Branding

Your brand is bigger than your logo

A brand is what people come to expect from you — your name, your look, your tone, and the actual experience of working with you. A logo helps people recognize you at a glance, but a polished logo can't make up for confusing pricing or inconsistent service. Build the experience first, then design around it.

Logo basics

Most brands need a primary logo (full version with name), an icon or mark (works alone, small), and a wordmark (just the name, styled). Think about where your logo needs to work: a clothing tag, a social profile picture, a receipt, a sign — each size needs the logo to still be readable, especially in one color or at a distance.

Colors: what a HEX code is

A HEX code is a six-character code (like #1E5BD8) that tells a computer exactly which color to display, so your blue looks the same on your website, your flyers, and your packaging. Pick a small palette — usually two to four colors — and write down the HEX codes so you (or anyone helping you) can use the same exact colors everywhere.

Fonts and voice

Choose one font for headings and one for body text that are easy to read at small sizes and from a distance. Brand voice is how your business 'sounds' in writing — warm and casual, or clean and professional — and should stay consistent across your signs, posts, and messages to customers.

Steps to take

1. Write 3 words that describe how you want your brand to feel.
2. Sketch or describe a primary logo, an icon version, and a text-only wordmark.
3. Pick 2–4 colors and write down their HEX codes.
4. Choose one heading font and one body font that stay readable at small sizes.
5. Check your logo and colors in black-and-white and at a small size to confirm they still read clearly.

Go deeper in related modules

Not sure what a word means? Check Business Words Made Simple.

• Canva Brand Kit
• Canva Logo Variants
• Marketing Content