Debunk the Mysticism of Branding

I work hard to debunk all the mysticism that surrounds what I do as a designer. Especially the word “BRANDING” 🤦

When someone asks me “What do you do?” I experience a moment of sheer terror – because I immediately question whether what I’m about to say makes any sense at all, to anyone outside of my profession. Which quite honestly, I don’t think it does…

When it comes to language and communication, I hate jargon. As a human, I find it confusing and isolating. It has nothing to do with design. So, that’s exactly where I choose to stand.

What I actively create in the world, isn't just about design. It is entirely about humans, and their relationships to each other, their communities, businesses, what they absorb in their free time – and how all of those things impact them in their lives. Branding is not a grocery list of things and todo’s. It’s getting clear on how you want to show up for people, and then taking responsibility for how you actually show up (which is entirely decided by them–not you and your “brand” things).

Branding is your way of being (actions you take, how you take them, who you show up as, and more… not to mention, being open to the results. That’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

I want to talk about this more with other humans.
What does "branding" mean to you, from your experiences?
Reach out!