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What is Brand & Marketing Collateral?
Brand marketing collateral refers to creative assets designed to promote your business. This can span from physical to digital items, with each format serving a specific purpose. Your brand and marketing collateral should align with your brand’s strategy. It should communicate consistently with your visual and verbal identity.
ARTICLE BY Paul Crump
Types of Brand and Marketing Collateral
Brand and marketing collateral comes in many forms, from tangible to intangible. As our platforms and preferences change, so do opportunities for new avenues of communication.
Types of Collateral in Marketing and Branding
Here are are quick few examples:
- Stationery (business cards, newsletters, envelopes and notepads)
- Digital (social banners, animated content, websites, display advertising, eNewsletters)
- Publication (press ads, magazines, editorial, reports)
- Print (brochures, flyers, posters, mailers)
- Signage (wayfinding, external building, internal building and exhibition displays)
- Promotional (POS, pens, banners, tote bags, bottles)
- Presentations (powerpoints, showreels, video)
- Packaging
- Uniforms and IDs
- Vehicle livery
Function and Design
All items have specific functions and the design should focus on your audience. It’s important to communicate your brand offering. Whilst considering what information the receiver needs to know and what you want them to do.
For example, a business card can be a prompt for further communication, so only requires topline information. However, a website contains in-depth information, specific journeys, and the ability for the user to conduct multiple actions.
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Why You Need Brand and Marketing Collateral
Unless your business solely runs on word-of-mouth, you likely need to perform advertising or promotional activity. Here is a list of 5 reasons why you need to think about your brand collateral:
1. First impressions count
It only takes 0.05 seconds for people to form an opinion about your brand [Bways, 2019]. In this digital age, your website is often the first interaction a potential client will have. How you present yourself will determine how professional, viable and suited you are to the user.
Humans are emotional and intelligent, and depending on the purchase, will apply decision-making strategies. These strategies will use visual and written cues to make the final decision.
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2. Growth means sales
We all know you have to spend money to make money. Brand and marketing collateral is an investment in reaching your audiences. If you’re collateral is correct you’re audience will know you’re the right choice.
Brands can hold significant places in consumers’ minds and even become part of their identities. So it’s important you are communicating to the highest quality to stake a position in their busy lives. 81% of consumers said they need to be able to trust the brand they buy from [Edelamn, 2019].
3. Tell your story
You know how great your offering is, but how do you tell others? Crafting your skills and experience into a story that resonates with people is an art. You may offer products or services, but how and why you do that is generally a more compelling narrative.
In 2019, Edelman found that 64% of consumers are likely to buy from or avoid a brand based on its political or social views. Your message holds the power to influence. This is especially with video emerging as a powerful storytelling medium in the digital realm.
4. Holistic solutions
Advertising campaigns are much more than television ads, billboards or spots in the newspaper. Today, campaigns can be intricate networks that consider messaging funnels, user journeys and multiple touchpoints.
Consistent presentation of a brand has seen to increase revenue by as much as 33% [Lucid Press, 2019]. Having different brand materials helps you connect with your customers. It also lets them engage with you more easily.
5. Maintain Brand Awareness
In a competitive economy, it’s important to stay front of mind. This means keeping your communications relevant, but also continually working to produce quality and meaningful content. Continued efforts also give the opportunity for a deeper understanding of your brand and increased brand loyalty.
The Evolution of Brand Collateral
Brand collateral has undergone a remarkable transformation over the years. It has shifed and adapted to numerous changes in technology. As well as consumer behavior, and the ever-evolving demands of the market.
Early Marketing and Brand Collateral
In earlier times, marketing collateral mainly included traditional printed materials. These include brochures, flyers, and business cards, which served as the primary means of communication with potential customers.
Digital Transformation
However, with the onset of digital transformation, we now see an array of new formats emerging. Including interactive eBooks, engaging augmented reality (AR) experiences, and tailored email marketing campaigns designed specifically for individual users.
Keeping Up With Trends
It is essential to remain informed about these trends in order to keep your brand relevant. But also to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced environment where consumer expectations are continually shifting.
The Role of Branding in Collateral Development
Your brand identity serves as the crucial foundation to build the elements of your collateral design.
Branding in Collateral
Branding within marketing collateral encompasses several key components. This includes your logo, the colour palette you choose and the typography that represents your brand. As well as the tone of voice you adopt in your communications.
Consistency in Collateral
A well-developed and strong brand identity plays an essential role in ensuring that your collateral is easily recognizable. This ensures you’re capable of making a memorable impression on your audience. Each individual piece of collateral, from digital or physical, should work to reinforce and support your brand’s core message. Adding value and showcase the values you hold dear.
Consistency in Marketing and Brand Collateral
This thoughtful approach will help create consistency and establish a connection with your target market.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Collateral
It is important to check how well your brand and marketing materials are reaching their goals.
Assessing Collateral Performance
To do this effectively, you can use key performance indicators, commonly referred to as KPIs. Here are some important metrics to consider:
- The amount of traffic your website receives.
- The level of engagement on social media.
- The number of potential customers who become actual clients.
- The return on investment from your printed materials.
Benefit of Assessing Performance
By examining these indicators, you can gain valuable insights into which aspects of your marketing efforts are successful. This will allow you to understand which areas might require enhancements or adjustments.
Optimising Your Collateral
Conducting regular reviews of these metrics is a crucial practice that allows you to continually refine your marketing strategy. By doing so, you are optimising your activities for better results over time.
Trends in Sustainable Collateral
As sustainability continues to gain traction as a vital concern among consumers, many brands are beginning to shift. Changing their practices towards more eco-friendly options. This transition often includes the adoption of recycled paper for their printed materials. This not only reduces waste but also supports the recycling industry.
Minimising Plastic
Additionally, brands are making concerted efforts to minimise the use of plastic. Reducing plastic in their packaging, finding alternatives that are less harmful to the environment. Moreover, there is a growing trend in favour of embracing digital formats whenever possible. This can significantly reduce the need for physical materials.
Marketing Your Sustainability
By showing your commitment to sustainability in your brand messages and actions, you can improve your brand’s reputation. This will connect with audiences who care about the environment. It will make your brand more appealing to people who value sustainable practices.
How to Prioritise Your Collateral Needs
It is important to recognise that not every business requires every kind of marketing collateral available.
How to Prioritise
The process of prioritising the appropriate types of assets should use several key factors, including:
- The specific industry in which your business operates
- The characteristics and preferences of your target audience
- The overarching marketing goals you aim to achieve.
Examples of Successful Prioritisation
For instance, a technology startup that is looking to establish a strong online presence. They may choose to emphasise the creation of digital assets. These can include well-designed website and engaging explainer videos that capture the attention of potential customers.
On the other hand, a local bakery might see greater value in investing in more traditional forms of collateral. These can include attractive signage to draw in passersby, unique packaging, and printed menus that showcase their delicious offerings.
Allocating Your Resources
Conduct assessments to ensure that you are effectively allocating your resources and making informed decisions. This practice will help you identify which assets are truly necessary for your business’s success. Helping to guide you in making strategic investments that align with your goals.
The Psychological Power of Good Collateral
Visual Cues Drive Emotional Response
Every element of your collateral—down to the choice of font or colour—can influence perception.
Colour psychology, for instance, shows:
- Blue suggests trust and dependability (common in finance and tech).
- Green signals sustainability and calmness (popular in wellness and eco brands).
- Red communicates urgency and energy (often used in sales and promotions).
A consistent visual language builds a sense of familiarity. This makes your audience more likely to engage and remember your brand.
Typography Matters
Typography isn’t just about style — it conveys tone and trustworthiness.
- Serif fonts (like Times New Roman) suggest formality, tradition, and reliability.
- Sans-serif fonts (like Helvetica) appear modern, clean, and friendly.
- Script fonts can feel personal or luxurious, but may be harder to read in large blocks of text.
Choosing fonts that reflect your brand personality improves clarity and increases reader engagement.
Layout and White Space
Effective collateral is not about cramming in information — it’s about clarity and focus.
The use of white space (or negative space) helps:
- Reduce cognitive overload.
- Improve readability.
- Draw attention to key messages or calls to action.
Clean, considered design creates a sense of professionalism and intent.
How to Create Brand Collateral That Stands Out
1. Know Your Audience
Before designing anything, understand:
- Who you’re speaking to.
- What motivates them.
- How they consume information.
For example, Gen Z might respond better to short-form video content and bold, expressive visuals. A B2B executive might prefer detailed whitepapers and premium typography.
2. Be Consistent but Adaptable
Consistency across all channels reinforces recognition. However, that doesn’t mean every asset has to look identical.
Adapt your designs depending on format:
- A LinkedIn post should echo your brand’s voice, but feel professional.
- An Instagram Story may allow for more creativity or casual tone.
Use brand guidelines as a flexible foundation, not a rigid rulebook.
3. Use a Design System
Creating a brand kit with:
- Logos in different formats.
- Approved colours and typography.
- Layout templates.
This ensures you can scale fast without compromising quality. Whether it’s your sales team building a proposal or a new social media designer jumping on board. Everyone stays on the same page.
4. Test and Iterate
Design isn’t set in stone. A/B testing different designs or messages (especially in digital formats) helps refine what resonates most.
Track performance metrics — like click-throughs, engagement rates, and conversions — and use those insights to continuously improve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What’s the difference between brand collateral and marketing collateral?
While often used interchangeably, there’s a subtle distinction.
- Brand collateral refers to assets that visually and verbally represent your brand — such as logos, stationery, or brand guidelines.
- Marketing collateral, on the other hand, includes materials specifically designed to promote and sell your products or services. This includes brochures, social ads, or landing pages.
Together, they work hand-in-hand to create a cohesive experience.
How often should I update my brand collateral?
Ideally, collateral should evolve with your brand.
You don’t necessarily need a full rebrand every year, but consider refreshing your collateral if:
- Your business has changed direction or expanded.
- Visual trends have shifted significantly.
- Feedback or analytics show declining engagement.
- Your audience has grown or changed.
Aim for a full audit every 1–2 years to ensure relevance.
Can startups and small businesses afford good collateral?
Absolutely.
You don’t need to break the bank to look professional. Starting with a few essential, well-designed pieces — like a website, business cards, and a presentation template — goes a long way.
Many creative agencies and freelancers offer starter packages for growing businesses. Plus, digital-first formats can be cost-effective and scalable.
Why do I need brand and marketing collateral? Conclusion
From packaging and print to digital design and video, Brand Collateral is about getting your brand noticed. Strengthening the bond between company and client – putting truly memorable collateral in the hands of your customers. These assets communicate why potential and existing clients should choose your product or service above any other.
It’s important that your collateral matches the standard of business. Communicating effectively and consistently through verbal and visual design. If you want to talk about your brand collateral view our brand identity and design page for more insight.
