Brandbook - Mustilan Farmi

As part of my final thesis in graphic design at the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, I designed and implemented a comprehensive brand manual for Mustilan Farm. Mustilan Farm is a home-like horse stable in Hauho that has been operating since 2015. The core values of the farm are community, happiness, safety, and nature. The goal of the brand manual was to create a consistent visual identity and strengthen the brand's overall identity. The final product was specifically designed for the client's use, making it an important tool for their marketing and communications. Since the purpose of the brand manual was to help the client themselves, it included practical guidelines and principles for creating visual materials, ensuring that the client could manage and maintain their brand in the future.

Brand fundamentals and comprehensive guidelines

The brand manual I created covers the fundamentals of the brand, such as its purpose, story, vision, mission, values, tone of voice, slogans, target audience, competitors, promises, and strategy. My aim was to ensure that the client understands the core and significance of their brand, which is essential for successful marketing. The manual also provides a clear and personalized introduction to the business, helping the client effectively communicate their brand's story. Additionally, the brand manual includes a graphic style guide covering the logo, colors, typography, imagery, and other visual elements. This style guide is designed to support brand consistency in all communications and ensure that all materials are visually appealing and aligned with the brand.

Developing visual and technical skills

The creation of the brand manual took place simultaneously with my internship, where I worked as a media coordinator at Mustilan Farm. Working as a content creator gave me valuable insights into the daily operations of the farm and allowed me to test what worked on the farm's social media channels. I used these learnings when building the brand manual. Throughout content creation and print advertising projects, I worked with several software tools, including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, PowerPoint, and Canva. These tools enabled me to create versatile and high-quality materials that met the client's expectations.

Problem-solving and communication skills

While working on the brand manual, I learned how important it is to consider the client's needs and expectations. In addition to developing my visual skills, this project taught me important skills such as problem-solving, scheduling, and client communication. I also learned how to manage time limits and resources effectively, which is crucial in communications and marketing.

Final reflections

Overall, the brand manual for Mustilan Farm is a tool that not only defines the brand's visual identity but also guides the client in managing their brand and marketing. This project was time-consuming, but very rewarding as it allowed me to develop my professional skills and achieve significant goals that will prepare me for future challenges in the field of graphic design and communications. The lessons I gained from Mustilan Farm's content creation, combined with continuous communication with the client, made it possible to create a brand manual tailored to the client's specific needs. The client was extremely satisfied with the result, and I am proud of how successfully the brand manual turned out.

Note: The content of the brand manual is intended for the client, and in this example, only selected parts of my work are shown.