Hey Brand fan,

100 newsletters.
Countless reactions, emails, screenshots.

And one thing runs through everything:
Branding is not what you think it is.
And usually not what you first see either.

So - for everyone who reads, thinks and feels along:
Here are my 10 most honest truths about branding - from 100 newsletters, 100 projects and 100 learnings later.

With directly actionable questions that you can apply to your brand identity.

💡 1. branding doesn't sell immediately - but without branding there are no brand fans

Performance brings clicks. Branding brings trust.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Does your look stay in your head? Or do you remember 20 others?

Bonus tip: Check your last email automation. Does it look like your brand - or like a standard tool?

💡 2. if you look like everyone, you'll be remembered like no one.

Trend aesthetics are convenient. Canva and Pinterest invite you to do so.
Brand character is bolder - but it remains.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
What about your appearance is really yours - and what is Pinterest?

Tip: Take your Insta profile + 3 others. If you remove the logo - can you still be recognized?

Starting on the inside is harder - but more effective.

Design does not solve positioning.
Your brand identity always starts on the inside.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Can you say in 1 sentence what your brand stands for?

💡 4. repetition beats perfection.

It doesn't have to be fancy. But it has to be recognizable.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Do you use the same typography everywhere?
Is your tone of voice consistent on the website & Insta?
If not - why?

Branding is not a mood board.

Anyone who thinks "in terms of beauty" but not in terms of message is making packaging - not a brand.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Is it clear what your product is supposed to do when scrolling?
Or does it just look pretty?

💡 6. what looks like love is often strategy.

The packaging. The language. The experience. Everything deliberately designed.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
What does your customer feel when unpacking, reading, scrolling?

Tip: Place a test order. And pretend you're experiencing your brand for the first time.

💡 7. no edge, no fans.

Whoever wants to please everyone remains irrelevant.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Who are you not for?
Say it out loud. And show it in your branding.

8. courageous brands also rewrite sometimes.

If it no longer fits - change it. But not on a whim.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Which areas of your brand identity feel "outdated" - but you keep them because you used to like them?

Every touchpoint counts - even the invisible ones.

The delivery bill. The ordering process. The FAQ page.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
Which 3 places in your funnel look like a modular system - and don't scream your brand?

💡 10. your fire will never be finished.

But it will get stronger. If you keep at it.

❤️‍🔥 Reflection:
When was the last time you took time to consciously develop your brand?
Not for one post. For the big picture.

🧠 What you can take with you

✨ Branding is not a project - it's a process.
✨ You don't need a perfect look - you need recognition and feeling.
✨ If you want to be visible, you have to be tangible first.

🏁 Conclusion

100 newsletters later, I know:
The best brands are not the most beautiful.
They are the ones where everything fits together.

From the outside AND from the inside.

Thanks for reading along.
And if you're working on your brand development right now:
Keep going. Even if it's messy.
Even if you have to rethink it 5 times.

Because that's how real impact is created.
And that's what it's all about.

See you next week - stay brave, stay recognizable, stay you.
Chantalle