The back story:
In 2017 it was my great pleasure to work with Monica Krake, a PR specialist in the process of developing her passion project: a website for organizations to promote events related to Health and Wellness, Spirituality and Social Justice.
Monica had already sought the help of a web developer and done some work in creating her brand but was not happy with the results. She had a great name for the project: Head + Heart, but the look and feel of the site did not fulfill her vision. Monica enlisted my help re-starting the entire process, developing a more unique and meaningful brand identity, and a spectacular online space for her new platform.
Together we came up with a descriptive tagline and logo concept with my graphic designer Morgen Matheson through many design iterations to get the logo just right. In the end, the three of us created all of her brand elements: her logo, social media icons, favicon, category search icons, and colour palette:
Monica and I then worked out the web content strategy and selected beautiful photos for the site. Morgen created web mock- ups so that the new developer, Tanya Bennett of Full Serve, could maximize the new branding throughout the totally re-freshed website.
The results, which you can see here, are truly beautiful. What’s more, it was a privilege to work on a project that will connect so many people with life changing ideas and communities.
I followed up with Monica now that her site is up and running to get her take on the branding process and how she feels about her new brand.
Why did you think creating a unique brand identity for your new platform was important?
Monica: “In today’s online world, your visual identity is everything. So, creating a visual ID that represents the inherent goals and values of Head + Heart was central.”
Do you feel it was worthwhile to invest the time and money to create your brand?
Monica: “Of course. The first thing people see is your brand. Your brand is your calling card, it’s what people interact with before you ever get a chance to say a word about your business. It’s your first impression, and can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you in terms of helping you express your business to customers. The more effectively a brand can do this, the more successful the organization.”
How do you feel about your brand? What does it express about Head + Heart?
Monica: “Everything about the Head + Heart logo and website was designed to convey feelings of warmth and spaciousness. We choose fonts and colours that were soothing and peaceful, so that visitors to the site would instantly feel a sense of spaciousness, giving them the invitation to explore events that are also, for the most part, about wellness, healing, self care, and care for others.”
What feedback have you received on the branding of Head + Heart? What impact do you think your branding has had/will have on the success of the project?
Monica: “I love the brand, and have had a lot of positive feedback about it. The brand was designed to be simple, peaceful and inviting and it’s working well. That said, I believe that brands do need to evolve over time. The qualities that convey warmth and peace and spaciousness today will likely change in the next 5 years.”
What surprised you about the branding process?
Monica: “Because I’m in marketing, I was surprised by how much I relyed on outside expertise to shape up my own brand. I’ve helped others with this process, but I couldn’t do it for myself. This showed me how difficult it is to be objective when it’s your own project, especially if it’s a passion project.”
Can you speak about the collaborative nature of developing your brand with Erica?
Monica: “Erica was a tremendously supportive collaborator. She was always available to help move the process forward, and give insights along the way, without totally superimposing opinions. I found her support and guidance invaluable. Though I did sort of think I knew what I wanted, I could not have got to the finished product without her guidance. Thank you Erica!”
To learn more about the passion and plan behind Head + Heart, check out Monica’s interview at Today’s Workshop, and be sure to visit her site at headplusheart.com
If you want to create a unique and meaningful brand, I’d love to help. Contact me here or drop me a line at erica@ericajane.ca.
~ Erica
