Key visual - what is it and what is it used for?
For business
19 July 2025
Marketing - both online and outdoor - uses certain graphic elements that characterise a brand. These motifs are the key visuals (KV) of a campaign or an entire brand. However, not everything you see on TV screens or billboards is key visual. What exactly is key visual and what does it mean for a brand? When is it worth designing it?
Key visual - what does it mean for a brand?
Key visual is a graphic motif that is characteristic of a brand. Moreover, it is not only recognisable, but appears in all or most marketing communications. Key visual is not the brand's logo - it can refer to it or draw on its design, but in no way should these elements be considered identical.
Design key visual is a certain combination of colours, typography, shapes, text layouts, photos or illustrations. For InPost, this will include the distinctive yellow colour, the shapes from the logo, the font and the graphic of the parcel with eyes (brand hero MAT). These are the features that unite the look of all marketing messages - banners, website, app and social media graphics.
The key visual design distinguishes the brand from the competition, becomes memorable for the viewer and conveys certain emotions. The expanded KV is already an advertising medium in itself. It has such recognition that it does not even need a logo. The simple KV is responsible for the consistency of the elements' conventions. 
What should good key visuals look like?
For marketing reasons, key visual should not only be unique, but also designed in such a way that it can evolve with the brand. A good KV takes into account the company's long-term plans and can be developed and easily adapted by other forms of advertising. Graphics, fonts or layout should be flexibly transferable from a mobile app to a leaflet. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the KV is tailored to the brand's audience.
Good key visuals are therefore:
- simple and understandable in its message - even if it is elaborate,
- distinctive and unique - distinguishes the brand from its competitors, especially in a particular industry,
- useful and flexible - usable on a variety of marketing platforms,
- tailored to the target audience.
As we have already mentioned, key visual elements include, but are not limited to: colours, typography, layouts, illustrations and images. Designing KV for a brand is not about creating a ready-made template. It is necessary to build a kind of manual for using the components of KV. We can - and in some cases must - include ready-made files in the visual identity of the brand, but these must not be templates to which only further text and pictures are added.
Key visual, or brand identity - when is it worth using?
Not every brand needs to have a key visual system. It is not as important an element of branding as a logo. The need to develop a visual identity for a brand stems from its individual characteristics. It is worth taking an interest in KV when planning long-term marketing campaigns. Repeated elements become fixed in the memory of the audience, support branding and can facilitate the design of subsequent advertising materials. A marketer or graphic designer who has key visuals at his disposal does not have to reinvent the wheel - he is guided by brand-specific styling.
Consistently sticking to the designed KV can influence competitive advantage and also help to evoke positive associations in the audience. It is not just a set of icons, fonts and shapes, but an essential element of communication that lends credibility to a brand's message. 
What is the cost of creating key visuals and what does it depend on?
Entrepreneurs interested in creating key visuals often bounce through the doors of various agencies after hearing the price of such a service. True, the development of key visuals is not cheap, but it brings significant benefits and can translate into material profit. The basic price of key visual, which is not too complicated, is around £500. However, the final cost can be influenced by many factors, including:
- the degree of development of the project - the more elements the KV contains, the higher the price,
- number of modifications - usually the agency stipulates in the contract the number of free modifications to the project. Further modifications incur additional charges,
- company size - agencies and freelancers can differentiate their offers towards small, medium and large brands.
When deciding to work with an experienced graphic designer, it is a good idea to ask them for a personalised quote and find out what the terms of the contract are. This will save you from additional costs. Designing key visuals requires good preparation and proper completion of the brief. This will avoid revisions and ensure that you are happy with the results.
What should be kept in mind when creating key visuals?
If you undertake the development of key visuals in cooperation with a creative agency, you cannot count on the designers to create the perfect KV for you straight away. A coherent design that evokes the right associations also requires your involvement. You need to provide your graphic designer with all the necessary materials to help them define your branding vision. Do not underestimate the questions in the brief and attend meetings with commitment. The effort will certainly result in a great KV.
You may also be tempted to create key visuals yourself. How do you do it? All you need is a basic knowledge of computer graphics, access to a programme or online tool and a head full of ideas. Draw up a mood board on which you place all the elements you associate with your brand, and then match the individual pieces together so that they form a coherent whole. Don't be afraid to ask others for their opinions, especially if they overlap with your audience. This will allow you to better capture your potential customer's perspective.
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