Shapes enhance branding design

Just as colour can affect your mood, so to can shapes

Images are all around us and impact everything we see; we subconsciously connect our emotions to shapes. For example, rounded edges are softer and more approachable, while forms with sharp lines and edges depict strength and resilience.

A basic understanding of the psychology of shapes in graphic design is enough to show us how different critical patterns can impact customer perception. Little things like using a circle, instead of a square, could be enough to change the way your target audience thinks and feels about your brand.

The shapes which readily come to mind are squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, circles and ovals. Using straight lines and angles usually symbolise structure and order, while curves connect and give us a sense of community.

With the right branding, you can use shapes to symbolise different ideas.

• Direct eyes from one thing to the next
• Convey emotion and mood, make people feel comfortable
• Deliver a sense of depth
• Create trust and convey professionalism
• Convey positive and emotional messages.

Squares and rectangles shapes

Squares and rectangles are the most commonly used in design for areas? It is a trusted, familiar shape representing stability, honesty and solidity. Designers may twist or turn them to add interest to designs.

Circles and oval shapes

Rounded shapes tend to send a positive emotional message of harmony and security. It is often used in a design to represent unity, commitment, love or community.  Curves in general, when used in shapes, tend to be viewed as feminine in nature while straight lined forms are more masculine.

Circles represent a lifecycle. Due to their curved lines, ovals and circle are graceful and complete.  They can provide a sense of integrity and perfection.

Triangle shapes

Triangles evoke energy and power associated with them as they can point out direction, depending on how the base is situated in the overall graphic design. They offer a feeling of action, tension or even aggression.  They can symbolise both strength and conflict.

Make use of shapes in your branding

Are you using the right shapes in your marketing materials design,  to subliminally represent your brand in the correct light? Are you choosing the right type of fonts to compliment those shapes?

• Create harmony with circles
• Establish power with triangles
• Convey stability with squares
• Keep it calm with horizontal lines
• Show strength with vertical lines.

Capturing the attention of your audience is critical. The shapes which are all around us will have a significant impact. How are you going to make the forms you use in creative design count? Since emotion has a significant impact on the success of your marketing campaigns, it’s essential to choose the right shapes, to stimulate the right feelings.