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Explore our latest thinking on brand, business and creativity, from deeper Studio Papers and original perspectives to observations, stories and ideas from inside the studio.
When we think about branding, our mind often goes to a pretty business logo and signage, along with the overall aesthetic of a business. While this does make up a part of your brand, in essence, a brand is so
Many of us have different thoughts that come to mind when we hear the word “troll”. For some, it’s the story of the “Three Billy Goats Gruff and the Troll under the bridge”, for others it’s the small gremlin-like creatures
When you work in branding, you often ponder brand choice and why people choose one over another. Is it the price? How about the perceived quality or reputation of the product? Or is it because someone else told you about
If you’ve been keeping up with our blogs, as much as I do the Kardashians, you would know by now that we’ve been really into talking about what branding is and why it plays such a vital part in a
It’s true, an up-to-date and consistent brand identity could be the difference between a customer choosing you over a competitor. According to a survey by Lucidpress and Demand Metric, consistently presented brands are 3-4 times more likely to enjoy excellent
You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘brand consistency is key’ when it comes to branding, but have you ever really considered why it’s so important? Quite often, an ad will come on TV or the radio and I instantly know what
Last week, we brought you the news that Facebook had banned Australians from viewing and sharing news in their Facebook feeds. This Facebook news ban caused many pages that provide crucial information like the CFA and Queensland Health to have
So, you’re starting out in business and probably eager to dive straight into coming up with a name and designing a logo. You might have even started setting up your website and socials. It’s all very exciting, but rushing into
2020 was certainly an interesting year, to say the least (and has unfortunately carried over to 2021!) While the pandemic raged on, people started running out of things to do, and as we went into lockdown around the globe, the
Meet Leanne, Co-founder, Creative Director and the curious mind behind a lot of the brands that come through our studio.
She`s usually the one asking why? (and then asking it another five times), digging into the stories, people and ideas behind a business before working out how they can take shape visually.
Outside the studio, you’ll probably find Leanne painting with symphonic metal playing in the background, halfway through a fantasy novel, out exploring with Toby and Simon, or at a gig.
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Filed by: Oraco Agency
Reference: TF-001
Photo source: @joannaphotography.au
Filed under: #TeamFile #BrandStrategist #BrandIdentity #BrandStory #BrandStrategy
Rebranding doesn’t mean erasing everything that came before.
If you’ve been in business for five, ten or twenty years, you’ve already built recognition, reputation, relationships and stories that have value.
The interesting part is working out what still belongs.
What should stay? What has the business outgrown? What needs to evolve? And what would you be crazy to leave behind?
A rebrand should make room for where you’re going, while still feeling unmistakably yours.
Think you might have outgrown your brand? Take another look.
Brand + rebrand projects now booking. Visit our link in bio to book a chat.
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#Branding #Rebrand #BrandStrategy #BrandIdentity
Happy Father’s Day to the dads behind the Oraco team 💛
To our dads, stepdads, partners who are dads, and all the father figures who have supported us, shaped us and made us laugh along the way, today is for you.
And a very happy Father’s Day to all the dads and father figures in our wider Oraco community. We hope you’re feeling very loved and appreciated today x
I’ve always been fascinated by symbolism 🌀
By how a single mark, image, word or gesture can represent something far bigger than itself. Across cultures and civilisations, we’ve used symbols to communicate identity, beliefs, stories, belonging and ideas that sometimes go far beyond what words can explain.
And somewhere along the way, I realised that’s also how I’d started to see brands.
A logo can become a symbol of what a business stands for. A colour can carry years of recognition. A phrase can represent an entire belief. A story can become shorthand for where a business came from and why it exists. Iconography can represent services, philosophies, products or ideas.
What we see on the surface carries meaning because of everything sitting behind it.
Over nearly two decades of working in branding, I also began noticing the same themes appearing again and again in the businesses people really remembered.
Their past, beliefs, future, people, identity, expression, impact and longevity.
Eventually, I gave each of those ideas a symbolic form.
They became Oraco’s Eight Brand Marks, and today they give us a way to look at a business from eight different perspectives and uncover the stories, ideas and meaning that make it distinctly its own.
The strongest brands aren’t built by adding meaning that was never there. More often, the clues already exist.
You just need to know where to look.
Explore the Eight Brand Marks via the link in bio.
One of the hardest things about running a business is knowing what actually deserves your attention.
When you`re inside it every day, everything can feel important. The website needs updating, content needs creating, marketing isn`t quite working, the messaging feels off. Someone suggests a new platform, another campaign or a complete change in direction. But more activity isn`t always the answer.
A big part of Jessica`s work, both through Oraco and the business owners she mentors, is helping people step back far enough to see what`s really going on.
– What are you actually trying to achieve?
– Who are you trying to reach?
– What`s already working?
– Where is the real disconnect?
– And what can probably wait?
Sometimes the most valuable strategy isn`t adding another thing to the list. It`s creating enough clarity to know what matters now, what comes next and what doesn`t need your attention at all.
If you`re looking for strategic advice, a fresh perspective and someone to keep you accountable to actually doing the things you said you were going to do, Jessica offers one-on-one business strategy and mentoring sessions. Shoot us a DM to find out more.
Last week, we lost someone very special.
Sean was a former Principal of Mannix College, a longstanding client of Oraco`s, and someone I was lucky to get to know over many years.
I first met Sean in 2012 through my work with Mannix, and I remember instantly clicking with him. He was incredibly kind, funny, super organised and genuinely caring. He made working together easy, but he was also someone who took the time to get to know you beyond the work itself.
Every year, without fail, Sean would send me a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year message, always accompanied by a quirky little Bitmoji of himself. Even after he finished as Principal and we were no longer working together regularly, those messages continued. It`s such a small thing, but I think it says a lot about the kind of person he was.
I`ve worked with Mannix since 2009, a relationship that now spans close to two decades, and Sean sits right in the middle of so many of those memories. He was there through an important chapter in my career and Oraco`s growth, trusting us with Mannix for many years, and still making the effort to stay in touch long after our working relationship changed.
Looking back, it means a lot that such a longstanding professional relationship also brought someone like Sean into my life.
As the Mannix community gathers today to celebrate Sean`s life, I`ll be joining the service from home and thinking of his family, friends and everyone at Mannix. I had hoped to be there in person, but I`m glad I`ll still be able to join everyone in remembering him.
Thank you, Sean, for your kindness, your humour and for always finding a way to put a smile on people`s faces. You made a difference to so many people, myself included, and I`m very grateful our paths crossed.
Leanne x
Photo courtesy of Mannix College.
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