To some, a flower may be a silly, delicate thing...

The surprising importance of personal metaphor in your brand

Hi, I’m Laura, the founder of Gooseberry Studios (est. 2013). As a photographer, brand strategist and writer, I build visual stories and strategies for brands who want to become beloved and help people embrace their own creative everyday way of work and life. Let’s turn inspiration into action because so – much – is – possible!

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Dear Creative Adventurers,

Many years ago I was told not to use flowers in my studio’s branding. “It’ll make you look like a wedding vendor,” they warned. And being the young, inexperienced entrepreneur that I was at the time, I shied away from my original idea.

But then I lived a little more, and grew; and lived, and grew again, and came to realize what I now know. Branding is about more than a literal interpretation of a product, service or person. Or at least, it can be.

Branding, in my opinion, is about painting an energy, an emotional intelligence and a mood to connect meaningfully with those who you want to help.

In my mind, flowers have always been wild, romantic and untamed, like the creative process. They are strong and often able to grow in challenging conditions, like the creative spirit. They are simple yet stunning, polished yet raw, and reliably uplifting. Has anybody ever been upset because a bouquet of blooms arrived at their door? Eventually, I forged from florals the brand identity I always wanted, imbued with this personal metaphor to reflect the pulse of my studio as it stands today.

I began thinking of a brand as something that is alive; perhaps in some cases infused with a founder’s personality, certainly, but ultimately an entity of its own unique presence that stands in the world beyond its technical specs on paper.

Consider the people whom you love and admire in real life. What draws you to them? The way they carry themselves, their mannerisms, their thoughts, sense of humour, presence, temperament – these are but a few of the qualities that make you want to spend time with them.

A brand can possess similar traits. It can be a presence that moves and breathes by its own internally defined compass. The challenge is to build that compass and then build further around that compass. Ensure that everything in your brand's ecosystem intertwines into an experience and operates from a place that is loyal to your larger vision vs the cookie-cutter assumptions of others.

To some a flower may forever be a silly, delicate thing. But if you define it from your own perspective and stay true to that poetic meaning, it can blossom into something bold and artful that will standout.

So a gentle reminder to anchor into your own personal metaphor, throughout your work and your life. You have an enchanting way about you. Trust it.

Keep creating wildly!
Laura

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