What is a 'Brand Pattern'?

In this post we'll cover:

1. What is a brand pattern

2. How can you use a brand pattern

3. What types of brand patterns are there (with examples!)

When we first started building illustrations as a core element of our branding, we heavily relied on custom illustrations. We'd create characters, scenes, settings, and scenarios. Though we still love creating these illustrations, most of our clients can only afford a few.

The question internally became, how can we incorporate more brand elements at a lower cost and provide more customization in the short run?

One solution is what we call a 'Brand Pattern'.

A brand pattern is a repeated illustration that can be used in different proportions and for different assets. Unlike illustrations set to a specific dimension and use case (e.g. social media post or website header), a brand pattern is designed to be versatile. You can imagine your brand pattern as your most flexible friend.

Brand Pattern Example Use Cases:

• Facebook or LinkedIn Header

• Banner on your website

• Element in a social media post

• Added to sales material such as brochures

• Customized tissue paper

• Postcards

The list goes on and on. Couple this flexibility with the fact that each brand pattern can come in a variety of color combinations, and you can see how brand patterns can be such a bang for your buck.

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We have three general categories of brand patterns.

1. Collage Patterns

2. Texture Patterns

3. Elemental Patterns

Collage Patterns - With collage patterns, we create or use an asset from the logo or an illustration and create a repeatable collage style. Think of this as your wrapping paper pattern. There is a base design that is repeated indefinitely to fit the final asset.

This collage style pattern we created for Allocated Specialties and was used to create custom tissue paper.

Texture Patterns - As opposed to collage patterns that use existing elements to create a pattern, texture patterns are created with the explicit point of adding depth to a visual identity. These patterns can range from more traditional patterns such as stripes to fully abstracted elements.

Here is simple texture pattern that we create for SmartStart which we used to create a LinkedIn Banner.

Elemental Patterns - Elemental patterns are slightly different because they are repeated elements that are incorporated into designs for added branding as opposed to a set, repeatable asset. These patterns are closely related to icons but instead of providing additional context or information, they provide additional branding opportunities.

The flowers and stars are an example of elemental patterns that we made for Purple Door Pilates. These stars and flower elements can be found in all sorts of their marketing materials.

Now, a brand pattern isn't a simple substitution for a fully designed and developed brand identity. However, it is an example of non-traditional illustration that we love to offer clients, especially when we know there will be a lot of early social media and printed marketing materials.