When a brand is born, its visual identity will be one of the first aspects of contact with the outside world. However, many companies make mistakes that can affect its perception, coherence and credibility. In this article we will show you the most common mistakes when designing a visual identity and how to avoid them with a well thought-out strategy.
1. Designing without a brand strategy
One of the most frequent mistakes is to start with the design before being clear about who the brand is, who it is aimed at and what emotions it wants to convey.
Result? A beautiful but empty identity, with no connection to the message you want to communicate.
✅ How to avoid it:
Before thinking about logos and colors, define your mission, values, target audience and communication tone. Every visual identity should be a reflection of these elements.
2. Use templates or generic resources.
Resorting to templates or logo banks may seem cheap and fast, but it also makes you look like thousands of other brands.
Problem? You lose authenticity and become irrelevant in a saturated market.
✅ How to avoid this:
Invest in a custom-made visual identity. A good graphic design studio analyzes your essence and converts it into a unique visual language.
3. Inconsistency between visual elements.
Colors, typographies and visual styles that change in each communication piece generate confusion and make the brand look unprofessional.
Have you seen it? A modern logo with a cursive typography or posts on networks that don’t follow any pattern.
✅ How to avoid it:
Create a visual identity manual that defines how all graphic elements should be used. And, above all, always use it!
🧩 4. Underestimating typography
Many brands choose any “pretty” font without thinking about its legibility, style or adaptability.
Typical mistake: Using five different fonts in a single presentation.
✅ How to avoid this:
Use one or two typefaces that reflect your brand personality. And make sure they work well in both digital and print.
5. Believing that a logo is enough
The logo is important, yes, but it’s not everything. A solid brand also needs colors, iconography, photographic style, compositions and more.
Just having a logo leaves you half-assed.
✅ How to avoid this:
Think systems, not just symbols. A complete visual identity builds a recognizable brand experience across all touch points.
6. Not thinking digital.
Designing a visual identity just for stationery or print can leave you behind. Today, everything lives on screens: social networks, websites, apps.
And what doesn’t adapt, dies.
✅ How to avoid it:
Your identity should be responsive: it should look good on a mobile app, on an Instagram story and also on a business card.
Doing it without professional support
Designing your identity with basic tools or without graphic knowledge can be expensive in the long run.
The risk? Losing time, money and opportunities to connect with your audience.
✅ How to avoid it:
Work with a design studio that understands branding, not just “making pretty logos”. Strategic design creates real value for your business.
Conclusion.
Your visual identity is more than an aesthetic issue: it’s a strategic tool that directly influences the perception, trust and sales of your brand. Avoiding these mistakes can make the difference between being just another brand… or a memorable brand.
📣 Want to avoid these mistakes from the start?
At Lyon Agency we help you build a strong, authentic visual identity aligned with your business goals.
👉 Request a free consultation or check out our portfolio to see how we help other brands stand out.
