My job is to guide your thinking, ensure your alignment, and lead your brand with clarity.
I’m not here to ‘give you what you like’, but rather, to ensure that your brand personality and messaging are communicated visually and effectively.
Early in my design career, I thought it was acceptable to give clients what they want. I went in with the thought that if I executed exactly what they asked me to do, then I’d be branded a ‘good designer’. The problem is, I am not striving to be a ‘good designer’; I’m striving to be an expert in my industry.
Part of branding requires strategy, consultation, and alignment. If that’s the case, then visual identity and branding need to be intentional and well-thought-out. I’m the one taking a word and turning it into a vision that others can resonate with.
I don’t:
- Execute bad ideas
- Follow creative input blindly
- Design without context
- People-please
So … What Do I Do?
I’m a brand architect.
I build brands from conception through execution. Strategy, visual identity, messaging, marketing, and cohesive alignment—these are the things that make a good brand stand out.
What is a Brand Architect?
A brand architect is someone who lays the foundation for a brand. They define strategy, positioning, messaging, direction, and visual alignment at every point of the brand’s development. A brand architect ensures that everything is cohesive and communicates the long-term vision.
Difference Between a Brand Architect and a Brand Designer
A brand designer typically creates identity systems (visuals). They’re more detailed than a graphic designer, for sure. However, brand designers rely mainly on a pre-defined strategy.
A brand architect helps you build that strategy first, then they create the visual systems, content, messaging, and positioning. The brand architect defines:
- Positioning
- Target Audience Psychographics
- Competitive Landscape
- Voice and Personality
- Messaging Framework
- Narratives
- Long-Term Expansion
Brand Architect vs. Graphic Designer
Part of a brand architect’s work is graphic design, but this is not their complete job description. When it comes to design, graphic designers focus on the following:
- Reaction rather than intention: Graphic designers follow direction, not shape it
- Immediate Response: Graphic designers churn out visuals with little attention to messaging
- Visual Aesthetic: Graphic designers don’t usually work with long-term clarity
Starting Point
- Graphic Designers Ask: “What are the visual requirements?”
- Brand Architects Ask: “What problems do we want to solve for our target audience?”
Scope of Work
- Graphic Designers Ask: “What assets should I create?”
- Brand Architects Ask: “What systems are needed to elevate the brand?”
Vision
- Graphic Designers Ask: “What do you want this to look like?”
- Brand Architects Ask: “What do you want this brand to be known for?”
Longevity
- Graphic Designers Ask: “What do we need to achieve right now?”
- Brand Architects Ask: “How can this brand evolve over the next five years?”
Visual Influence
- Graphic Designers Ask: “How should this look?”
- Brand Architects Ask: “How can this brand shape perception, culture, and society?”
Graphic designers focus on tangible deliverables such as logos, brochures, social graphics, and packaging.
Brand Architects focus on building scalable systems: brand frameworks, messaging frameworks, identity ecosystems, marketing plans, and long-term alignment strategies. A part of a brand architect’s work is graphic design, but it comes with so much more than simply that.
#2 Strategy Precedes Aesthetics
The Wise Words of Christ
In the Gospel of Luke and Matthew, Jesus shares a parable on the purpose of not only listening to His words but also obeying them. In this parable, He says:
“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 6:47-49 ESV
Build Systems, Not Trends
When branding, we build our foundation on a solid rock so that it can withstand the ills of time.
Systems establish brand position, purpose, and philosophy. You can’t lose sight of who you are when you stand on a firm foundation. You need to know who you’re targeting, what your messaging is, and how you’ll communicate it to your audience.
For that to work, you need a strategy. It doesn’t matter if you ‘hear’ the instruction. It matters if you follow them. To create clarity, things should align, and to create alignment, you need an identifiable system that everyone can get behind.
Start the Journey
Want to get started on realigning your business vision? Start with Phase One: Essence to capture the essentials and lay the foundation for your brand.
I’m giving away my RAVYN Branding Workbook that sets you up for a successful, purpose-driven business. It’s got all the things you need to ensure that your business is *almost* ready for launch.
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