Strategy

Brand Identity Study: Honeydew Skincare (pt. 1)

March 9, 2019 By Naima Ayo

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.

Branding is WAY more than #aesthetic

February 3, 2019 By Naima Ayo

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.

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.

How to rewire your brain to dream more & a manifesto

January 25, 2019 By Naima Ayo

How brands, entrepreneurs, and dreamers alike can manifest more in the future with a powerful tool – dreaming.

Growing up, I watched Black Cinderella religiously. (Rest In Peace & Power, fellow Leo Queen, Whitney Houston! And rest in peace to my favorite songwriter ever, Richard Rodgers!)

Seeing Moesha rock waist length braids and sing about her addiction to daydreaming in “In My Own Little Corner” felt like I was staring in the mirror. Cinderella (short of me having access to an imaginary prince) was me…

Daydreaming was my escape. Daydreaming was a necessary disassociation from parts of my reality that were too hard for me appreciate. Daydreaming was how I improved the present, even if for a moment. In the magic of my mind, I created beaches and lovers and movie sets and recording studios and yesterday-but-better and next-time-ima and impossible experiences and everything else I thought would make reality actually worth it. In my own little corner, where no one can stand in way.