Staying on Brand during the Holiday Season

We all love adding festive cheer to marketing! It can be tempting to grab something quick from Canva for your next promotional post or flyer that feels like the season, but from my experience this often lacks cohesiveness and causes brand identity confusion. Use the holidays to establish brand value and awareness, not detract. 

Here’s how: 

 Use a Consistent Illustration Style 

 Does your brand have an illustration style? Find an image that coordinates. If not, I recommend choosing a look that corresponds with your brand’s overall aesthetic. Use pumpkins, boughs of holly, and party hats all in the same illustration style that reflects your business and brings visual unity. 

Use a Coordinating Hero Font to Set Apart Campaigns or Promotions 

 If you’re looking at your brand guidelines and nothing quite expresses spookiness or merriment, I think it’s acceptable to choose one “hero” font outside of your brand’s font system, so to speak, to brand particular holiday campaigns or promotions, like a Halloween fundraiser, a Small Business Saturday event, or special holiday sales. Use it sparingly and primarily for titles or large headings. Continue to use your other brand fonts for sub-headings and body copy to solidify your brand’s everyday look. 

 My favorite places for holiday fonts: Creative Market and YouWorkForThem.

Use Holiday Colors that Complement your Brand’s Palette

Take a look at your brand’s color palette. If there are colors within that system that align, use those. Also, consider using tints and shades. If there aren’t usable holiday colors in your everyday palette, upload a screenshot of your brand guidelines to ChatGPT and ask for suggestions. Coolers (a color palette generator) can be a helpful tool as well. 

If you need more specific advice, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm happy to help!