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Brand Identity Booklet - Project Specifications

This semester, you will create two completely new brand identity presentation booklets.

You have been hired by a client to design a completely new brand identity and several new marketing pieces. You are the graphic designer.

Your objective: to create two uniquely designed, impactful and lasting brand identities for two different clients. You must communicate each client's “brand experience” to their existing and potential customers (target market).

Brand Identity Booklet 1

A service or idea. You may choose from the following clients, or choose your own client with instructor approval:

  1. Cultural Center for the Arts (promoting cultural art, dance, music and/or theatre)
  2. An Internet Search Engine (like Yahoo, Google, Alta Vista, Ask)
  3. Environment or Renewable Energy Organization (wind, hydro, solar, biomass)
  4. A Spa (like Sue Kolves, Metropolitan Day Spa)
  5. Children’s Literacy Program (nonprofit organization promoting children’s literacy programs)
  6. A online social networking Web site (like facebook, myspace, twitter)
  7. A Children's Daycare Center (like New Horizon Academy, KinderCare)
  8. A Fitness Center (like Bally's, Gold's Gym)
  9. A Financial Institution (bank, investment banker, financial planner, stock trading web site)
  10. A Medical Center (like Mayo Clinic, Gundersen Lutheran, Marshfield Clinic, Cedars-Sinai)

Brand Identity Booklet 2

A product. You may choose from the following clients, or choose your own client with instructor approval:

  1. A Outdoor/Sporting Goods Outfitter (like Columbia, Eddie Bauer, The North Face)
  2. A Gourmet Coffee House (selling gourmet coffee drinks and desserts)
  3. A Gourmet Ice Cream Shoppe (selling gourmet ice cream drinks and desserts)
  4. A Gourmet Sandwich Restaurant (selling gourmet sandwiches, soups and desserts)
  5. A Fine Chocolate Boutique (selling hand-made chocolates)
  6. A Heavy Equipment Manufacturer (like Caterpillar, John Deere, Kobelco)
  7. A High-end Clothing Design Company (like Ralph Lauren, Versace, Vera Wang, Perry Ellis)
  8. A Perfume or Cologne Company (like Chanel, Calvin Klein)
  9. A Cosmetics Company (like Revlon, L'oreal, Clinique, Esté Lauder)
  10. A Children's Toy (like Legos, Barbie, Hotwheels, Geo Tracks, Planet Heroes, ,

Booklet Specifications:

  1. Design a unique booklet shape, and page layout. It will be a more original portfolio piece.
  2. Reference the student sample booklets for ideas and inspiration
  3. Your booklets should be 8” x 10” or smaller. (So you can print it out duplexed on 11” x 17” paper) . A rectangle is fine, but a custom size or shape will make a better presentation and portfolio piece.
  4. Be sure one edge of your booklet will fit into the binding machine.
  5. The booklet must have a front and back cover
  6. The booklets must have 12 pages (plus front and back covers). (Step-by-step instructions for these pages are outlined below).
  7. Your booklet pages should look like they go together. Design the booklet to have a consistent page format. (Margins, type size, page number placement, art placement, etc., should match from page to page—for easy of readership)
  8. All information in your booklet should be typed (brainstorming page may be hand written)
  9. The booklet should be bound (saddle-stich preferred)
  10. All files, art and photos must be at 300 ppi, CMYK. (Do NOT design at 72ppi and try to increase your file’s resolution)
  11. The covers, and all pages must be printed in color. Color sells, so use it to your advantage.
  12. I would strongly suggest that you set up your booklet in InDesign as a multiple page document. It is the most efficient way and will be printer-friendly and PDF-friendly when you are done. We will do this together in class.

Make this your best work yet! This brand identity book will help you get your first job.

Reminder… PLACE your files in InDesign

Remember to always place your Photoshop and Illustrator files in InDesign. Don't copy and paste, don't drag from the window of one app to another, and don't import-- just place them.

Here is a quick reference guide to use:

  • Photoshop to InDesign: Save Photoshop file as a .psd format and place in InDesign
  • Illustrator to InDesign: Save Illustrator file as a .ai format and place in InDesign
  • InDesign to InDesign: Copy InDesign page contents and paste on to new InDesign page

There is no need to save your Photoshop or Illustrator files as .eps, .tiff, .pdf, .jpeg, etc. Just use the native file format from both programs and place them in InDesign.

Setting up your booklet in InDesign

  1. Decide on your final booklet size. (Your booklet should be 8"w x 10"h, or smaller)
  2. Create a new, 16 page document in InDesign (facing pages, 1/4" bleed)

    new doc

  3. Select page 3 in your pages palette

    select pg3

  4. Select Numbering & Section Options… from the fly-out menu of the Pages palette

    flyout menu

  5. Set up your new section like this:

    new section

  6. Now, page numbering will begin on page 3 as sec1:1 (a 1 will appear on the page after you add automatic page numbering.

    sect1 pages

  7. To insert automatic page numbering, go to the master pages and create a text box. Place the curser in the text box and select (apple/option/shift N):

    insert page number

  8. This is how your page number will look on your master page. It puts an A in your text box to hold the place for your page number. Insert page numbering on both master pages. Go to a page inyour document and make sure the page numbering works.

    view of page number

  9. Now let's remove the page numbering from pages 1, 2, 15 and 16.
    Select the four pages and choose Apply Master Pages... from the fly-out menu.

    apply master Page

  10. Next, choose [None] and click okay.

    apply master page box

  11. This is how your final 16 page booklet will look:

    Final 16 page booklet


Type "w" to preview your pages without bleed or guides. This is helpful when designing pages.

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