An excerpt from Make Your Pig Fly (Before It Dies...

) By Karl Mizen

THE (ULTIMATE)
BLUEPRINT
Master Brand Identity with this simple, yet comprehensive blueprint. This document is packed with
essential knowledge to help you build your own EPIC brand!

All this, and many more INSIDER SECRETS can be found in: Make Your Pig Fly (Before It Dies...)
Order your copy today at https://www.karlmizen.com/book

WHAT BUILDS BRAND IDENTITY?

TANGIBLE INTANGIBLE

Logo Brand Story

Typography Culture & Values
Colour Palette Brand Vision Statement
Brand Style Mission Statement
Touchpoints Identity Brand Character
Advertising vs Brand Voice
Marketing* Brand Message
Brand Position
Brand Strategy

LOGO
A logo is an essential part of your brand. Its typically the most recognisable and memorable
element of your identity. There are 5 Logotypes to choose from...
WORDMARK
A Wordmark is a logo that focuses solely on the brand's name, relying on clever typography to
create a distinctive look. This is a good option if you have an unconventional brand name (like
Disney) or a short name (like Vans).

LETTERMARK
A Lettermark is like a shorthand version of a brands name, with a punch! It's solely composed of
initials. Generally, its an acronym used if the name is too long. It often includes a distinctive
typographic element to make it more memorable (like ESPN). Also referred to as a Monogram.

BRANDMARK
A Brandmark is a visual representation of a brand's identity that can stand on its own or work in
perfect harmony with the brand name. The goal of a Brandmark is to be instantly recognisable
and unforgettable. Also referred to as a Combination Mark.

There are 2 types of Brandmark available:

PICTORIAL - A simplified and stylised image of something real, with a strong visual connection
to the brand.

ABSTRACT - Like a work of modern art for your brand! It’s a thought-provoking symbol that
represents your big idea in a totally unique way. Its a daring approach to stand out from the
crowd! The ultimate risk vs reward in logo design.

EMBLEM
An Emblem logo is the ultimate fusion of name and image. It’s a mark where the brand name and
pictorial elements appear as one. The elements can often be used independently but the recog-
nised logo is a combination of it all.

MASCOT (OR AVATAR)

A Mascot (or Avatar) is like having a heroic sidekick for your brand. Its a character-based
representation of your brand, almost like a caricature. It captures the brands personality in a
fun and memorable way, making the mascot a relatable and trustworthy ally for your customers.

6 EPIC LOGO DESIGN PRINCIPLES

 Keep it simple. Focus on having 1, maybe 2, key distinguishing features in your
logo. Any more than that is often ineffective and counter-productive.

Your logo needs to be relevant to your brand, your industry and your
customer. You want it to stand out against competitors but still feel like it
belongs in the market. Make it appropriate for what your business represents.

Epic logos have a strong narrative. They give a logo a deeper meaning, making
them more than just a symbol. How does it connect to your Brand Story?

Making a logo adaptable means considering where and how it will be used. It
needs to be versatile enough for multiple applications. Always consider the
horizontal and vertical orientation at different touchpoints.

The goal of creating something distinctive, is to make it recognisable. Work

in black and white (ignoring colour) at first, this forces you to refine the
shape and form until its in its purest possible form.

We live in a growing digital landscape and your identity is going to be experi-

enced through small screens as well as large signage. Develop your logo to be
recognisable in both smaller and larger applications, size really does matter.

TYPOGRAPHY
Typography is the selection and arrangement of typefaces (fonts), font sizes, and font styles
that are used in a brands identity. They help communicate a brands personality, values and voice
through the visual representation of text. There are 4 Classifications of font:

A SERIF FONT
A Serif is a small line or stroke added to a letter. A serif font is commonly used in print media for
its readability, and in logos for a sense of authority and tradition.

A SANS-SERIF FONT
Sans”in Latin basically means to be without. Thats exactly what a Sans-serif font is. A font
without any serifs or extending features added to the letters. They are often used for their
clean, modern look and are popular in digital media and advertising.

A Script Font
A Script Font (or Cursive) mimics handwriting. It can be like smooth, flowing calligraphy or edgy
brushstrokes you might see annotating an urban landscape. They are used for their decorative
and elegant appearance but can be difficult to read in longer passages of text.

A Decorative Font
A Decorative Font is everything above, below and in between. They are packed with creative
expression and personality. They often have unusual shapes, colours and textures to convey a
particular mood or style. Commonly used in print, but are not suitable for long passages of text.
 HOW TO PAIR FONTS
THE FORMULA FOR EPIC FONT COMBINATIONS:
Character Attribute x Shape Contrast x Brand Aesthetic

Fonts should communicate a personality trait of your brand. They should differ in shape from
one another so they create a strong contrast (possibly a different font classification that
shares some similar attributes), and they must align with your brands style (or aesthetic).

COLOUR PALETTE
A well-designed colour palette can help a brand establish an original and consistent visual identity
appealing to its target audience and can provide distinction in the market against competitors.

REFER TO MY COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY CHEATSHEET AT:

https://www.karlmizen.com (SIGN UP)

HOW TO SELECT YOUR BRAND COLOURS: MY 3-STEP PROCESS

1. RESEARCH YOUR COMPETITORS

Discover what colours are being used by your top competitors. Identify and catalogue the most
widely used colours across the board. Your goal is to differentiate yourself in the market.

2. SELECT COLOURS YOU LIKE BEST & DEFINE WHY THEY ARE IMPOR-
TANT TO THE PERCEPTION OF YOUR BRAND
Following the guidance on my colour psychology cheatsheet... Decide which colours would achieve
the feeling you would like your brand to convey. Create multiple swatches, each swatch should
contain no less than 3 and no more than 5 colours. It’s good practice to have a lighter and
darker hue of a primary colour to build depth, a neutral colour for contrast, and a colour that
pops to give it energy and attract attention.

Explore colour palette ideas at https://www.coolers.co

3. DETERMINE WHAT COLOURS WILL HAVE THE MOST DESIRED IMPACT

ON YOUR CUSTOMERS
Make educated decisions on which colours will be most effective. This is useful for ruling-out
colours that might hurt your customer perception. For example, if your customer base is all male,
its a good decision to strike off pink or purple from your palette. Select 1 to 3 Primary colours
and 1 or 2 Secondary (or supporting) colours.
 CREATE YOUR BRAND STYLE
Brand styling is the art of combining your visual elements in a way that is unique to your brand
and your customer. It adds depth to your identity and brings out more of your brands personality.
Think of it as your brands aesthetic.

Use lookbooks & mood boards to create references for the look and feel you want your visual
identity to achieve.

Ask yourself these 4 questions to achieve a strong brand style:

1. What vibes with your customer?

2. What vibes with you?
3. What isn’t being used by your competitors?
4. Where do these overlap?

TOUCHPOINTS
Touchpoints refer to the physical and digital points of contact between your brand and your
audience. Your social media profiles, your website, your advertising material, your packaging,
and your physical stores are all examples of touchpoints where you will interact with your cus-
tomers. Managing each touchpoint effectively is critical to the impact your brand will have on
your audience.
Ensure you maintain a consistent brand identity across all of them and build a positive brand
experience when dealing directly with your customers. If you want an EPIC brand identity,
deliver the best version of your brand wherever and whenever a customer interacts with you.

ADVERTISING VS MARKETING
As creators and innovators in our field, its important we understand the difference between
ADVERTISING and MARKETING. Sometimes they get confused, so its useful to get familiar with
both concepts...
MARKETING IS THE BIG PICTURE STUFF - Its the art of creating strategies that communi-
cate your story. Its crafting a compelling narrative around your brand.
ADVERTISING IS THE SCIENCE OF GETTING PEOPLE TO LISTEN - It’s like a flashy neon sign
that screams “look at me”. It's the deliberate interactions you have with your audience and how
you tell your story at each touchpoint.

MARKETING = SHAPING THE NARRATIVE

ADVERTISING = TELLING THE STORY
 BUILD YOUR BRAND STORY
Your brand story is the badass tale of who you are, what you stand for, and why you do what
you do. Its the epic journey thats taken you from obscurity to glory, and what sets you apart
from all the other wannabes lurking around in your industry.

The trick to a good story is being able to align ourselves emotionally with our customers.

THE FORMULA FOR CRAFTING AN EPIC BRAND STORY:

Describe how you felt and why you started (Emotion). Followed by the challenges you faced and
how you dealt with them. The things that worked and the things that didn’t. Talking about your
failures also makes you sound more human (Experience). Then, your light-bulb moment when you
figured out the Solution. Talk about the impact it had in your life and how it is going to change
theirs.

Once you’ve nailed the story, bring it home by reinforcing it with some PROOF (testimonials).

BRAND CULTURE & VALUES

BRAND CULTURE is the vibe that permeates everything you do. It’s the way you think, act and
communicate - from your team to your products, to your marketing and customer service.

BRAND VALUES are the rock-solid principles that guide your every move. They define who you
are and what you stand for. They are the foundation upon which your brand is built. If this
description was to get spiritual - they fuel the‘soul’of your brand.

A QUICK METHOD FOR SHAPING YOUR BRAND VALUES:

1. BRAINSTORM - Sit down with your team and list values that you believe are important to
your brand.
2. REFINE - Narrow that list to 5-7 values that resonate most with your brand.
3. DEFINE - Write definitions for each, so that your team is clear on what each value means.
4. EMBRACE - Live your values. Incorporate them into everything you do and ensure they
remain relevant and impactful over time. Refresh, if needed.
 YOUR VISION STATEMENT
A VISION STATEMENT is like the epic quest that fuels your brand. Its the bold and daring
dream of where you want to go and what you want to achieve. The big-picture goal that moti-
vates you and your team. Aim for INSPIRATION, not EXPLANATION.

GET STARTED WITH THIS SIMPLE FRAMEWORK:

“WE WANT TO ____________ SO THAT [TARGET AUDIENCE] CAN ____________”.

As an example, here is Googles vision statement. See how it closely resembles this framework:

“WE WANT TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE WORLDS INFORMATION, IN ONE CLICK...”

YOUR MISSION STATEMENT

A MISSION STATEMENT is an action-based plan to execute your brands vision, aimed at your
team, customers and shareholders alike. It should be focused enough to be actionable, but broad
enough so its not limiting either.

GET STARTED WITH THIS SIMPLE FRAMEWORK:

“WE WILL USE OUR [PRODUCT/SERVICE] TO HELP OUR [TARGET AUDIENCE] TO

____________”.

As an example, here is Twitters mission statement. If it were plugged into this framework:

“WE WILL USE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS CREATE AND
SHARE IDEAS AND INFORMATION INSTANTLY, WITHOUT BARRIERS...”

BRAND CHARACTER
Your BRAND CHARACTER is like your brands personality and how you behave. Its a set of human
characteristics that are formed out of your core values and shape how you conduct yourself to
your audience.
It helps differentiate you from your competitors and helps build a strong emotional con-
nection with your customers. Be consistent and stay authentic.

USE MY ULTIMATE BRAND CHARACTER PROFILE:

https://www.karlmizen.com (SIGN UP)
 BRAND VOICE
Your BRAND VOICE conveys an overarching message about what your brand stands for and how
it behaves. Its the style, tone and language you develop to express your personality and values.

Through your written and spoken words, such as in advertising, social media and all major forms
of communication with your audience.

Shape your voice around your values, mission and target audience.

TIPS FOR BUILDING A POWERFUL BRAND VOICE:

BUILD YOUR BRAND MESSAGE

This is the overarching message you communicate to the market about who you are, why you
exist and how you are different from your competitors.

Its shown through your products as well as your verbal and non-verbal communication. Its the
inspiration and manifestation of your brand positioning.

USE MY CONTENT FUNNEL TRINITY FOR A STRONG BRAND MESSAGE:

TRY USING MY BRAND MESSAGE SUPER-SCRIPT TO CRAFT YOUR MESSAGE:

https://www.karlmizen.com (SIGN UP))
 BRAND POSITIONING
Positioning a brand is best described by Marty Neumeier as - ''identifying the space in the
market that you want to own in your customer's mind'' -”These guys can do x for me, better
than anyone else. The reason customers will think of you before your competitors.

TO HAVE A STRONG POSITION - differentiate your brand from your competition, be consist-
ent with your identity and remain honest and authentic with your offering.

The formula is simple: IDENTIFY YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION & WHAT YOU WANT TO BE
REMEMBERED FOR...

THE 3 ELEMENTS OF YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION:

1. THE BENEFITS OF YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE.

2. THE NEEDS OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE.
3. WHY YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE IS SUPERIOR TO YOUR COMPETITORS.

BRAND STRATEGY
Your brand strategy defines why your business exists, beyond any obvious financial gain. Its the
sum of all the ingredients within your identity that together form a recipe to help lead your
brand to success in the market.

An epic strategy establishes a rock-solid connection between who we are (WwA), who we serve”
(WwS) and our unique position in the market (PiM).

THE FORMULA FOR AN EPIC BRAND STRATEGY:

WwA x WwS x PiM

WwA: This is WHO WE ARE and why we exist. The combined sum of our Story, Values, Beliefs,
Personality & Visual Identity.

WwS: This is WHO WE SERVE. This is our customers or clients. This is the life blood of our
brand and we must learn how to attract and serve them effectively. This is how we reach them.

PiM: This is our POSITION IN THE MARKET. This is our value proposition and what we want to
be remembered for. This is how we grow our brand and build our community.

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