A brand is not a logo. It is the sum of every decision you make in public. I build systems that make those decisions easier.
Brand & Graphic Design
Logos, identity systems, decks, social templates and print: the visual layer that keeps everything looking like one company.
- Timeline
- 3 – 10 weeks
- Investment
- From R12 500
- Timeline
- 3 – 10 weeks
- Investment
- From R12 500
- Good fit for
- Founders launching something they intend to keep
- Businesses whose look no longer matches what they sell
- Teams merging several sub-brands into one coherent house
A brand is not a logo. It is the sum of every decision you make in public. I build systems that make those decisions easier.
Most identity work fails at the handover. The presentation looks beautiful, the founder is excited, and six months later nobody can remember which grey was the right grey. I design for the boring middle: the templates, the rules and the decisions your team will make on a Tuesday afternoon without me in the room.
Work starts with positioning. We agree on who you are for, what you refuse to be, and the one idea the brand is built to carry. Everything visual comes after that (wordmark, typography, colour, iconography, tone of voice), and every piece has to earn its place against the strategy.
Because I build the websites and apps too, the identity arrives already tested where it will spend most of its life: on a screen, at small sizes, against a dark background, next to a form field. That is a different test from a poster, and it is the one most identities quietly fail.
Exactly what lands in your hands
Everything below is included as standard. Anything outside it gets quoted separately before we start, never after.
- 01Positioning statement and messaging hierarchy
- 02Naming and verbal identity (where required)
- 03Primary wordmark, monogram and responsive lockups
- 04Type system, colour system and layout grid
- 05Icon set and illustration direction
- 06Stationery, pitch deck and social templates
- 07Digital tokens matching the identity, ready for the build
- 08Brand guidelines PDF plus editable source files
Five phases, in this order, every time
You will always know which phase we are in and what is needed from you to close it.
- 01
Immersion
Stakeholder interviews, competitor mapping and an audit of everything the brand currently puts into the world.
- 02
Positioning
We land the strategy on one page. Nothing moves into design until that page is signed off.
- 03
Design routes
Two or three distinct territories, each shown in real application rather than on a blank canvas.
- 04
System build
The chosen route is extended into a complete, tested toolkit with rules for edge cases.
- 05
Handover
A working session with your team, full asset delivery, and 30 days of support while you roll it out.
Brand & Graphic Design in practice
About this service specifically
General questions about fees, ownership and revisions are answered on the FAQ page.
Do you work with existing logos?
Often. A refresh that keeps hard-won recognition is frequently the smarter commercial call, and I will say so if that is what I see.
Can you handle print production?
Yes. I manage artwork, proofing and supplier liaison for stationery, signage and packaging at cost plus a coordination fee.
Other ways to work together
- Web Design & DevelopmentMarketing sites, portfolios and online stores: designed, built and handed over ready to run.
- App DevelopmentWeb apps, progressive web apps and cross-platform mobile builds, from MVP through to a product you can staff.
- UI/UX DesignResearch, flows, interface design and design systems for teams who need the product to make sense before it gets built.
- Hosting, Care & SupportManaged hosting, backups, updates, monitoring and a monthly block of change hours, on four plans you can compare side by side.
- Digital Consulting & WorkshopsTechnical and design reviews, roadmap support and team workshops for organisations building digital capability in-house.
Thinking about brand & graphic design? Let's work out whether it's the right spend.
Typical engagements run 3 – 10 weeks and start at R12 500. Send a brief and you'll have an honest answer within two working days.
Studios
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Bonolo Mathabela · Designer & Developer · bonolomathabela.com