On your adventure, you come across a village under siege from bandits. You have your own mission, but without aid, the villagers will surely lose their harvest - or worse. Do you turn and leave them to their plight, or step in and help? Empathy is the skill that allows us to see the [...]
I'm a bit Chaotic Good. Most of you reading this are going to be utterly bemused by that statement, though I'd wager a small number are nodding sagely and know exactly what I mean. Chaotic Good is an alignment in Dungeons & Dragons. The alignment system is a way of determining a character's [...]
Rebrand is a term that strikes a certain trepidation in business owners. It's at once scary and exciting; strangely daunting for a seven-letter word. It's also one of those things we're never quite sure when to begin and as such often gets put off for years. But this can be problematic, and ignoring the signs [...]
When it comes to creating, maintaining and growing your brand, it’s important to understand what personality it has. Like people, brands have personalities that influence how they connect with an audience. People respond better to brands speaking their language, and having an archetype can help you find that voice easier. Brand personalities are great because [...]
Deciding to step out on your brand journey is only the first step, and doing so without direction can leave even the most seasoned adventurer lost in the wilderness. Branding can in some ways be like hiking - it's easy to get out and start, but without direction you can end up lost and [...]
Building a brand is a lengthy task. It’s not a ‘one and done’ exercise, but a continual process that grows and evolves over the lifetime of a business. Shortcuts are almost unheard of. But there are activities that can help give your brand a boost, and blogging is definitely one of them. So [...]
Most brands start with a single step. The idea that even huge brands like Disney, Mcdonalds and Nintendo started out fully formed is ludicrous. Brands evolve and change over time to fit ever changing markets and trends. The above brands are strong as they have evolved over decades (and in the case of Nintendo, [...]
When it comes to your brand, the logo is often a star player in your brand identity. It holds a prominent position and, when designed correctly, can be a powerful marketing tool in itself. So getting it right is important, but why is it difficult? Surely it’s just a drawing, that shouldn’t be [...]
When I was about 10 years old, my uncle bought me a Nintendo 64. With it, a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It was a game that captivated me entirely, speaking directly to my love of adventure and fantastical worlds. I still play every Zelda game on release over 20 [...]
Semiotics - the study of signs At 6:44am (local), in an airport bathroom in Narita, Japan, I reach for a curved, chrome tap with a blue circle on the handle. Despite my 13 hour flight (not to mention the 6 hour change in Hong Kong), my instincts tell me that, even half the [...]