Brand Design Packages: Why, How & How Much

So, you’re thinking about a brand design package? Maybe you’ve heard the term tossed around in a meeting, or in a list of must-haves for building your brand. 

But, what is a brand design package, really? And why does everyone keep saying you need one?

Think of it like this: building a brand without a design package is like throwing a party with no decorations, no music, and a mystery dress code. Awkward, right? A brand design package is here to make sure your brand doesn’t just exist but actually leaves a lasting impression on your target audience.

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What is a Brand Design Package?

Think of a brand design package as your brand’s go-to wardrobe and toolkit—one that’s styled, curated, and ready to make a memorable entrance at every event.

It’s a set of digital and physical resources designed to establish your brand’s image, giving it a polished look and feel that’s recognizable wherever it goes, from your website to social media, and beyond. 

What makes a brand design package so valuable? It’s the consistency. Each piece works together like pieces of a puzzle, showing up the same way each time. And this familiarity isn’t just about looking good; it builds trust. In fact, studies show that 82% of people prefer brands that feel familiar and reliable.

What’s included in a branding package?

What exactly is in this magical branding kit concoction? Well, depending on who you ask, it could include a huge number of things, but the bare minimum usually consists of just two things: a logo and a style guide.

Don’t worry, we’ll cover a few of the other elements that could be included. But, for now, let’s dissect the first two. Let’s start with making the logo.

Logos

Yes, logos. Plural. Your logo is an extension of your brand, almost like a business card. It should be well thought out and crafted with every tiny little detail in mine. Color palette, typography, font size, the works.

The logo is often the first asset finalized in a brand design package because it sets the tone for the rest of the elements. That’s how important it is. So important that you should receive a selection of concepts. 

Take the famous example from Pentagram, who designed the Slack logo, for example.

Here, you have Slack’s primary logo in multiple different variations. They may all look very similar, but they all bring a little something different while capturing the same essence. It’s about capturing the right capturing the right vibe and giving the brand avenues to make decisions based on what they feel suits them best.

And here, you can see the primary Pentagram playing around with some variations of the primary logo with typography and some color palettes. 

So when it comes to just the logo design portion of your logo and branding package, you should expect the following:

• 5 or so logo concepts
• A primary logo that sets the standard
• Several logo variations based on the primary design (e.g. monochrome version, or a pictorial mark)
• A logo guide that explains its applications (Example below)

Style Guide

The key to a powerful brand is consistency. Spread across multiple employees, departments, and maybe even locations, this can be tough. That’s where a style guide comes into play.

Brand style guides—also known as brand guidelines or a branding standards document—sets the visual tone for your brand across your website, ads, and any other marketing materials. Think of it as your brand’s instruction manual, outlining how your brand should (and shouldn’t) appear.

These guidelines also make it easy for designers, marketers, developers, and community managers to work together, keeping your brand presentation unified and aligned across all channels.

In essence, your style guide should be able to tell anyone and everyone who looks at it everything they need to know to represent your brand. This should include:

• Brand Positioning - A clear statement that reflects your brand’s vision, mission, and core values.
• Logo Guidelines - A breakdown of each logo element and instructions on proper usage.
• Color Palette - The official brand colors that give your identity consistency and character.
• Typography - Specifications on typefaces, sizes, and styles for consistent text presentation.
• Photography - Examples of images that capture your brand’s tone, style, and visual approach.
• Iconography - A guide to any icons used, outlining how they enhance your brand’s identity.
• Brand Collaterals - A list of all branded materials—like presentations and letterheads—where your visual identity will be applied.

Here are some snippets of examples from brands that you’re probably familiar with:

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Other Branded Assets That You Might Want to Consider

For the most part, logos and style guides are the only things that will come in a branding kit package. But, there are some additional assets that are perfect candidates for a little brand makeup. 

The next time you go in for a brand identity package, consider requesting a few of the following add-ons.

1. Presentation templates

Whether it’s an internal meeting, an industry event, or an investor call, a good, branded presentation makes quite the statement. 

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One big perk of adding presentation templates to your brand design package? Your design team already knows your brand guidelines inside and out, so you’ll get templates that align perfectly with your brand and they’ll be ready to go even faster.

2. Email templates

Whether they’re for day-to-day communication or special marketing campaigns, your emails are part of how people experience your brand. Including these in your brand design package keeps your brand consistent, polished, and always recognizable. It’s like sending a little bit of your brand’s personality with every message.

When designing your email templates, make sure your style guide is in your designer’s hands. That way, they can use your brand’s logo, colors, typography, icons, and other branding elements to create something that feels just right. You’ll usually receive a few design options to choose from, so you can pick the one that best captures your brand’s vibe and voice.

3. Business Cards

While some may think that business card design is a thing of the past, it is still an effective marketing tool. They’re easy to hand out and will stay with the recipient long after an ad banner has gone. It’s essential to keep the business card structure clean and simple as your designer will be working with a small space. 

Let your design partner know all the information you need to put on your business cards, and ask them to reference the freshly-made style guide. 

4. Social media graphics

Templates and social media graphics for all your platforms are a smart move. They help ensure that your marketing campaigns and strategies align perfectly with your brand identity. Start by identifying the platforms you’ll use, then work with your design partner to create templates and other essential design assets.

Your designer will have your style guide, but be ready to provide more details about your campaigns and answer any questions they might have. 

5. Printable assets

Technically, everything is printable. But here, we’re talking about the assets that are traditionally handed out and best utilized on good old-fashioned paper. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Brochures  
• Flyers  
• Event branding  
• Media Kits  
• Letterheads  
• Thank You cards (or any cards, for that matter) 
• Packaging designs  
• Signage ideas  
• Envelopes  

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These 5 are just a few ideas, and there are plenty more where they came from. The idea here is that while you’re seeking professional help with your brand identity packages, you cover all the bases as they align with your unique brand.

Top 3 Options for Brand Design Packages

Choosing the right branding design package can feel like standing at a crossroads. With so many options out there, how do you decide what’s best for your business? 

Well, there are 3 basic options: hiring a freelance designer, collaborating with a design agency, or tapping into on-demand graphic design services.

To make this decision a little easier, let’s talk about the major differences between these three and give a little bit of insight into the brand identity design package pricing.

Hiring a freelancer

Pretty much in any niche, freelancers are one of the most popular options. In theory, they’re easy to find, contract, and cut ties with once the job is done. But, is it really worth it? 

We talked about the upsides, but one of the biggest concerns with hiring freelancers is that you really never know what you’re going to get, and it’s reflected in a lot of their pricing.

For example, just poking around a bit on Fiverr, you’ll find brand identity design package pricingas low as 190€. Move over to Behance, and a branding package costs upwards of $7,500. 

The cheaper package, designed only for logo usage guidelines, color palette, and typography guidelines, has a 5-day delivery time. 

On the other hand, the $7,500 package includes everything we talked about above and more. We’re talking about brand strategy, logo concepts, stationary, and more. But, it has a delivery time of 1 month.

Hiring a design agency

Design agencies are organized, fast, and provide incredibly high-quality work that is sure to wow anyone. But, it all comes at a cost.

A package from a big agency is likely going to cost upwards of $10,000. Brand identity design package pricing for work as we mentioned with Slack above could very easily cost upwards of 6-figures. It simply is not ideal for small business branding.

Hiring on-demand graphic design services

Freelancers aren’t super reliable or consistent, and big agencies are very, very (very) expensive. What’s the compromise here? The answer is on-demand graphic design services.

Companies like ManyPixels provide a subscription-based service that doesn’t require a huge financial commitment but still provides all the structure and quality that a large agency does. 

Starting at just $549 per month, you get access to unlimited design requests with a 1-2 day delivery time. Professionals craft your branding design package step-by-step, and you don’t have to break the bank to do it.

Conclusion

As you navigate the options for your brand design package, remember that each choice has its unique strengths. Whether you decide to work with a freelance designer, collaborate with a design agency for a comprehensive approach, or opt for the efficiency of on-demand graphic design that combines the best of both worlds, the key is to find what fits your needs best.

No matter which path you choose, investing in a solid brand design package is a crucial step in building a memorable and cohesive brand identity. So go ahead—embrace the journey, and let your brand shine.