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Recognizing good design: 5 questions for effective branding

Recognizing good design: 5 questions for effective branding

How can I actually recognize a good design?

Hey Brand fan,

"Looks nice" is a nice comment - but not feedback.
Good design is not a mood board that you like. It is a tool.
It explains. It guides. It triggers something.

But how do you recognize good design - if you're not a designer?

Example of good design and visual communication

✅ 5 questions to help you recognize good design:

1️⃣ Do I understand what it's all about at first glance?
→ If I don't know what you're doing, even the best packaging won't do me any good.

2️⃣ Does the look and feel match the brand positioning?
→ Does it look like what you promise? Or is it just trendy?

3️⃣ Does it work at different touchpoints?
→ Website, Insta, packaging - a good design lasts everywhere

4️⃣ Does the design have a clear hierarchy?
→ Is there a focal point? Or does everything scream at the same time?

5️⃣ Is it recognizable?
→ If your Insta feed looks like a third-party account - no Brand here.

Example of effective branding with a clear visual identity

💡 Example GOOD: HAY (Hay Design)

Branding for interior objects - calm, clear, minimalist.
What do you get?

 👉 Clear product staging
👉 Typo & colors that feel like an extension of the product
👉 Consistency across store, packaging, Insta & newsletter

The result: even without a logo, you can tell: this is HAY.
Design that doesn't just look good - it works.

Example of ineffective branding without a clear visual identity

💡 Example BAD: Random beverage brand #937

Trendy cans, lots of neon, generic name, 3 typos and a copy text that says nothing.

🚫 A completely different vibe in the webshop than on Insta.
🚫 On the can: "For the bold ones."
🚫 But there's nothing bold here - except that nobody knows what it's about.

Result: Looks like 10 others. Feels like nothing.

🧠 What you can take with you:

✨ Good design is like an elevator pitch without words.
✨ You can recognize it by how clear it looks - not how fancy.
✨ Ask yourself with every design: Does it make my product easier to understand, more desirable, more trustworthy?

If no - then you have no fire.
Then you only have colors on one surface.

🏁 Conclusion

Design is not decoration.

It is brand management at first glance. It's meant to sell.
And you don't need a degree in typography to recognize whether your visual identity works.

Just the right questions - and a little honesty.
Until next week - stay smart, stay clear, stay you.

Chantalle

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