Nair Bonito had a successful VA business but her brand was holding her back. One of the kindest souls you’ll meet, she was full of passion and enthusiasm for her clients but wanted to change her business and take on more project based and strategy work. She knew that she wanted her brand to grow with positive recognition but she didn’t know how.
Together we created a brand for Nair that allowed it to evolve and begin the newest chapter of its journey. This evolution filled Nair with excitement and confidence to promote her brand with pride and passion. An exciting time for such a wonderful and inspiring business owner.
To kick off the project with Nair we had an in person brand strategy session, where we discovered that her brand was Spring/Summer. We knew the brand had to be heart-centred, confident and collaborative. Throughout our conversation it was evident how much care and support Nair brought to her work. She was the support for the change makers she worked with. She enjoyed boosting them up and creating meaningful working relationships with them.
As a designer it was my job to turn this layered business into a beautiful brand. I began by listening back to the recording of our brand strategy session and made a ton of notes, on my computer, in books and on sticky notes. I dived deep into the world of Nair and her business, really trying to understand it from the inside out. Getting to the human centre of the brand and working out how to utilise its power.
I began to recognise words, phrases and feelings that came up more than once which helped to point me in the right direction for the brand’s season. Upon discovering it sat in the spring/summer season I knew I had a job to make sure Nair’s brand didn’t feel naive or untrustworthy, which can easily happen with Spring brands. But I knew that Nair’s brand was full of so much detail and nuance that we could make it stand confidently and professionally with the power of colour psychology. I have Fiona Humberstone and her Elevate course to thank for my growing understanding of this powerful tool.
Whilst discovering the brand I also began to collect physical and digital imagery. A favourite part of the process because you can really start to capture the visual essence of the brand. The selection of imagery was deciphered by referring back to the word and phrases that stood out in the brand strategy process. Time, patience and reflection help me to curate a feeling through visuals and textures that would direct the rest of the brand design.
The brand strategy process was pulled together by a beautifully presented feel and vision presentation. This told the story of Nair and her business. Story based strategy plays a huge part when I design a brand, as it evokes emotion and builds connections. It was important to recognise where the brand was coming from to know where it needed to go. I reflected on Nair’s wider goals and visions for her business as well as what it is like to experience the brand on a day to day basis. We created an ideal client profile that supported the brand, based on experiences Nair had had with previous clients. We looked at the business in relation to its relevant market and found what gave it strength and a commercial edge.
If you know me and my approach to business, you’ll know the kindness economy has a huge influence on how I run my business. Because of this I love discovering the larger impact my clients brand sets out to create. We always align with the kindness economies value’s: people and planet. We ensure that it is supported by creating connections by discovering the magic between individuals and their communities. Nair’s impact was full of empowerment, care and support and created a beautiful north star for her business.
When designing the brand we made sure it felt clear, bright and warm to resonate with the strategic element of her service that was delivered in such an approachable and caring way. We focused on simple nature inspired graphic elements including the tulip icons, a strong and structured spring flower, supported by a warm and balanced colour palette. The font choices were clear and personable that were treated with structured layouts and lots of white space to again bring a sense of clarity and ease.
Most of the work for any brand design project is done during the initial strategy stages, but can be the most daunting and mind boggling part of the process for any business. As a brand designer I help businesses by directing the process with ease and understanding. From experience of working with many different businesses I acknowledge the areas that need the most focus when working on your brand, helping you find clarity and alignment with the least amount of confusion and struggle. It can even be an incredible process of discovery for a business owner.
Brand Clarity Questions
The best way to start any brand design is to get super focused and find clarity.
By putting your attention on clarity at the beginning you’re already creating a business that in aligned, easier to run and you’ll be setting yourself up for authentic success.
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