Think about your favorite brand. Not a brand you use. A brand you love. One that you recommend without being asked. One that feels like it was made for you.

Now ask yourself: why?

Chances are, you didn't fall for them because of the logo. You didn't become a loyal customer because of the font choice or the color palette.

You fell for them because of how they made you feel.

But lately I’ve been honest with myself about something: a proposal sent by email is just a document. It doesn’t answer questions. It doesn’t calm nerves. It doesn’t make anyone feel like they’re making the right decision.

And right now, people need to feel like they’re making the right decision.

I also had no idea what the practical commitment would look like. How often would we record? What would production involve? I filled in the blanks with the worst possible answers and convinced myself it would be relentless and overwhelming.

Here's what it actually was: a conversation.

Here's a belief I held for a long time that I've since completely unlearned: strategy and design are different jobs. Strategy is for the messaging people. Design is for the visual people. Two roles. Two lanes. Keep them separate. It made sense on paper. But in practice? It never actually worked.

Think about your favorite brands – what springs to mind? Is it their logos, color schemes, or some swoopy lettering? Chances are that your brain sticks to something visual. Like those brands, it’s important to forge your own visual path and create a lasting image that customers will always remember. Got to keep them coming back for more. Click here to check out our thoughts on branding with a visual identity!