Living your "Brandstyle" - the Deets
- REBECCA RAUSCH
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
It is ALWAYS an honor to help design a logo. It is such an important part of a brand and is critical to being taken seriously at first glance, and draws the viewer into who you are as a company. At NLC, we call it living
your "Brandstyle."
What does THAT mean?
It means that you put your values up front to your audience as part of what your brand represents. It means not shying away from what is important to you, so that you can have an impact on everyone who sees and interacts with your business.
At NLC, part of our "Brandstyle" involves women's rights. ("Kindness" is the overriding brandstyle we champion, and this fits right in.) Ashes to Exodus is 5013c and has a unique concept in domestic abuse shelters. We were lucky enough to have this perfect partner led to us, and we are thrilled to announce this new initiative and adopt them as our corporate charity partner.
What A2E is doing for women who are victims of domestic abuse is so important. Two years of shelter, therapy, healing, education, and spiritual support, a home where women who have been through similar traumas can live together and lean on each other as they heal. A stable, secure, safe place to call home, a place that welcomes mothers with children, a place to flourish, and for the women to discover the beautiful souls they have always been.
To celebrate our partnership with Ashes to Exodus, we want to highlight the journey from beginning to end. This is part one. It will show you how NLC works, but also the depth of commitment and thought that goes into a logo and the true partnership it entails for any corporation. We are honored to welcome Ashes to Exodus into our fold as our corporate charity partner for 2025. Our gift to their vision is embracing and sharing their heart with the world.
More than a pretty picture
But there is more to it than just a pretty picture; a logo needs thought and purpose behind it. It should not necessarily be literal to your product but rather literal to your values, your image, and your voice.
That means capturing the messaging first, the full understanding of who you are as a corporation,n and the values you hold dear before you begin your logo or website.
The initial logo was fine, although it felt a little chaotic and could be hard to read for some. We all agreed it didn't quite capture the essence of the Phoenix rising from the ashes or the biblical account of crossing the Red Sea. (God can do big things, you know, and helped Moses and the Israelites escape certain death/slavery. A bit similar to the domestic abuse these women endured.)
With this in mind, we went deeper and learned Sam's personal story and about what she and her team have envisioned for the future of Ashes to Exodus. It leaves the baggage behind. Ashes to Exodus's goal is to build strong women, to heal the hearts, and provide direction. The logo needed something structured, in Sam's favorite colors, and with her personal strength on full display.
As usual, at NLC, we provide a LOT of logo options. It seems overwhelming, but it allows the client to see a multitude of directions and really clarify for themselves the direction they wish to go. Yes, it takes a bit longer (we still deliver in less than a month usually!), but we feel strongly it is better than just receiving one logo with 3 minor variations, as is the industry practice. In our opinion, that 3 logo scenario always leaves the client with a little FOMO and nervous if they have made the right choice.
In less than an hour, Sam had selected the top three logo finalists, and a few days later, after prayer, lots of discussion, and asking random strangers, Sam felt confident in the logo she chose. A style guide and 189+ files later, she is set for life. Her logo is available as designed, as horizontal, black, and white, and then prepared in different ways for use on different backgrounds and in multiple file formats. Files are extremely well organized for easy retrieval. This is why our logos are not inexpensive; we go above and beyond every step of the way to make sure that our clients have what they need, even if they choose to use another vendor. We do NOT nickel and dime. Our prices are set, clear, and customized à la carte for every client to make sure we maximize every dollar they spend with NLC.
Now it is time for Brand Boards. Unlike some competitors, our brand boards are not just random imagery and colors that evoke an emotion; we prefer to show you the brand in action. This is a much more visual way to confirm the logo selection was correct and also to see it used in different formats.
We usually provide three options, but I am only showing one here for expediency.
Once the brand board is selected, we are able to move forward on actual files for marketing, events, social, digital, and more.
From brochures to slide decks and more. We use the brand board as our guiding light. The style will evolve over time, as that is the nature of the process, and at that time, we will update the style guide if the client desires.
Although we are just getting started with Ashes to Exodus, we are feeling like it captures everything Sam and her team hoped to do.
This is just the beginning of our support of this incredible charity. Stay tuned for more examples of work and what Ashes to Exodus is doing to help women who are victims of domestic violence. NLC is humbled to be a part of their victory journey.
Love the process? Contact Neon Lizard Creative Marketing & Design, LLC to enhance your brand, build credibility, and have a brand that resonates with your audience.
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