What’s a Brand Badge Kit (and Why Your Brand Might Need One)
Most people think of a brand as having one logo, and that’s it. One mark to rule them all. But the truth is, great brands don’t rely on a single logo alone. Many use a badge kit, a flexible set of secondary logos and marks that build on the primary logo, to create a brand that’s more versatile, recognizable, and robust across every touchpoint.
When done right, a badge kit doesn’t replace your main logo; it amplifies it, giving your brand more ways to show up and stay consistent everywhere it lives.
At 3SIXTY Marketing, we build badge kits for brands that want a system that can stretch, evolve, and still feel like “them.”
So, what exactly is a badge kit?
Think of your brand badge kit as your logo’s extended family.
Your primary logo is the face everyone knows, the one you’d put on a storefront or business card. But behind it lives a set of secondary badges that give your brand room to move.
A badge kit is a responsive branding system, a toolkit that helps your brand look intentional everywhere it shows up.
Why modern brands need more than one logo
Your brand isn’t static. It lives on screens, packaging, social feeds, merch, and sometimes even beach towels. That’s a lot of different contexts for one single logo to handle.
A well-designed badge kit keeps your brand consistent without being repetitive. It gives you the flexibility to adapt, without ever breaking character.
Here’s what a good badge system does:
- Keeps things cohesive – Every mark shares the same design DNA.
- Adds flexibility – Use the right badge for the right space or surface.
- Makes merch easy – From stickers to t-shirts, badges make branded goods more fun and collectible.
- Builds recognition faster – The more visual touchpoints people see, the faster they connect with your brand.
Example: No Spirit’s badge set
Take our friends at No Spirit, a zero-proof mocktail brand that wants to make the non-alcoholic space a little less sterile. Their brand is witty, a bit rebellious, and designed to make moderation feel like a party.
Their primary logo features a rambler ghost, a character that captures their adventurous, “spirited” attitude.
When we designed their badge kit, we kept all the same design principles that made their main logo work:
- The same line weight and variation
- The same color palette and typefaces
- The same irreverent, ghostly tone
We created a series of secondary badges featuring the No Spirit name and sometimes their tongue-in-cheek tagline, “Drink Irresponsibly.” These badges appear on cans, social graphics, and (most importantly) merch.
They’re not random doodles, they’re strategic, like a flash sheet from a tattoo artist. Each one reinforces the brand’s personality while giving No Spirit the tools to stay fresh and flexible across every touchpoint.
And because these badges follow the same rules as the main logo, they also work beautifully in brand patterns, creating texture and depth that make packaging, backgrounds, and apparel feel cohesive but alive.
How to know if your brand needs a badge kit
If your logo feels too limited, or if you find yourself constantly trying to “make it fit”—you might be ready for a badge system.
You probably need a badge kit if:
- You’re launching merch or packaging.
- You’re expanding into new markets or social platforms.
- You want your visual identity to scale more easily.
- You want more creative options without diluting your brand.
- You’re tired of forcing your primary logo into every design.
Basically, if your brand shows up in more than one place, a badge kit helps it show up well.
How we build a badge kit at 3SIXTY
Every badge system starts with strategy, where we explore how to make iconic badges that are an extension of your identity.
Here’s how we approach it:
- Start with the core. We make sure your main logo and brand identity are strong enough to build from.
- Identify your needs. Where will your brand live? Social media, packaging, merch, signage? Each one has different space and tone requirements.
- Design within the system. We build badges that follow your brand’s existing design logic—color, type, style, and tone—so everything feels related.
- Deliver a usable toolkit. You get a system that’s ready to roll out, complete with variations that keep your brand flexible, consistent, and unmistakably you.
It’s a balance of creativity and restraint, and it’s one of our favorite ways to future-proof a brand.
Give your brand room to move
A great logo gives your brand a face.
A badge kit gives it a personality, a wardrobe, and a passport.
Whether you’re a startup ready to make your mark or a growing business expanding into new markets, a badge kit helps your brand stay consistent, flexible, and full of life.
Ready to give your brand room to move?
Let’s build a badge kit that keeps your identity strong, and your visuals exciting for years to come.
Recent Comments