brandkasten

Brandkasten is a term used in German branding and design to describe a standardized visual module that contains the essential elements of a brand. It acts as a reusable container for core identity assets, ensuring a consistent presentation across different media and campaigns. The concept is commonly applied within brand guidelines and design systems to facilitate scalable and coherent brand applications.

In practice, the Brandkasten is embedded in templates for print materials, packaging, websites, social-media graphics, and advertising. Designers place the Brandkasten in a defined area of a layout and adhere to rules for clear space, minimum size, and color usage to maintain legibility and brand integrity.

A typical Brandkasten includes the brand logo or wordmark, color palette, typography, and often a tagline or slogan. It may also specify allowed imagery, minimum and maximum sizes, and legal notices such as trademark or registered signs. The idea is to bundle these elements as a single, reusable module rather than scattering assets across a project.

In digital environments, the Brandkasten can be a reusable symbol or component in design software or a content-management system block. In some contexts, a physical Brandkasten refers to a kit containing brand assets used by agencies or marketing teams during a campaign.

Brandkasten supports governance of visual identity and contributes to brand consistency, efficiency, and faster production. It is closely related to brand guidelines, identity systems, and design-system components. See also brand guidelines, design system, visual identity.