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Branding

Why Mood Boards Are Important

Andrew Culbertson
Andrew Culbertson
Content Strategist

Think about your favorite brand.

It’s the one you’d never abandon. Even lower prices couldn’t tempt you away. Products, people, and colors probably popped into your head. But there’s also something else.

A feeling.

You feel a certain way about that company.

That’s by design.

One of the many branding tools used to capture and solidify that feeling is a mood board.

What Is A Mood Board?

Clients ask that question often.

Essentially, it’s the jumping-off point for the look and tone of your brand. It’s a collage of different visual assets, such as:

  • Photos
  • Shapes
  • Colors
  • Textures
  • Typography

These different elements are pulled together to create something whole and new. If you’re getting flashbacks to middle school art class, you’re not far off.

What Is The Purpose Of A Mood Board?

The goal is to capture the overall feeling of a brand. If that sounds too vague, think of it this way. When someone steps into your store, sees your ad, or visits your site, what impression do you want to put forward?

Are you rugged? Classic? Elegant?

That’s what the mood board captures.

Once assembled, it serves as inspiration. Designers can use it to help complete small projects like a single ad or big ones like an entire site redesign. Mood boards are tools that can be used again and again.


What Is The Difference Between A Mood Board And A Brand Book?

It’s easy to mix those two up.

They may sound similar, but they couldn’t be more different. For one thing, they occur at different ends of the branding timeline.

A mood board is useful at the beginning. It’s a helpful tool that captures the look and tone of your company. It inspires designers and keeps everyone on the same page.

On the other hand, a brand book is the culmination of all your branding work. Essentially, it’s a rule book and repository for all things you. Approved logos, fonts, colors, and much more are collected here. It is the single source of truth for your brand.

Both can evolve over time, but here’s another way to think about them.

Mood boards are aspirational and adaptable.

Brand books are specific and definitive.

Mood boards are only part of the branding process. Here at Reusser, we guide clients through an entire workshop. In just a few hours, we help clients understand their existing brand, debunk any misconceptions about that brand, and articulate their unique message to their audience.

Contact us today if you want help shaping how potential customers think and feel about you.