Developing a Brand Design Palette

From building brand recognition through consistent color choices to styling cohesive product photos, design decisions shape the associations people have when interacting with your business. Establishing a brand design palette provides a reference guide for all of the digital and print assets that your business needs. Informed by your brand promise, clear aesthetic guidelines will help you connect with your target market and illustrate the personality and values of your shop.

To get started, decide what story and style you want your business to convey to your target market. Jot down a few words to describe the personality of your shop, referencing your notes from the 20/10/4 exercise in Chapter 1. When you’re able to succinctly explain the distinctive style of your business, you're ready to reflect that branded identity across the following components of your design palette:

Pro tip: Adobe Express makes designing beautiful marketing materials and editing your photos and videos super simple. Plus, you can choose from thousands of professionally designed templates, so making social media content or branded graphics for your shop is quick and easy. Want to try it out? Etsy shop owners can get a three-month Adobe Express Premium plan trial.*

Colors

Think about the tones and color combinations that evoke the personality of your brand. What positive visual associations can you channel to capture the attention of your target market? Identify two to five complementary hues as the basis for your visual storytelling. For more inspiration, check out Choosing The Perfect Color Palette.

Fonts

Tackling typography can be daunting, but the fundamentals are relatively simple. Clear communication should always be the primary goal, supported by consistent font combinations that reflect your brand persona. Serif fonts like Times New Roman are classic and easy to read, while script and decorative fonts offer stylized embellishments. As you explore your options, think about the outlets where font combinations will appear, including your logo, product packaging, marketing materials, website, and beyond. Explore a variety of options in Choosing the Right Fonts.

Photography

Shoppers make assumptions about your business based on what they see in your photos, so it’s important your images reflect the larger identity of your brand. Photos should echo your color palette and style aesthetic through cohesive backgrounds, thoughtful styling, and high-quality images. After all, a blurry or poorly lit product shot does little to illustrate the quality and care you put into your business. While the background and styling of your photos doesn’t need to be the same in every image, strive for a collection that’s cohesive and complementary through similar tones and themes. Read How to Style Product Photos for more on incorporating props, models, and seasonal touches.

Once you've established the colors, fonts, and photography style of your palette, it's time to apply those decisions throughout your shop.