The first step in every business—regardless of what they do, where they are, or how many people work there—is to create an identity. This is how the public will come to identify that company’s brand. It’s important to take great care when creating an identity, and to consider all the necessary elements a business requires. At Mad Genius, this collection of assets and standards is called a brand identity package.
While the specific elements may vary depending on the brand and its requirements, common components of a brand identity package are logos, packaging and labels, and brand photography.
These elements collectively work together to create a cohesive and recognizable brand identity, conveying the brand’s values, personality, and visual style consistently to the target audience.
Logos
Packaging and Labels
Brand Photography
Logos
Your farm requires a logo—a unique visual symbol that is both memorable and easy to recognize.
About Farm Logos
A professional logo design is a big investment, especially for young farms. Still, If you intend to spend time and money marketing your farm and farm products, logos are a necessary investment. A well-designed logo is the foundation of your farm’s brand, and it has many functions in the marketing of your farm and its products.
Brand Recognition & Credibility
Any time someone interacts with your brand, they will see your logo. If the logo is memorable, they’ll begin to recognize you. By taking your branding seriously, customers will see that you take your business seriously. So, while you are building brand recognition, you are also building credibility with customers.
For example, if you enjoy one product by a particular brand, you may recognize the logo on another product and buy it because you trust that it will be of the same quality.
Differentiation
Grocery shelves are more competitive than ever. Consumers have more options than they know what to do with. Stores are relying on data analytics to choose which products are available for sale, and they will prioritize their private labels before yours. A distinct logo, alongside unique packaging, will help your farm’s products stand out from competitors.
Storytelling
A logo can convey important messages and stories about your farm. It can incorporate elements that reflect your farm’s values and unique selling points, providing customers with a glimpse into what you stand for. This can create an emotional connection with your customers and enhance their overall experience.
Versatility
A well-designed logo is versatile. It can be scaled for different sizes and adapted across for both product packaging and marketing materials. Consistency in branding across platforms helps strengthen your farm’s identity and reinforce its presence in the market. Here are just some of the touchpoints people will have with your logo:
- Product labels
- Signage at a farmer’s market
- Advertisements
- Billboards
- Coupons
- Social media icons
Mad Genius Logo: Ritter Farms
Ritter Farms wished to create a logo and branding system that introduced a fresh, versatile graphic language that was also highly scalable and versatile enough to translate effectively across print, digital, retail, and other media.
After exploring multiple icon systems, design styles, and other touchstones via a “mood board” exercise that helped narrow their vision, they narrowed their choices to three designs. They ultimately chose the “Circle R” mark because it offers the most flexibility across all marketing channels, would have the strongest presence on the shelf, and could be easily trademarked.
The final logo system revolves around the unique “R for Ritter” monogram that hearkens back to the style of signage circa 1886, the year Ritter Agriculture was founded. Both primary and secondary versions of the logo are built in the style of a traditional circular stamp or button—often associated with the kind of hand-tended, artisan quality products offered by Ritter farms. The logo typography is set in the Futura font, the same typeface used across the Ritter family of companies. Lastly, a simple color palette of navy and earth tones was created in order to give Ritter Farms a fresh personality, informed by history and good, old-fashioned American ingenuity.
Farm Logo Design Elements
Logo design for farms is an incredibly thoughtful process. Throughout, we keep in mind that your logo will be seen by everyone who interacts with your brand, from wholesale buyers to store employees to customers.
Farm products are often associated with qualities like freshness, quality, and trustworthiness. The logo design should aim to convey these attributes through its visual elements. Clean, straightforward designs with clear typography and simple, recognizable icons can help establish a sense of trust and reliability.
Below are some main elements designers work on while creating your mark.
- Icon or Symbol: Most logos have an icon or symbol that represents the brand. It can be an abstract shape, a literal representation of a product or service, or a stylized depiction of an object. Icons help create visual recognition and association with your brand. Farm logos may incorporate icons and symbols specific to what types of products they sell. For example, if you own a dairy farm, you may include cows or milk-related imagery in your logo to convey that you sell dairy products. If you don’t sell dairy products, add nature-inspired elements that evoke your farm. These may include plants, crops, vegetables, animals, or farm-related objects such as tractors.
- Wordmark & Tagline: A wordmark is a type or version of a logo that uses text to convey your identity in a unique or visually appealing way. Many farms use a combination of wordmarks and icons to create a versatile series of identity standards that can be used in any given situation. If you’re looking for a word or phrase that can sell your brand and accompany your logo or wordmark, then you need a tagline. This short quip can be used, often in a clever way, to align your brand with the standards of your audience, make a note about your product or service differentiators, or even just tell an audience what it is you do.
- Fonts & Typography: A great way to convey your farm’s personality is through your logo’s font choice and how it is arranged (typography). If your farm is more traditional, for example, a classic serif font may be the way to go. On the other hand, if your farm is a little wacky, and you find your free-range chickens laying eggs in the mailbox and not the nesting box, maybe a modern sans-serif font or custom lettering is more appropriate. Whatever you choose, make sure it is legible and appropriate for your brand’s image.
- Color Palette: The color palette for farm logos should evoke your farm while also creating a visual impact. Farm products often have a rustic or organic appeal, and the logo design can reflect this aesthetic. Many farms select earthy tones, textured backgrounds and hand-drawn elements to evoke warmth and authenticity.
- Shape, Composition & Scale: Visual balance and harmony are the name of the game in logo design. Your logo’s “lockup” includes your icon or symbol and any wordmarks or taglines. You may have separate lockups for different purposes, i.e., circular for Instagram and Facebook, square for LinkedIn, rectangular for packaging, etc. Each lockup needs to be carefully arranged to create a balanced design. A logo should be designed to be scalable, meaning it can be resized without losing its legibility or visual impact. It should work well in different sizes, from small applications like social media icons to large formats such as billboards or signage.
- Negative Space: Logos include negative space, which is the area surrounding and between the design elements. An effective use of negative space can add depth and improve readability. Skillful incorporation of negative space can make a logo more visually interesting and memorable.
- Simplicity: Simplicity is key in logo design. A simple and clean design tends to be more memorable and versatile. By avoiding unnecessary complexity and visual clutter, a logo can have a stronger impact and be more easily recognized and remembered.
- Originality: Creating a unique and original logo is important to avoid confusion with other brands and establish a distinct identity. It should stand out from competitors and be instantly recognizable as belonging to a specific brand.
Mad Genius Farm Logo: Superior Catfish
Superior Catfish is a farm collective that sells catfish. They grow one thing, and they do it very, very well. They were expanding their operation and wanted to evolve their brand identity to have it match their product quality. Mad Genius partnered with them for the project, beginning with their logo design. Our design process applies much of what we’ve discussed above in terms of what constitutes a great logo.
Differentiation
Superior Catfish’s logo needed to stand out on the shelf. There is no doubt—catfish are cool looking, and cartoon catfish are doubly so. However, when you pass the frozen fish section, most catfish brands have a catfish in their logo. In fact, their previous logo had one. Our mission at Mad Genius is to deliver the unexpected to our clients, so we designed a logo that evokes a catfish without actually including one.
Simplicity & Originality
Once you realize that the S and the second R that bookend the logo are catfish barbels (the “whiskers”), your brain is gonna light up like a Christmas tree. The logo is exactly like Superior’s values and farming operation—balanced, uncomplicated, and straightforward. They sell catfish, and it’s great. Superior, even.
Versatility
The colors, Saddle (PMS 463 C) and Brass (7407C), are neutrals that can be used to create a variety of looks and feels on a varying of materials such as packaging, brochures, flyers, ads, websites, and billboards. These colors are easy to read and understand as well as less likely to become dated.
Free Logo Help from Mad Genius
Want some advice about your logo and brand identity? We’d love to help. Schedule a free, 30-minute Q&A with a person who helps make them.
Packaging & Labels
Packaging is powerful. Case in point: if you’re handed a box in the Pantone color #1837, you know that you’re being given an expensive piece of jewelry. Why? Because Tiffany & Co. have established their brand identity on the color, and all of their gift boxes are this shade of robin’s-egg blue. Just from the packaging, you’ll know that whatever is inside is both well-made and valuable.
Packaging is part of the experience of purchasing a product, as well as the physical representation of your brand. Make sure your customer’s experience with your product is a memorable one. Before we talk about designing, let’s talk about the types of packaging you need to consider.
Types of Farm Packaging
There are two major types of packaging for farm products: product packaging and shipping packaging.
Farm Product Packaging
Your farm may require packaging for fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy, as well as specialty items. The packaging should convey necessary information as well as provide a visually appealing presentation. Packaging for meat and poultry should also be approved for irradiation. Packaging types for fruit, produce, meat, and dairy includes:
- PET trays
- Clamshells
- Wooden and plastic fruit baskets
- Waxed and unwaxed corrugated boxes
- Burlap sacks
- Paper, plastic, and mesh bags
- Egg cartons
- Jars and bottles
- Butcher paper
Farm Packaging for Shipping and Transport
If you distribute your products outside your local area, you probably use boxes designed to protect your specific products during transit. They deserve design love, too.
Packaging & Label Design
With good design, you can achieve the Tiffany’s box of farm packaging. Below are some considerations for your brand identity while designing your packaging.
- Visual Brand Representation: Packaging design serves as a visual representation of the farm’s brand identity. It reflects the farm’s values, aesthetics, and story, allowing customers to connect with the brand at a glance. Well-executed packaging creates a positive impression and reinforces the farm’s unique identity.
- Design Consistency: Packaging design should align with the overall brand identity of the farm. If your farm offers a range of products, maintain brand consistency across different packaging designs. While each product may have its unique visual elements, ensure that they are cohesive. Consistency in using the farm’s logo, colors, typography, and visual elements across packaging materials helps establish brand recognition and reinforce the farm’s image.
- Differentiation & Recognition: Like logos, differentiate yourself from competitors with distinctive packaging. You’ll stand out on the shelf and increase your brand awareness among customers. Explore innovative and creative design elements that reflect the farm’s personality and leave a lasting impression on customers. Unique packaging can spark curiosity and encourage customers to choose the farm’s products over others.
- Practicality & Functionality: Focus on aesthetics, but also ensure that your packaging design is practical and functional. It should be easy for customers to handle, open, and reseal. Consider factors such as appropriate sizing, materials that maintain product freshness, and functionality that meets your customers’ needs. A positive packaging experience can contribute to customer satisfaction and reinforce their perception of your farm’s attention to detail and quality.
- Clear and Informative: Packaging should provide essential information such as product name, description, nutritional facts, ingredients, and certifications. Ensure that the information is clear, easy to read, and relevant to your customers.
- Communicating Quality and Authenticity: High-quality packaging design conveys a sense of professionalism, care, and attention to detail. It communicates to customers that the farm takes pride in its products and ensures their freshness and quality. Packaging can also emphasize the farm’s commitment to authenticity, sustainable practices, or local sourcing, further enhancing its brand reputation.
Essential Information for Farm Product Packaging & Labels
Provide all the essential information that your farm’s customers need. Your packaging should communicate the following information in a legible, easy-to-read way:
- Product name
- Farm name
- Logo
- Product description
- Weight or volume
- Ingredients
- Allergens
- Product dates
- Nutritional Information
- Certifications (such as USDA Organic)
The label can also include unique selling points for the customer that differentiate itself from competitors. Consider adding a QR code that can take customers directly to your website to learn more about your farm.
Government Labeling Compliance
Each type of food product has its own labeling requirements. Familiarize yourself with labeling requirements and include any warnings, certifications, or legally mandated information to meet compliance standards wherever you sell your products. Visit the USDA Labeling Policies page for information on labeling and label approval for your products, including meat, poultry, and eggs. You’ll find explicit labeling guidance, such as a “corn dog” cannot be labeled as such unless it reaches, at minimum, 35 percent frankfurter. Someone is looking out for us.
Mad Genius Farm Product Labels & Packaging Design: Ritter Farms
Mad Genius created labels that use illustrations of fruit and flowers to build on the ethos of the Ritter Farms logo—handmade drawings for hand-tended produce. The labels combine fruit-specific illustrations and matching or complementary colors. These labels are beautiful as well as eye-catching on a grocery store fruit display. The consistency of the label design across products allows shoppers to see, at a glance, which products are from Ritter Farms.
Free Packaging & Label Help from Mad Genius
Do you need some advice about creating beautiful, grocery aisle-worthy labels for your farm products? We can help. Schedule a free, 30-minute Q&A with a person who helps make them.
Brand Photography
Another major component of a brand’s identity is the photography and imagery used alongside logos and copy in most, if not all, of your branded materials.
About Farm Photography
Photos can capture the essence of your farm and visually convey your brand’s story. By using captivating images, you’ll be able to accomplish several marketing objectives:
Show Off Your Products
If you have high-quality, custom photography of your animals, produce, or other products you grow and make, customers will be enticed to make a purchase. Stock photography is disingenuous, and low-quality images convey a low-quality product. A talented photographer can shoot your farm products to show their freshness and value.
Convey Brand Story & Values
What matters to your farm? Sustainability? Animal welfare? Freshness? Quality Control? Farm photography is a great way to communicate your farm’s story and values. For example, if you grow wool because you want to sell fiber that is made with the health, happiness, and comfort of the animals in mind, get photos taken of a happy, shorn sheep enjoying a snack in the sunshine. Do what you say, say what you mean, and take pictures of it. Your farm will foster trust and loyalty from customers.
Create an Authentic Experience
Take your customers on a journey! Allow them to see their products being grown and produced. Show the amount of love and care you put into the products they buy. This allows them to feel like they’re creating a relationship with you, as well as supporting the noble profession of farming itself. Beyond that, they’re supporting YOUR farm, so show your farm’s atmosphere, its landscape, and the people who work there. It’s a tiny glimpse into a world we want to visit every time we use your products.
Mad Genius Product Photography: Superior Catfish
Many farms produce food products, and food photography is notoriously difficult. The way food looks under light can be tricky, as perishable food can wilt quickly, throwing off the color and structure. Plus, you may need numerous props like dishes, napkins, tables, towels, and serving utensils. However, when food photography is done correctly, it’s worth all the trouble. Appetizing images of your products can be used on sales sheets, brochures, packaging, websites, and more.
Professional food stylists use a variety of techniques to make food look its best. In addition to the aforementioned props, they may use food coloring, glue, and other materials to make the food look as delicious as possible.
Fish aren’t always the best fashion models, but our food stylist worked with our creative and photography geniuses to produce Saveur-worthy images. No inedible tricks of the trade were needed, either, and the props were happily consumed.
Types of Farm Photography
Landscape Photography: Capturing the Farm’s Scenic Beauty
Farm landscapes are often breathtaking, with rolling hills, lush fields, and picturesque barns. Landscape photography allows farms to showcase their beautiful surroundings and evoke a sense of tranquility. By capturing the natural beauty of the farm, this type of photography helps establish a strong brand identity centered around nature and sustainability.
Product Photography: Highlighting Farm Goods
Product photography is crucial for showcasing the farm’s goods and products, such as fresh produce, homemade jams, or artisanal cheeses. High-quality images of these items can entice potential customers and convey the farm’s commitment to quality and authenticity. From vibrant fruits and vegetables to delectable homemade treats, product photography captures the essence of what the farm offers.
Livestock Photography: Showcasing Farm Animals
Farms typically have a variety of animals, such as cows, horses, chickens, or goats. Livestock photography enables farms to highlight their animals, showcasing their beauty, health, and overall well-being. These images evoke a sense of connection to nature and the farm’s dedication to ethical and sustainable practices.
Environmental Portraits: Capturing Farmers in Action
Environmental portraits depict farmers engaging in their daily activities, such as tending to crops, milking cows, or harvesting fruits. These photographs capture the hard work, passion, and dedication that goes into running a farm. By showcasing the people behind the scenes, farms can build a personal connection with their audience, strengthening their brand identity.
Seasonal Photography: Embracing Nature’s Cycles
Farms are deeply connected to the changing seasons, and seasonal photography captures this dynamic relationship. From the vibrant colors of autumn foliage to blooming flowers in spring, these images reflect the farm’s connection to nature’s cycles. By showcasing the farm’s ability to adapt and thrive in different seasons, farms can strengthen their brand identity as a place deeply rooted in the natural world.
Heritage Photography: Preserving Farm Traditions
Farms often have a rich history and a sense of tradition passed down through generations. Heritage photography captures the nostalgia and authenticity of the farm’s roots, showcasing historical buildings, vintage equipment, or multi-generational family members. These images help farms connect with their audience on an emotional level, emphasizing their commitment to preserving tradition and heritage.
Mad Genius Photography: Southern AgCredit Landscape, Scenery, and People
Southern AgCredit isn’t a farm, but they are a farm lender. To properly tell their story, we have to also tell borrower stories. Mad Genius traveled to Dubach, Louisiana to photograph Frasier Farms.
On Frasier Farm’s 29 acres, they have eight broiler houses of cage-free, NAE (no antibiotics ever) chickens and follow animal welfare practices that go beyond what is required by the National Chicken Council. They also have a growing cattle operation. Our photography shows the care and respect Frasier Farms shows their animals. As a second-generation operation, we also made sure to capture the family’s ongoing commitment to their legacy.
This photo set is full of variety. We captured candid and lifestyle shots of the farmers working in their broiler houses, calves enjoying pasture with their mothers, and family members together on the farm. Photos of equipment were also important to capture so that visitors to the Southern AgCredit website can see what a loan may be able to provide to their own farms.
Creating Farm Photography
The tips below can help you produce images that capture the essence of your farm and elevate your visual storytelling.
- Shoot During Golden Hour: One of the most important aspects of farm photography is capturing the natural beauty of your surroundings. To achieve this, make the most of the magical “golden hour.” This refers to the period just after sunrise or before sunset when the lighting is soft, warm, and diffused, creating a mesmerizing glow. Utilize this light to add depth and warmth to your farm imagery.
- Showcase the Farm’s Features: Every farm has its own unique charm and distinctive features. Whether it’s a picturesque barn, rolling hills, or a stunning orchard, identify the focal points that truly define your farm’s character. Experiment with various angles and compositions to capture the essence of these elements and create visually captivating images that tell a story.
- Capture Small Details: The beauty of farm life lies in the intricate details. Don’t forget to zoom in on the smaller aspects that make your farm special. It could be the vibrant colors of freshly harvested produce, the delicate petals of a flower, or the texture of a weathered fence. These details add depth and authenticity to your images, drawing viewers into the unique world of your farm.
- Preserve Authenticity: When editing your images, remember to preserve their authenticity. A light-touch approach is often best, emphasizing the natural colors, textures, and lighting captured in-camera. Enhancements such as minor adjustments to exposure, contrast, and sharpness can help refine your images while maintaining their genuine appeal.
- Use a Consistent Visual Style: To create a strong brand identity, establish a cohesive visual style for your farm photography. Consistency in color palettes, tones, and overall mood helps tie your images together and reinforces your brand’s recognition. Whether you opt for a warm, rustic aesthetic or a vibrant, modern look, find a style that aligns with your brand values and resonates with your target audience.
Mad Genius Photography: Superior Catfish Landscape, Scenery, and People
You’ve heard that U.S. farm-raised catfish is good, but what does a catfish farm even look like? We talked about how a company’s value system should be reflected in its visual identity with the logo, but we can also do this through photography.
Superior Catfish is a company that considers what they do (raising catfish) a craft. Fish with clean, aerated water and grown with care are the best tasting fish, and Superior only sells the best tasting fish.
The imagery had to show that the care they put into their catfish is a direct result of their stewardship, and that the quality of their life’s work is a point of pride. You’re not just buying catfish, you’re buying a simple, ethical way of life.
What does a catfish farm even look like? Well, when we visited a Superior Catfish farm during the golden hour, we took photos that looked like heaven on earth.
Grow Your Farm’s Brand Identity
Logos, labels, and photography are just the beginning of what we can accomplish for your farm’s brand identity. Mad Genius is experienced in branding all kinds of businesses, but we love working with farms like yours. Reach out to us and schedule a consultation to find out how we can help with your brand identity.
Free Help from Mad Genius
Do you need some advice about producing commercials for your farm? We’re all ears! Schedule a free, 30-minute Q&A with a person who helps make them.