, rather than talk through it.

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    I'm learning there is not one design process, but with enough practice and

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    exercise we can create our best work by following formulas best suited to us.

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    A good way to begin this whole brand process

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    is to observe it through the lens of, a journalist.

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    Who, what, when, where, why and how.

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    Establishing these circumstances as questions

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    can help us develop an understanding.

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    Of how to help our clients with these projects, as well

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    as help us as designers inform our process and gauge its purpose.

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    I share the sentiments with Eddie Opara, partner and designer of Pentagram, when

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    he says, I wanna create a process that excites me as a person.

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