Welcome to the Board of Medical Examiners
– 2025 Academic Year Regular Meetings:
All meetings will be held at 6:00 p.m. at Finn Academy, 610 Lake Street, Elmira, NY unless otherwise noted.
Monday, August 12, 2024
Monday, September 9, 2024
Monday, October 7, 2024
Monday, November 4, 2024
Monday, December 9, 2024
Monday, January 13, 2025
Monday, February 10, 2025
Monday, March 10, 2025
Monday, April 7, 2025
Monday, July 14, 2025
Brand Board vs. Mood Board: What’s The Difference?
Both a brand board and a mood board are essential tools in branding and design, but they serve different purposes. A brand board is a detailed, finalized representation of a brand’s identity, ensuring visual consistency across all branded materials. It’s like a brand’s rulebook. On the other hand, a mood board is more about exploration and setting a tone, helping stakeholders visualize and feel the intended aesthetic or vibe of a project or brand in its early stages. Let’s dive into the differences:
A brand board serves as a visual summary of a brand’s identity. It presents a concise overview of the brand’s visual elements, maintaining brand consistency across all platforms and mediums.
A brand board typically includes:
Brand boards are often used internally and shared with external collaborators such as graphic designers, marketing teams, or web developers to ensure brand consistency. It acts as a reference guide for anyone creating content or materials for the brand.
A mood board is a collection of images, text, and other visual elements that convey a particular style, mood, or feeling. It’s often used in the early stages of brand development, project planning, or design work to establish a visual direction or aesthetic.
Mood boards can include:
Mood boards are often used during brainstorming sessions or early client meetings to determine a visual direction or to communicate a specific vibe or feel. It’s more about inspiration and less about final decisions.
What Is A Brand Board?
A brand board is a concise visual summary of a brand’s key elements, including logos, color palettes, and typography. A brand board ensures consistent representation across all marketing materials and serves as a quick reference guide to maintaining a cohesive brand identity.
Click the link to make a copy of this free brand board template (no email required).
Here’s an example of the Samantha Digital brand board:
#7: Other Graphic Elements
Include additional graphic elements like website headers, buttons, icons, and infographics that are frequently used. These should align with your overall brand style and include guidelines for their application. Consistent use of these elements across your website and marketing materials helps unify your brand’s visual presence.
Meeting Minutes – Board of Trustees
How To Create A Brand Board
To create a brand board, start by gathering all your brand assets. Everything should be on the table, from your primary logo to visual brand elements. If you’re not a designer, consider working with a graphic designer. They’ll provide brand board examples and insights into visual elements that resonate with your brand strategy.
While it might be tempting to take inspiration from other brands, ensure your brand board speaks authentically to your given brand identity and brand personality. Whether you’re creating a brand identity for a feminine brand or a tech startup, ensure every graphic element, from logo design to visual elements, aligns with your brand strategy.
For a step-by-step guide, check out this blog post: How To Create A Brand Board.
Tools to Create Your Brand Board
Here are some popular tools to create your brand board:
Adobe Illustrator: A vector graphics editor ideal for designing logos, icons, and intricate brand visuals and elements.
Adobe InDesign: Geared towards layout design, it’s great for assembling brand boards and brand style guides.
Canva: This user-friendly online tool offers free brand board templates and an intuitive design platform, making it accessible even for non-designers.
Figma: An online UI/UX design tool, it allows for collaborative design and is useful for creating digital-first brand boards.
Related: How to Create a Brand Board for Your Business
What Is The Purpose Of A Brand Board?
The purpose of a brand board is to serve as a visual guide that encapsulates a brand’s identity in a clear and cohesive manner. It is a reference point for businesses, designers, and marketers, ensuring a consistent brand across various platforms and marketing materials.
A brand board consolidates key visual elements such as logos, color palettes, typography, and other design assets to provide a snapshot of how the brand should be represented visually. This would not only maintain brand consistency but also enhance recognition and trustworthiness among consumers.
Whether launching a new campaign, designing a website, or creating social media content, referring to the brand board ensures that every piece of communication aligns with the core brand identity, reinforcing the brand’s message and values in the market.
What To Include In A Brand Board
The following should be included in your brand board:
Your primary logo is the centerpiece of your brand’s visual identity. It should be the most recognizable element, used consistently across all primary touchpoints, such as your website, business cards, and product packaging. Ensure that the logo is high-resolution and available in various formats (e.g., .png, .svg) for different applications.
Logo variations adapt your primary logo for different contexts and uses. This can include alternate layouts (e.g., horizontal vs. vertical), simplified versions, and submarks. These variations ensure your logo remains effective, whether it’s on a social media profile, a business card, or merchandise. Always include guidelines on when and where to use each variation.
Your color palette defines your brand’s visual tone. It typically includes primary and secondary colors, each with hex codes, RGB, and CMYK values. These colors should be chosen to evoke specific emotions and align with your brand personality, impacting everything from digital designs to printed materials. Ensure a balance between dominant and accent colors to maintain visual harmony. For inspiration on choosing a color palette for your own brand, here are some SD resources you can check out:
Brand fonts create typographic consistency across your materials. Include primary fonts for headings and secondary fonts for body text, specifying typefaces for different contexts such as print, web, and mobile. Outline usage rules, such as font sizes, weights, and styles, to ensure communication clarity and coherence.
Visual elements like patterns, textures, and icons enrich your brand’s aesthetic. Document specific styles that align with your brand’s personality, and provide examples of how these elements can be used in backgrounds, borders, and overlays. Consistent use of these elements helps reinforce brand identity and adds depth to your designs.
Curate a collection of images that embody your brand’s vibe. This includes lifestyle photos, product shots, and any imagery that conveys the desired look and feel of your brand. Ensure the style, lighting, and composition are consistent, and use photos that appeal to your target audience. Provide guidelines on photo editing and usage to maintain a cohesive visual style.
