The formula for creating an elegant brand
When I work with clients to begin the branding process, a key first part of the work we do together is stepping into the feeling you want your perfect customers to have when experiencing your business. Taking the time to really dive deep at this initial stage in the process is critical - because when you become grounded in the feeling - it becomes a guiding light to guide all the steps and decisions along the way. This ‘guidepost’ allows you to create a cohesive, singular brand statement and strategy that stands out from the crowd.
Alignment is also key. This means YOU, YOUR VIBE, THE BRAND ETHOS, YOUR BELIEFS, YOUR VALUES, YOUR WHY, AND YOUR IDEAL CLIENT OR CUSTOMER all clearly track and convey the feeling and embody the experience of working with you or purchasing your product or service in a succinct, clear way across all of your media touchpoints.
So…is your brand vibe and personality playful, feminine, luxe, outdoorsy, or tech-driven? Maybe something else entirely?
One possible brand persona is the ELEGANT brand. Below is a quick start formula and some things to think about when building a solid brand that channels elegance.
First things first - the definition of elegance according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary: ‘refined grace or dignified propriety - tasteful richness of design, or restrained beauty of style.’ One big key here is RESTRAINT, and it just so happens to dovetail perfectly with the M+W brand and the work I love doing with clients!
If the first thing you think of when you hear the word ‘elegant’ is stuffy, old, or traditional it’s time for an upgrade of your way of looking at it. In fact, successful elegant brands today don’t embody a stuffy, imposing, or unapproachable attitude - quite the opposite actually! It all comes down to crafting a clear brand identity.
Here are some key things to keep in mind if your vision is to create a clean, elegant brand statement:
Less is more. This is a Minimal + Well mantra no matter what your brand vibe but is especially crucial when you want to curate an elegant vibe experience. It’s best to restrict your color palette and think about spaciousness when building your visuals.
Lean on black and white - images, fonts, packaging…this combo always seems to deliver an elegant impression.
Choose one simple, single font for your brand. Favor thinner over thicker options. Some say that calligraphy or serif fonts are elegant but you can definitely channel elegance with clean, modern fonts as well.
Think ‘sleek and minimalist’. You’ve really got to get good at paring things down to their essence, practicing removal and restraint, and avoiding anything that reads as ‘fancy’.
Elegant brands that are successful have a way of speaking with confidence and a bit of maturity and sophistication that is at the same time modern and not at all rigid or stuffy. They also look towards the classics.
Quality, craftsmanship, special touches, and creating a memorable, superlative experience for your customer from beginning to end.
Many elegant brands also have a rich heritage or are deeply inspired by a lineage of other luxury stalwarts who paved the way and inspired their creation.
An element of scarcity. Products or services that are not available to the masses is another hallmark of many elegant brands. With a ‘limited availability factor, these products and services can also command a higher price. Just think about the waitlist for the Hermes Birkin bag (100-year heritage, exceptional quality and handmade craftsmanship, and a waitlist of 5 or 6 years).
I like to think of elegant brands using very thoughtful, strategic elements that are sleek, of the moment, and display clean lines and plenty of breathing room or negative space. It IS entirely possible to build a powerful, impactful elegant brand and draw in your ideal clients, customers, and collectors by applying these principles consistently. You can absolutely still convey YOU and your unique style with an elegant brand - you just need to very intentionally choose the words and visuals with care, make sure you know who your perfect customers are, and keep in mind that what you leave out is just as important as what you leave in.