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...

“What the heck is a sub-logo and why do you need one?”

Excellent question. I’m so glad you asked.

A sub-logo is a smaller, alternate version of your main logo. It borrows the graphical elements, fonts and colour palette, then fashions them into a version that can be used for different applications. Sub-logos can be any shape. They usually form a more succinct, compact version of the logo. Sub-logos are quite often round to allow flexibility of use for social media profile images, watermarks, favicons and packaging. 

Let’s take a look at an example. 

Lunchbox Mini’s branding identity features a horizontal shaped logo and custom illustrated icons forming the logo mark. In certain situations this may look out of place, be difficult to read, or simply not quite ‘fit’. Imagine trying to squeeze her into a narrow, vertically oriented blog advertisement! Eep! 

Still not quite sure why you need a sub logo? Read on my friend. 

*trumpets sound* Enter the sub logo! It is perfect for small...

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...

Ready to rebrand? Your questions answered.

Are you ready to rebrand? Not sure? Does the word ‘rebrand’ trigger a racing heart, sweaty palms, a dizzy sense of overwhelm and the desire to run for the hills? Deep in your heart, if this is your response then you probably know that rebranding is on the cards. If your business is growing into more than a hobby, and you know that you’ve outgrown your DIY or budget-friendly visual branding, then rebranding is most likely inevitable. I’ve asked my Hopscotch family what their questions and concerns are when it comes to knowing if they are ready to rebrand, and compiled the top ones here for you.

1. One of the hardest parts is that it takes time to get it right, particularly if you’re picky. It’s hard to know how honest to be in the feedback process because sometimes designers miss the mark.
   
   If you find a visual branding designer who truly understands your brand, what you’re aiming to achieve and who you are serving, and why, there should be abso
...

Find your perfect logo designer

Wondering how to find your perfect logo designer? Here are four simple steps to finding a trustworthy designer (and avoid having your logo stolen!).

Recently I shared a conversation I’d had with a lady who had had her logo stolen and presented to another business owner as an original logo concept, that she actually paid a designer for! Craaaaazy, right?! Think it won’t happen to you?

Truth be told, I hear stories similar to this ALL. THE. TIME. So, as promised, here are some simple tips on how to find a trustworthy logo designer who will create an original logo for your biz-baby.

1. Ask for recommendations for graphic designers, branding designers or illustrators who specialise in logo design

Chat to your friends in business who have STELLAR logos and/or branding identities. All the better if they’re in a similar industry and align with your own target audience. Please, please, please avoid Fiverr, DesignCrowd and other overseas freelancer websites...

How do I choose the right logo?

So, what exactly IS a logo and why do you need one? What do all of the different types mean and how do you choose the right logo for your brand? Read on my friends…

Logotypes, logos, alternate logos, sub-logos, logomarks (I could actually go on here). It is all pretty confusing, right?! Since when did it get so complicated? 

Let’s start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start (thanks Maria – I knew The Sound of Music would come in handy at some point in my life!). As we all know, a brand is not a logo (more on this here). The word ‘logo’ has become an affectionate term for the word ‘logotype’. A logotype is basically customised lettering used to represent a brand name (‘Logos’ is Greek for ‘word’). So when people refer to a logo, they’re actually talking about a visual device used to identify a brand. It can be a symbol, icon, illustration, character, crest, or other visual marker. All that we really need to establish is that a logo is ...