17 Jul 2020
MALLORCA REFLECTIONS
“Dare to live the life you’ve always wanted . . .”
Adrian approached me after he had seen the work I did as part of the Elevate with the Brand Stylist mentoring programme on Instagram. He really loved my work and decided that I was the perfect designer to create a new brand identity for his blog – Mallorca Reflections – a lifestyle blog aimed at travellers, settlers and expats alike.
Owner, Adrian Petersen had worked hard to create a blog which features insights, information and impressions regarding food and wine, hotels and travel, as well as life on Mallorca. It also includes features from other local trusted bloggers and businesses. Over the years, the current branding message had gotten a little muddied and Adrian wanted a new brand identity which “reflected” the high quality, professional and well-respected source of information that his blog has become.
For Adrian’s brand I took inspiration from the Island itself; reflecting its’ dramatic and distinctive Mediterranean personality.
The cool, intense, bright and clear colours, are evocative of a sunny summer spent on this glorious island: the intense dark of the night sky, the deep blues of the warm water, the turquoise of sea over a sandy beach and highlights of yellow and orange taking inspiration from the many fruit farms, all offset with the cool grey tones of the Mallorcan pearl.
The serif font which I’ve used, beautifully combines thick and thin strokes, which provide the perfect contrast, creating a simple, yet distinctive brand identity.
Adrian was delighted with the results, here’s what he said:
If you’re thinking of branding or rebranding your business I’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch here
3 Jul 2020
Wow, how can it possibly be the beginning of July already – it really has been a year like no other, hasn’t it?
Looking back over the events of the past six months, I was reminded about a Vision Boarding Session I did at the end of 2019. Over the course of an afternoon, each of us chose images, pictures and affirmations which we were drawn to, and created a collage symbolising our hopes and dreams for the year ahead. The things which came up for me meant getting back out into nature a bit more, taking time to hone my photography skills, do more “hands on” creative work, and just to live a little slower. Little did I know back then, that when I chose the image with the word “pause” on it, that was really going to manifest itself – big time! (Note to self: Be careful what you wish for!)
I guess back then, none of us could even have dreamed about the chaos and disruption that Corona Virus would wreak on all of us – at times it really did feel like we were living on the set of a horror movie. Now though, here on Mallorca at least, things are beginning, slowly but surely, to open up again and we are taking tentative steps into the “new normality” phase. This means that although freedom of movement has been restored, certain other safety measures, such as social distancing and hygiene measures will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
Hopefully, wherever you are in the World, things are also beginning to get back to “normal”, and that you, your family and also your business can find a way to navigate through the coming months. Now is a great time to pause and reflect – by taking the time to figure out what has and hasn’t been working in your business – allowing you to do things differently in order to move forward in a more sustainable way. It’s at times like these that a small business really has the advantage in being able to shift and pivot, much quicker and smarter than their larger counterparts can.
My business model has meant that I have been lucky enough to be able to continue working with my clients throughout the whole of Lockdown, but as the mercury begins to rise here on Mallorca, the time has come for me to take my own “pause”. Let me tell you, temperatures in the high 30’s, plus high humidity do NOT make for Tranquilo working conditions! For this reason, the Studio will be closed from Friday 17 July until Monday 14 September.
So, stay safe, have a fabulous Summer, and I can’t wait to see you on the other side!
11 Jun 2020
I received such a fabulous response after sharing my “this house runs on island time” poster on my grid a few weeks ago, that I have decided to sell it as a Limited Edition print . . .
A4 Limited Edition Unframed Print.
Litho printed on 225gsm Premium Matte stock to give an artisanal feel. This print has a Limited Edition run of 50 copies, each print is hand numbered.
The print is available to purchase from my brand new Esty shop, here’s the link:- https://bit.ly/islandtimeprint
UPDATE: The print is now sadly all SOLD OUT! Let me know if you’d like me to make some more!
21 May 2020
Wow, these really are strange times, aren’t they? Here in Spain we’re now well into our second month of lockdown, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll have been on a total emotional roller coaster of feelings over the last few weeks. We’re all having to adjust to the new “normal” of working from home, as well as getting to grips with new technology like Zoom, and on top of all that, we still have to juggle home life too!
Your business might not be going in the direction which you had originally planned for 2020, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be working towards building the best brand for your business for when things get back to normal. I get that you may be feeling unsure or lost – I really do, I’ve gone throughout exactly the same things too – but by giving yourself something tangible to focus on you can really help your business flourish in the long run.
I’ve been speaking to some of my customers and there are a few things which keep coming up in conversation, especially about what they are finding challenging with regards to their branding at this time – the top three are:
• They feel unsure about posting, promoting and selling their services / products at this time.
Well, I definitely think that you should absolutely keep posting, promoting and sell your business! OK, so you might not be able to do the actual work at the moment, but by continuing to appear consistently in front of your customers, you will maintain customer loyalty. If you just disappear completely, chances are that they might begin to forget about you, and they might have seen one of your competitors instead – and this could be a real threat to your business. If you don’t post little and often, think about how much harder you’re going to have to work when things do go back to normal? At least if you keep appearing, you will be in a position to hit the ground running from the get go when this is all over.
• They don’t have the skills, or the artistic talent necessary, to be able to create a compelling and cohesive brand.
Just because it’s your business, it doesn’t mean that you have to do absolutely everything yourself. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! Sometimes, the most cost effective solution to your problem is to delegate – by getting an experienced designer like me in to create your brand identity and marketing materials, can actually save you so much time and money. It also leaves you free to do the things which you do best, like running your business!
• They don’t believe having a clear brand identity is that important to the success of their business.
Well, let me tell you – it is sooooo important!
How your brand looks and feels to your customers is key to the success of your business. Imagine for a moment you are running a high-end boutique hotel, the interiors look like they’ve come straight out of Elle Interiors magazine. You have a Michelin star chef running your award-winning restaurant kitchen and a day spa offering the very latest in spa treatments. However, you want to attract a new market – you think your hotel would be the most perfect venue for intimate and exclusive weddings, and to promote that you are going to hold a PR event.
So, you hop onto your computer and you knock up a “quick” flyer to advertise the event – a bit of clip art here . . . a gaudy colour or five there . . . and, *shudders* a bit of Brush Script font, just to finish it all off! It’s taken you absolutely hours to do – you’re not entirely happy with it – but you think, I’ve wasted enough time so it will have to do!
But think about it for a moment – do you really think that this is the right brand image to attract a high end market? So, instead of saving you money, your quick homemade flyer may actually be losing you valuable business! If you want to attract a certain market, then absolutely all of your branding must be targeted to that market.
If you’ve also had thoughts and feelings similar to these, then I’ve got something which may just be help you out. I’m offering a select few of you the chance to gain some real brand clarity about your business with a free Brand Audit – where we will analyse all of your existing brand visuals, social media and website to see if they are performing in a compelling and cohesive way, which is right for your business.
As well as giving you an overview of your existing branding, a Brand Audit will also give you some actionable hints and tips – some of which you might be able to put in place right away, at no or little cost – and also identify those longer term projects which could improve your business in the future by attracting more of your ideal customers.
Now, if that sounds like something you might be interested in, then please contact me to arrange that Brand Audit*. It may be free, but it’s something that your business cannot afford to miss out on!
*Offer ends 30 June 2020
13 May 2020
VILLA FLORES, TUSCANY
For my third, and final ELEVATE with Fiona Humberstone project, I selected an Italian retreat, VILLA FLORES, (or VILLA FIGLINE VALDARNO as Fiona had named it!) Located high on a Tuscan hillside, this 18 roomed agroturismo, is 15 minutes from Florence, amidst an award-winning vineyard, olive grove and productive kitchen garden.
The stunning Italianate villa is currently decorated in the very dark, heavy local vernacular style. The new owners have an incredible vision for the restoration of the house, garden and estate, and by breathing new light into the building, they hope to attract a new type of guest. Their classic, calm and understated style will be reflected throughout the house, garden and pool area.
Tuscany, and Florence in particular, is renowned for great food, wine, art, music and opera – passions which the owners are keen to share with their guests. As well as offering a calm, restorative retreat, they also plan to include painting workshops, opera retreats and a spa offering specialist treatments. There will also be an on-site restaurant which will showcase the very best produce that the estate has to offer.
Wow, don’t you just want to go and book a retreat there right now? This brief spoke to me on so many levels – I mean, food, wine, art, music and opera – honestly, what’s not to like?! After some extensive research on the area, the culture, and the local flora and fauna, I created a concept which I loved. I will share more as time goes on, but for now, here is the mood board reflecting the design direction.
Can you define the essence of your brand? If you can distill the essence of your brand down to three brand characteristics, you will have the perfect starting point to create an intentional brand identity which you can be proud of.
Shown here are the brand characteristics for VILLA FLORES.
Oh my, I am so in love with this colour palette! This stunning colour palette is the one I created for VILLA FLORES. These soft, faded colours, are evocative of a summer spent under the Tuscan sun: the soft sandstone of the buildings, whispery blues of early morning skies, pale cream of the sweet scented jasmine and dusty greens found in the olive groves.
VILLA FLORES truly is the epitome of classic, calm and understated style.
I took inspiration from the classic Italianate architecture found in the area; referencing the famous Iris Fiorentina. The “giglio”, as it is known locally, is a decorative emblem which can be found on fireplaces and floor tiles throughout the Villa, as well as on the crest of the Flores family.
The serif fonts are a nod to the historical stone carved inscriptions and signs found in local towns and villages all over Tuscany.
The classic, timeless style of the brand identity which I created, echoes the vision that the owners have for VILLA FLORES. It adds to the sense of history of the Villa, but at the same time it has a light, modern influence.
Sometimes, simplicity is enough. As well as the primary brand identity, I also created a secondary brand mark for VILLA FLORES. It showcases how stunning typography and layout, along with exquisite letter spacing can be used to convey the classic, yet understated style in a pared back way, but one which still perfectly reflects the brand message.
These days your brand identity has to work across many media types and platforms – everything from printed marketing collateral to online profiles. How you make your brand identity work on your social media profile for instance, can be a little tricky. One way to overcome this is with a gorgeous monogram or brand mark, such as the one I created for VILLA FLORES.
Creating brand mockups really brings a brand to life, especially if those mockups are so “on brand” for your client. I think you’ll agree, that this one from fits the VILLA FLORES brand so perfectly, it could have been custom made, just for them.
A fabulous quote deserves a fabulous typeface! And, I hope you will agree, that the gorgeous Kepler Italic really is a fabulous typeface! It is a modern re-interpretation of a traditional 18th century typeface – and, as such, it lends just the right touch of elegance and refinement, that suits VILLA FLORES to a “T”. I loved this quote as soon as I found it – for me it really evokes the very essence of Tuscany. You can almost hear the wind rustling gently through the cypress trees, as they stand, high on the hillside protecting the precious jewels, which are slowly ripening and sweetening, in the midday sun on the pale limestone slopes below.
In order to bring your brand to life, I like to go the extra mile and create a mockup of a piece of marketing collateral especially for you. Something so simple as creating a gorgeous personalised postcard (like this one I designed for VILLA FLORES) which you can send to your guests prior to their stay, not only adds that little special touch, but it also enchants your clients and elevates your business in their eyes.
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