Brands are beings.
We bring them to life.
Regardless of the scope or project type, our creative process is divided into three distinct phases: immerse, imagine, and implement. Working together, we’ll articulate your brand’s unique DNA, craft your verbal & visual identity, then bring it to life through various touch points—from website to packaging and beyond.
Our process is conversational—no smoke and mirrors here. We dispense with big reveals and uncover the best ideas together.
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Before picking up a pencil, it’s critical to have a deep understanding of your goals, audience, and surrounding competitive landscape. For clients wanting a light touch in this discovery phase, we offer a Collective Intelligence Workshop to uncover your authentic and differentiated territory.
The output becomes the strategic foundation that’s our north star throughout the creative process. For clients who need more in-depth research and strategy, we tap one of our strategy partners.
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In this phase, we bring the big idea to life in a way that connects the dots with your customers in a strategic and artful way. From mood boards to fleshing out tone and voice and comprehensive visual identity — we explore and refine the visual and verbal cues that define your brand’s persona. The end output is a brand system designed for maximum impact — touching hearts and driving results.
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With voice & visuals established, we create brand guidelines to ensure a consistent application over time—on your own or in partnership with our team (we love long-term relationships).
Whether you need a simple logo and color palette or a full suite of brand touchpoints like custom web design & development, packaging, print & digital collateral, and environmental graphics, our team has decades of experience crafting marketing materials at the highest level.
A brand is more than a logo — it’s a living, breathing ecosystem built from the inside out.
At Identity Collective, we believe that when a brand is rooted in purpose and expressed with differentiation and authenticity, it has the power to move hearts and minds. The Anatomy of a Brand is our framework for building that kind of resonance — beginning at the core with your heart, then expanding outward through your persona, identity, and finally into every extension and touchpoint. Each layer works in strategic harmony to shape not just how your brand looks, but how it feels, connects, and endures.
heart —your why
This is the innermost layer — the emotional core of your brand. It’s where your purpose, vision, mission, and values live. These are not taglines; they’re your truth. The “heart” defines why you exist and what impact you seek to make in the world. It’s the force that drives you forward and the reason people will believe in your brand beyond the product or service.
persona — your territory
Your brand persona is where strategy meets artfulness. It’s the territory you own in people’s minds & hearts — how you’re positioned, what makes you distinct, and how you show up with authenticity. This includes your differentiation, brand essence, value proposition, and overall vibe. Your persona is felt as much as it is understood. It’s the big idea that connects your heart to external audiences with coherence and conviction.
identity — your expression
This is how your brand looks, sounds, and behaves. Your name, logo, typography, color palette, imagery, and iconography work together to create an unmistakable signature. It’s your design language, but also your voice and tone — how you speak and what you stand for in communication. Your identity is the outward expression of your inner purpose, brought to life with intentional aesthetics and consistency.
extension — brand touchpoints
Your brand comes to life through experience. Its extension includes every touchpoint where your audience interacts with you — your website, social media, advertising, packaging, email, video, events, and more. Each one is an opportunity to reinforce your identity and deliver your promise. These touchpoints aren’t just marketing — they’re moments of connection that build trust over time.
