The Origine of your Brand

Introduction - Before the logo, before the name, before the visuals

Most people think a brand starts with a name, a logo, or a visual identity.

It doesn’t.

A brand starts much earlier with an idea, a vision, a need, something you feel you want or “need” to bring into the world.

This article is here to set the foundations.

Before we talk about design, aesthetics, or communication, we first need to understand where your brand actually comes from.

In this article, we will clarify:

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• Your core concept
• The type of brand you are building
• The real reasons you want to create it
• The beginning of your creative universe
• And most importantly: you

^{( You’ll also see keywords that will later link to deeper articles and exercises}.)

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Finding the concept: the big idea

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Every brand is built on a concept.

Not a product.

Not a style.

Not a trend.

A concept is a strong idea that can live and evolve over time.

→ See: Brand concept case studies (PDF)

There, we’ll explore:

• Different kinds of brand concepts
• How some brands are built on ideas rather than products
• How to turn an intuition into a clear concept

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Defining what kind of brand you are creating

Not all brands have the same purpose.

Your brand could be:

• A product brand
• Eponymous brand
• A creative studio
• A white label structure
• A mission-driven brand
• An experimental brand
• An author/designer brand

→ See: Types of brands and their objectives ( PDF )

This helps you understand:

• What your brand is supposed to do
• How it should function
• What it should aim for

Why do you want to create this brand?

This is where the real work begins.

You don’t create a brand “just to sell”.

You create it because:

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• You want to express something
• You want to work in a specific way
• You want to build your own framework
• You want to exist professionally on your own terms

This can be for:

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• Freelancing
• Structuring your activity
• Creating a studio
• Supporting an artistic project
• Launching a house
• Making a vision visible

→ See: The deeper motivations behind creating a brand ( PDF )

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The beginning of your creative universe ( before art direction )

Before colors, typography, and logos, there is:

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• What inspires you
• What you love
• What obsesses you
• What keeps coming back in your work
• Your non-negotiables
• Your unconscious references

This is where your universe starts.

You don’t design it.

You uncover it.

→ See: How to identify your creative universe ( PDF )

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The Pyramid exercise: knowing yourself to build your brand

Here we use a simple tool: the pyramid.

A solid brand stands on three pillars:

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YOU

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• Talents
• Skills
• Know-how
• Difference
• Values
• Style
• Background
• Interests

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‍YOUR PROJECT

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• Vision
• Mission
• Contribution
• Ambitions

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YOUR TARGET

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• Who you talk to
• In which field
• In which network
• For what kind of people or companies

→ Exercise: The Self Pyramid ( PDF )

This helps you align:

Who you are. What you want to do, who it’s for

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What all of this allows you to do

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Once these foundations are clear, you’ll be able to:

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• Give real meaning to your brand
• Build a coherent identity
• Know what to show, what to say, what to create
• Develop an art direction that feels natural
• Avoid copying others
• Create something unique and sustainable

Only after this can we truly talk about branding, visual identity, and communication

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Note

This article is only an introduction to the method.

Each section will be explored in depth in dedicated modules and detailed articles later on

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