I’ve always been a bit of a rebel. I like things a bit weird, a bit different. Maybe it’s my creative brain shining through, or maybe I’m just stubborn. Either way, there’s one thing I know for sure: Brand Archetypes are seriously limiting the creative potential of your brand. Your brand has SO. MUCH. POTENTIAL. But when you rely on brand archetypes, you’re boxing that potential in, and that’s where the magic gets lost. Insert sad emoji face here.

Before I dive too deep into my rant, let’s have a quick crash course on Brand Archetypes.

What Are Brand Archetypes?

Brand archetypes are essentially a set of 12 profiles that brands supposedly fit into. These profiles—like the Hero, the Outlaw, the Caregiver—are used by many brand designers as a (in my opinion) lazy way to categorise your brand. They slap on an archetype, tick a few boxes, spit out some generic guidelines, and send you on your way. Bob’s your uncle, pay your invoice, thanks for coming.

Here’s the problem: 

• They’re Gen...

Three easy ways to instil trust in your brand

Let’s not beat about the bush. Investing in visual branding shows your audience that you have faith in your brand. But what can you do to instil trust in your brand if you’re not quite ready to overhaul your visual branding? Or you’ve got the basics sorted but want to step it up a knotch?

Here’s three easy ways to instil trust in your brand:

1. Up-level your printing finishes

Don’t automatically default to the cheapest options. Invest in a fancy card stock, some shiny gold foil or embossing. This shows your audience that you care about your brand. You believe in it so much that you’re willing to go the extra mile to differentiate your business cards or other printed marketing material. Trust me, a little bit of ‘fancy’ will not go unnoticed! 

2. Personal touches

Be purposeful in how you interact with your audience. Spend a little more time wooing a client or include a handwritten note in their order. A perfect example is one of my b...