From One to Diversity:Explore the Design Principles of Flexible Branding Visual Identity and Its Application on Design Practice

As a new trend in visual design, Flexible Branding Visual Identity (FBVI) holds the overwhelming advantage in its being adaptable in situation, flexible in application and rich in connotation, and therefore adopted by increasing number of brands in the building and promotion of visual image. Much attention has been drawn to this field but without much reflection on its usage and the theory behind. This research aims to explore the methods and skills for the use of flexible branding visual identity. Drawing on the theories of visual psychology as well as visual thinking, the research makes a comparison between the traditional and newly-developed approach in brand design in terms of advantage and disadvantage. Along with the review of a great number of cases, the research formulates the idea of overall perception advantage, arguing that flexible logo has the potential to impress the viewers as a self-contained system instead of an individual element. Based on the above discussion, the research concludes some principles about FBVI as guidelines to design practice. In the end, the case of visual identification of Cantonese Temple Fair is to exemplify how the principles are applied to a visual promotion project that addresses the problem of incorporating varieties of local culture into a coherent system.