WELCOME TO THE
Brand Spirits Guide
Authentic expression matters deeply to soulful folk like us, yet it can tricky to know how to translate our essence into visual form. This is what inspired the Brand Spirits framework.
There are 6 Brand Spirits, and we are each a blend of 2. It’s this blend that captures our depth and dualities, and allows for a beautiful range of unique expression within this simple framework.
You may be a balanced blend of Sister & Poet. You may be mostly Queen with a hint of Rebel. You may be more Sage in voice, and more Sprite in visuals. Take the quiz or just scroll down to see which Brand Spirit(s) you resonate with the most visually. Then use the mood boards, fonts and image collections provided as a starting point to curate your own brand visuals.
01
Sage
VIBE: CALMING
VOICE: STEADY
VISUALS: CLEAN
As a Sage spirit, you are loved for your quiet confidence, gentle wisdom and grounding presence. The steadiness of your voice and soundness of your approach brings calm and clarity.
Your grounding energy is expressed visually through clean fonts, calming imagery, a neutral palette, and a minimalist aesthetic.
02
Poet
VIBE: SOULFUL
VOICE: THOUGHTFUL
VISUALS: STIRRING
Deeply attuned and introspective, the Poet has the ability to capture life’s poetry and make us feel things - deeply. You don't take naturally to the spotlight, but when you share yourself with us, we are moved by the poignant beauty of your words.
Your soulful nature is expressed visually through a muted palette, evocative imagery, and organic fonts & textures.
03
Sister
VIBE: COSY
VOICE: LOVING
VISUALS: WARM
As a Sister spirit, you feel like a big hug - cosy, comforting, and wonderfully down-to-earth. You have a way of making us feel so safe and seen, and you’re the first person we’d want to snuggle up on the sofa with for a good heart-to-heart!
Your loving energy is expressed through your affectionate tone, earthy palette, soft shapes, and warm inviting visuals.
04
Rebel
VIBE: DEFIANT
VOICE: CANDID
VISUALS: BOLD
A Rebel with a Cause, you're feisty, defiant, and not afraid to shake things up. People love you for the freedom you stand for and the fire you light in them.
Your badass spirit comes through in your bold fonts and colours, out-of-the-box visuals, and BS-free truth-telling.
05
Sprite
VIBE: JOYFUL
VOICE: UPBEAT
VISUALS: SUNNY
As a Sprite spirit, you are sunshine personified. With a bright-eyed zest for life, you are loved for the hope, enthusiasm, and light-heartedness you bring.
Your positive vibes are expressed through your light + bright palette, playful elements, and mood-enhancing visuals.
06
Queen
VIBE: empowered
VOICE: CONFIDENT
VISUALS: STYLISH
As a Queen spirit, you are a shining beacon for what is possible. A natural leader and visionary, you’re here to dream big, play big, and make a significant impact.
Your empowered spirit comes through in your confident tone and sophisticated aesthetic - editorial fonts, jewel-toned palettes, lush textures, and polished visuals.
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Disclaimer: This is not a scientifically-verified, double-blind, peer-reviewed quiz! It is just a fun and easy jumping off point for your brand visuals.
If you resonate with you Brand Spirits quiz results, it can be very affirming and comforting to have a visual language to work with. If you don’t, just go with whichever Brand Spirit resonates with you the most, or simply use your 3 Brand Words to create your very own mood board!
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While we can’t use Pinterest images for our brand and website, it can be a great way to source colour palettes, gather inspiration, and/or collaborate with a brand photographer. Here’s how you can create a Brand Mood Board:
Head to Pinterest and start a new board. You can call is ‘Brand Board’, and if you click on the 3 dots beside the the name, you can add your 3 Brand Words to the description to help you stay anchored.
Use the Brand Spirit Mood Board(s) as a starting point. Hover over any image (Pin) that you like, and click on the red ‘Save’ button (check the drop down menu beside it to make sure it’s saving to your Brand Board). Remember, it’s OK if you relate to certain aspects of a Brand Spirit, and not others. Just take what resonates, and leave what doesn’t.
Add more inspiration to your Brand Board. Pinterest will start suggesting ideas for you at the bottom of your Board. You can also use the search icon at the top to find more inspiration (make sure it’s set to search ‘All Pins’!) Add adjectives that describe your brand before each search phrase, e.g. ‘soulful brand photography’, ‘earthy colour palettes’, ‘minimalist mood boards’, ‘stylish branding’, ‘playful fonts’, etc.
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When it comes to brand fonts, I generally pair an Expressive Font (for headlines), with a Neutral Font (for paragraphs). Squarespace has plenty of great fonts, but if you want a more distinct Expressive Font for your brand, Creative Market is a great place to source them. This is a ‘deep’ (advanced) option as it requires purchasing and installing the font in Squarepace - I will show you how to install custom font in Module 2.