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I We are going to present "Website" design for client "X" using powerpoint presentation, client "X" colors are "1,2,3" and our brand identity colors are "4,5,6" so my question is:
Which Brand Identity should I follow? My company branding using our presentation template and our colors ? or Client "X" branding? or MIX our visuals with their colors?
I, personally, always brand presentations with the client branding. That way the client gets an overall sense of the proposed design.
In fact, my company branding is reduced to monotone and minimal so as to not distract from the proposed client branding. I'm trying to sell the client, not promote my brand in such materials.
In my experience it can be quite confusing for the customer if a presentation uses the design company's own branding. There might be a clash of styles and it can seem little smug and out of place to show of your own branding at a presentation.
On the other hand, using the proposed branding for the presentation itself can also get messy. Especially at the early stages where you sometimes need to show alternative solutions. During revisions you'll also have to spend time updating the presentation style which can get really "recursive" and end up being a big waste of time.
For me the best solution has been to create a very minimal style for presentations. Lots of white space, no company logo, lines or other graphic elements (or very subtle). Only mono spaced font or a very simple sans serif in a small fixed font size. It can be black, but sometimes I use cyan because it clearly indicates that this isn't part of the proposed design and it gives the presentation a "technical" look making the proposed design itself "pop".
I try to let the design speak for itself and only add small labels here and there to guide the customer through the presentation. My goal is for the client never to mention the presentation but to go straight into revising the proposed design.
The first cover slide may contain your company brand. It might say something like "My company is presenting our designs for X company here"
The remaining slides don't need to be branded. If your presentation uses certain colors, styles, fonts or borders then use them. After all, its your company's presentation about your work for another company. But make them minimal and secondary to the presentation material.
The final slide may also include your companies brand.
Make sure the client web site content is clearly defined and highlighted within your presentation.
Make clear what the presentation is about: client designs.
Make clear who the presentation is made by: you.
The distinction should be subtle yet clear. This is a PowerPoint about a website. This is the website content.
After about 2 years, I think it's better to be on your own identity and mention customer's identity in the middle of presentation. In cover you can mention their name or logo, and in results, like mock-ups, your can be in their style. This is look like you go through a party in a house that you never been there, after a while you see something or someone familiar.
I had better results in this way.
