Naima Ayo

Branding

Brand Identity Study: Honeydew Skincare (pt. 1)

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They say life is like a tree of bearing fruit. Err, I mean… practice makes perfect.

And with years of design, copywriting, marketing, packaging design, and even brand management under my belt, I want to regularly practice creating brands using elements from each of these disciplines.

I am starting a new series here called If I Had A… where I explore possible, fictional business ideas and build brand identities, advertisements, product mockups, emails, websites, and more that transforms a business idea into an actual brand. Learn more about my feels on that here.

First up: Honeydew Skincare.

Read part 2 of this installment here.

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Branding is WAY more than #aesthetic

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A college buddy posted that branding just makes your business “pretty” the other day on Instagram. I had to laugh. Outloud. If you believe branding is just a layer of makeup and a spritz of perfume on top of your business, you’re completely missing the mark.

Nike, the iconic brand, transcends what it means to be a sneaker brand. By Ayo Naima - branding, strategy, design.
There is an obvious and necessary difference between a brand and a business.

But before I get started, branding is NOT necessary for all companies. There is a difference between building a brand and just selling s***. There are plenty of successful businesses who only need to produce and sell products. These businesses can stay open and functional and profitable for years without ever building a lasting, memorable, or strong brand. Plenty of people get rich off of just selling s***. This business model isn’t going away anytime soon.

Here are the essentials of just selling s***:

  • Business plan
  • Product
  • Sales funnel (optional but suggested)

Notice, I didn’t even mention a logo.

Yeah, that is really it. And as a business owner, it is your responsibility to really sit down and understand what the vision for your business is. Where does your business fit? Are you just trying to sell s***? Or are you trying to build something that connects with your audience in a way that transcends the market? Yes, there is a difference. Let me explain with one the best examples of this: Nike vs other shoe brands.

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