“Good visual branding is about so much more than just aesthetics.”

— Rachel Auty

I recently led the development of a new visual identity and brand toolkit for The Exhibitions Group, working with Isle Studio.

As an Arts Council England (ACE) funded charity, accessibility is central to everything we do at The Exhibitions Group, and from the very start, an accessibility-first approach was non-negotiable. ACE sets clear expectations for funded organisations to promote accessibility and inclusion within the arts and culture sector.

There are plenty of resources readily available on accessible web design and digital usability - notably the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - some areas of which touch on graphic design. However, there is surprisingly little that addresses how to build a foundational brand toolkit rooted in accessibility best practices.

Since marketing assets, campaigns, and communications stem from this foundational brand, embedding accessibility at the earliest stages of visual identity and communications work is essential.

From the outset, visual identity needs to be established in a way that translates effectively into a digital presence if you want to meet WCAG Level AA standards as a minimum (which you should) - and it’s about more than just aesthetics.

I’m not a graphic designer or website developer, but as a project lead and someone who manages similar projects regularly as a freelancer I believe it’s vital to understand enough to be able to brief and steer the project, make informed decisions along the way, and deliver the desired outputs for clients.

Below I have outlined some key considerations when briefing and shaping graphic design and other core aspects of visual brand development.

Colour

When choosing brand colours and your wider palette, accessibility should be front and centre. Did you know many people - including those with low vision or colour blindness - find certain colours or low-contrast combinations problematic.

An easy way to check your choices is by using a colour contrast standards checker like this one from Few and Far. In addition this tool simulates how colours appear to people with different types of colour blindness, helping you ensure your palette works for a wider audience.

People with dyslexia or on the autism spectrum may also find certain colours or contrasts challenging. The UK Government Home Office Digital team has created a helpful series of design dos and don’ts posters covering accessibility for low vision, deafness, dyslexia, motor disabilities, autism, and screen reader users. There are some useful tips in there.

Also, remember that colours can shift between digital (RGB) and print (CMYK) formats, which can affect legibility and contrast. This should also be considered.

Key takeaway: Always test your colour palette with a contrast checker and colour blindness simulator before finalising your initial designs.

Shapes

How does your logo or brand icons scale? Are they clear and legible alongside any text? A good test for your main logo as one example is to trial your design as a social media icon, or favicon - probably one of the smallest-scale uses of your brand. Can someone with low vision still easily recognise the elements?

Key takeaway: Keep shapes simple and unfussy. Clean, bold icons that maintain clarity when scaled down work best for both accessibility and effective branding.

Fonts

With countless fonts available, it’s tempting to pick something unique. However, be aware that decorative or script fonts can be hard to read, especially for people with visual impairments or reading difficulties.

Fonts where characters like ‘i’, ‘l’, and ‘1’ look too similar are also problematic. Combine that with small font sizes or poor contrast, and accessibility quickly suffers.

Google Fonts offers many free fonts, including those designed with accessibility in mind. As a rule, start with clear serif or sans-serif fonts to find something distinctive yet legible. Test your proposed choice of font in paragraphs and at various point sizes to check clarity.

Key takeaway: Use straightforward fonts and consider enforcing a minimum font size like 12 points for body text.

Language

Language style and tone are central to your brand identity, but accessibility in communication is often overlooked.

Using complex language or industry jargon can unintentionally create barriers. Here's some context that may surprise you:

In England, 18% of adults (around 6.6 million people) have literacy skills that make reading everyday information challenging.
The 2021 UK Census found that nearly one in five adults in England and Wales (around 8.8 million people) have no formal qualifications.
Clear, straightforward language can be especially helpful for neurodivergent people, including those with dyslexia or autism.

Understanding your audience’s preferences, behaviours, and communication habits can help shape a tone that meets people where they are. Depending on your sector, tools like the Audience Spectrum may offer useful insights.

To check readability, consider using the Gunning Fog Index, a simple tool that estimates how easy your text is to understand. For general audiences, a score below 12 is recommended; for broader accessibility, aim for below 8.

Often, accessible writing is much simpler than expected, and can be much more effective in achieving your desired response.

Key takeaway: The skill lies in delivering clear, consistent information. If you’re aiming for accessibility, avoid long words, idioms, acronyms, and industry jargon that alienates. Make accessibility a core part of your brand voice.

Images

Your brand kit should include guidance on imagery - such as photography styles - to ensure consistency and accessibility.

When selecting images, consider representation carefully. Diversity isn’t always visible, and it can be challenging to strike the right balance between authentic representation and tokenism.

Think about who your audience is, what diversity exists within it, and who might be excluded by lack of representation. People are more likely to engage when they see themselves reflected in your marketing, and good representation says a lot about your brand and who you are as a company.

Key takeaways: Start with your team and customers to authentically reflect your community’s diversity. Make sure your marketing imagery includes a genuine mix of people representative of your audience. If you’re worried about tokenism, speak to your team and those with lived experience and test your ideas with them first.

True inclusion requires empathy. How might someone with a different background, need or perspective experience your brand?

Conclusion

Much of this advice applies broadly across design, marketing, and communications and can serve as best practice in many contexts. However, if you’re rebranding, refreshing your brand, or building a new brand from scratch, adopting this accessibility-first approach provides a solid foundation that sits at the core of your organisation and can be extended across all your activities.

Building an inclusive and accessible brand is not only the right thing to do, it also ensures that the widest possible audience can engage with and benefit from what you offer. What’s more, talking about your inclusion-led values is a great way to engage more people in who you are and what you do.

Remember - your audience definitely isn’t everyone, but you’ll definitely reach a whole load more people if your visual brand and wider communications are accessible.

If you could use some advice in this area, or are looking to work with a consultant on a branding or communications project with accessibility in mind, get in touch.