There are municipalities that, when deciding to commission the construction of a bridge, have as a main criterion that the inhabitants of the locality take less time to travel the distance that separates them from the next town.

other municipalities prioritize the bridge as a piece with great personality and decide to commission the project to a renowned architect whose works are immediately recognized. recognized in the literal sense of the word, that is, just by seeing them you know who the author is. the bridge then does not reflect the personality traits of the town, it may even ignore the main needs of the users and in the end it is just another piece in the author's collection. the bridge is identified as the author's and not as a reflection of the personality, life and souls that inhabit that town.

this is also sometimes the case in the visual identity of brands. some clients commission this work to a designer or agency "because they like their designs". it is obvious, but it is good to remember that the visual identity of the brand should be a reflection of the brand's personality and not the personality of the author of the identity. the designer should bend to the needs of the brand, leaving aside the temptation to somehow leave his or her signature.

the professionalism of the designer is measured in a certain way by his ability to be humble and develop a visual identity that fulfills the maxim that it should be related to its author if not identified with the brand.

when the development of a brand reaches its visual expression, we approach the dangerous zone where everyone has something to say.

there is a moment when it becomes clear that branding is not really an exact science, much less a pseudo-science. it is the point at which the visual expression of the brand is designed. starting from the same concept, the same positioning, values, etc., the designer can come up with different options. if there are several designers working on the same project, these interpretations start to multiply.

all of these possible versions of visual expression of the brand can respond to a greater or lesser extent to the needs that have been previously identified, and

What is certain is that all these possible visual identities will be submitted to the opinion not only of the client, to whom this role legitimately corresponds, but also of practically anyone, whether or not they are aware of the previous steps taken during the creative process.

everyone has an opinion, everyone gives their point of view and our job should be to know how to take each of these opinions in its proper measure. the creative process is enriched with contributions from third parties but the criterion that should prevail at that moment is that of the designer. the ability to discern between the opinions that contribute something to the brand and those that do not, is key for the final result to be optimal. all this is the good and the bad of working on something that is so opinionated. what do you think?

author's trademarks

in my opinion...