What is VI Design? How to Successfully Complete VI Design?

In today’s highly competitive business environment, shaping a corporate image has become one of the key factors for a brand’s success. As a core method for shaping corporate image, VI design is gaining increasing attention from enterprises. So, what exactly is VI design? And how can enterprises successfully complete an effective set of VI design? This article will provide you with a detailed explanation.

I. Definition and Core Connotation of VI Design

• Basic System: It includes core elements such as the corporate logo, standard fonts, standard colors, auxiliary colors, and combination specifications. It serves as the foundation and soul of the entire VI system.
• Application System: This involves applying the elements of the basic system to practical scenarios, such as office supplies, signs, packaging, advertisements, and employee uniforms, to form an all-round visual presentation.

The core value of VI design lies in conveying the enterprise’s individuality and enhancing brand recognition through a consistent visual language, thereby establishing a unique brand advantage in market competition.

II. Importance and Functions of VI Design

• Establishing brand recognition: In an era of information explosion, a unique visual image helps consumers quickly identify and remember the brand, improving the brand’s recognition in the market.
• Conveying corporate philosophy: VI design is not only a visual presentation but also a carrier of the enterprise’s philosophy and culture. It can convey the enterprise’s values and spiritual connotation to the public.
• Enhancing brand trust: A unified and professional visual image creates a sense of formality and credibility, which helps build consumers’ trust in the brand.
• Increasing brand value: Excellent VI design can enhance the overall image of the brand and increase the value of the brand’s intangible assets.
• Boosting market competition: A unique visual image helps the brand stand out in the fierce market competition and attract the target customer group.
• Strengthening internal cohesion: A unified visual image can also enhance employees’ sense of identity and belonging, improving the internal cohesion of the enterprise.

III. Key Steps to Successfully Complete VI Design

1. Preliminary Research and Positioning

• Gaining an in-depth understanding of the enterprise’s history, culture, philosophy, vision, and values.
• Analyzing the characteristics and advantages of the enterprise’s products or services.
• Studying the characteristics and needs of the target customer group.
• Investigating the VI design and brand strategies of competitors.
• Clarifying the goals and expected effects of the VI design.

Comprehensive research lays a solid foundation for VI design and ensures the correctness of the design direction.

2. Defining Design Strategy and Style

• Determining the overall tone of the design (e.g., professional, innovative, approachable, high-end) according to the enterprise’s positioning.
• Clarifying the core information that the design needs to convey.
• Defining the design style (e.g., minimalist and modern, classic and stable, lively and fashionable).
• Formulating the basic principles and guiding ideology of the design.

This step provides a clear direction and guidelines for the subsequent specific design work.

3. Designing and Polishing Core Elements

• Logo design: The logo is the core visual symbol of the brand. It should be concise, clear, unique, and easy to remember, and accurately convey the brand’s characteristics. During the design process, it is necessary to consider the adaptability of the logo in different scenarios, including black-and-white versions and different proportions.
• Standard font design: This includes the standard fonts for the enterprise name and brand name. They should be consistent with the style of the logo and have good readability and recognition.
• Standard color setting: Select colors that reflect the enterprise’s individuality and industry characteristics as standard colors, and at the same time determine the auxiliary color system to form a complete color system.
• Formulating combination specifications: Clarify the combination methods and taboos of elements such as logos, standard fonts, and graphics to ensure the consistency of visual presentation.

The design of core elements often requires multiple rounds of revision and optimization before finalization.

4. Expanding Design of the Application System

• Office supplies: Business cards, envelopes, letterheads, file folders, etc.
• Environmental signage: Store signs, direction signs, office layout, etc.
• Promotional materials: Posters, picture albums, brochures, advertisements, etc.
• Product packaging: Packaging boxes, labels, instruction manuals, etc.
• Digital media: Websites, social media avatars, APP interfaces, etc.
• Employee image: Employee badges, work uniforms, etc.

The design of the application system needs to consider the characteristics and usage scenarios of different carriers to ensure that the core elements are presented consistently and effectively in various situations.

5. Compiling the VI Manual and Specifications

• Clarifying the standards and usage methods of various design elements.
• Specifying design specifications for different application scenarios.
• Explaining the taboos and precautions of the design.
• Providing examples of practical applications.

The VI manual serves as a guide for the correct use of the VI system by both internal personnel of the enterprise and external partners, and is crucial for maintaining the consistency of the brand image.

6. Implementation, Promotion, and Continuous Optimization

• Formulating a promotion plan and timeline for the VI system.
• Conducting training for employees on the use of the VI system.
• Testing the effectiveness of the VI design in practical applications.
• Making appropriate adjustments and optimizations to the VI system based on market feedback and the enterprise’s development.

As the enterprise develops and the market environment changes, the VI system also needs to keep pace with the times and be continuously improved.

IV. Key Points to Note in the VI Design Process

• Maintaining consistency: Consistency is the core principle of VI design. All visual elements and application scenarios should follow unified specifications to avoid confusion and inconsistency.
• Emphasizing uniqueness: In market competition, uniqueness is the key to attracting attention. VI design should avoid being similar to competitors and form its own characteristics.
• Considering practicality: Design should not only be aesthetically pleasing but also practical. It is necessary to consider the feasibility, cost, and effect in practical applications.
• Balancing flexibility: While maintaining consistency, a certain degree of flexibility should also be maintained to adapt to changes in different scenarios and needs.
• Promoting team collaboration: VI design is a systematic project that requires close cooperation between various internal departments of the enterprise, the design team, and external partners.
• Adopting a long-term perspective: VI design should focus on the long-term development of the enterprise and avoid excessive pursuit of short-term trends, which may lead to frequent replacements.
• Seeking professional support: For most enterprises, seeking help from professional design agencies is an important guarantee for ensuring the quality of VI design. Professional teams have rich experience and professional knowledge, enabling them to better grasp the design direction and quality.

In this visual age, investing in professional VI design can not only enhance the enterprise’s market competitiveness but also lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of the brand. It is hoped that this article can provide useful references and insights for enterprises that are considering or undergoing VI design.

About Hauns 

Hauns is a creative strategic thinking to import brand growth of the consulting company, we have a broad international perspective, to import brand within the creative strategic thinking, through the research analysis, strategic positioning, brand design and other professional core ability, build a complete brand system from inside to outside, with professional services for the brand, Help enterprises to achieve real brand growth, brand recognition image of a new look!