Brand Identity System — Matthew Stanford, MFA

Role: Designer Scope: Logo, business card, letterhead, proposal template, envelope, brand messaging Project Overview This project showcases a complete personal brand identity system designed to position myself as a professional visual communicator. The goal was to create a unified, minimalist, and memorable design language that conveys credibility, precision, and versatility across all touchpoints—both print and digital. Objectives Establish a distinctive and scalable logo that reflects my initials while symbolizing clarity and structure. Create a cohesive visual system for business cards, letterhead, proposals, and envelopes. Maintain high legibility and clean hierarchy for professional communication. Use minimalism to highlight essential information and convey design confidence. Design Process Logo Development Designed a geometric monogram “M” composed of three vertical strokes and rounded corners, balancing strength with approachability. Created for versatility—works in large-scale formats, small icons, and monochrome printing. When turned 90º, the logo is an "S" with the same shapes. Typography & Layout Selected clean, modern sans-serif type for contact details and headings to complement the bold logo. Implemented a consistent grid system to align all elements across collateral. Color Palette Black, white, and grayscale to emphasize timelessness and professionalism. The high contrast ensures strong visual impact across different mediums. Collateral Design Business Card: Minimal front with name, title, and contact; reverse features brand tagline “Design is a verb and a noun” with a curated list of design services. Letterhead / Proposal Template: Rounded top-right corner for subtle brand differentiation, with clear phase-by-phase breakdowns and costs for transparency. Envelope: Matches visual style for a consistent brand experience upon client receipt. Outcome The result is a streamlined identity system that communicates professionalism, attention to detail, and a strong personal brand. Its minimalism ensures it can evolve over time while maintaining recognizability. Strengths of the Design: Cohesive Visual Language: Logo, typography, and layouts are unified across all materials. Memorable Logo: Strong monogram design that stands out in competitive creative industries. Information Clarity: Documents and business cards present details with logical hierarchy and easy scanning. Professional Versatility: Works equally well in print, digital presentations, and portfolio applications.