Project // Rebrand

Having a degree in graphic design and having the experience I do in design and marketing, you would think that my own brand would not be such a sore spot in my business. Don’t get me wrong, equal to wedding photography, branding is my passion. It’s my thing. I just get it. I live and breathe it. So why is my own branding such a source of discontent?

It is like that with the things you do well because hopefully you’re getting paid to do them well — for other people. Hooray for turning passion into profit! Unfortunately, however, it also means that you don’t have much time to do that thing you do so well for yourself. Was that confusing? That’s just how I’ve been feeling lately about my brand… flustered.

Graphic Design Blasphemy

Frankly I’m embarrassed at the lack of standards in my branding, brand standards that is. Do you know what a brand standards guide is? It’s a document that spells out all brand elements (logo, logo variations, color pallet, fonts, etc.) and exactly how those elements are to be implemented to create a cohesive brand experience. I give this to all of my clients when they get their brand suite. So I’m a little ashamed to admit that I never created brand standards for my own brand, Moriah Riona.

How could this have happened? Well, I’ll tell you. My brand was not a well thought out, well executed campaign. No, it was in fact the opposite, a hasty and reactionary design. I was a senior in design school and was in need of personal branding for my portfolio. I was actually trying to whip out a batch of business cards for a student design conference that would be taking place later that day. I was struggling with how to brand myself, because branding oneself is difficult! That’s why you hire professionals. Anyway, my professor, in his typical dry banter suggested I make the calling cards “uniquely Moriah” by punching nose rings through all of them, or perhaps attaching a locket of my red hair. I almost shrugged off his sarcasm but the red hair comment stuck and one hour later I had the first rendition of my current logo.

The Red Head With Glasses

It was an instant hit. I figured no one at the convention was going to remember my name. Most people can’t even pronounce my name but I knew they would remember the red head with glasses. And it worked. I got offered an internship that night from a posh little boutique design studio and I took it. I also interviewed for subsequent design positions with resumes, cover letters and portfolios all donning the little red headed logo. I was offered those positions and took them too.

Now I’m not saying the reason I got the jobs was because of the logo but the logo certainly didn’t hurt. So I’ve kept it. And I’ve sort of built a somewhat consistent brand around it. However, I don’t like “sort of” and “somewhat.” I want perfection. I want brand standards with pantone colors and pre-determined typography. I want a well thought out and thoroughly executed brand, something I would deem worthy to deliver to a client. That is why I have decided that this year, finally, is the year I rebrand. Or perhaps more accurately, just finally brand, Moriah Riona LLC.

I’m inviting you to follow along during the process. I think there is this idea common among creatives that everything needs to be perfect before we share with others. Well, I’m not ascribing to that antiquated paradigm anymore. I would like to invite you to be witness to the process and even give me your advice and opinion. Let me know what you think.

Also, if you’re interested in chatting with me about your own branding fill out this contact form. Because I am making the Moriah Riona rebrand a top priority this year I will be taking on a very limited number of other branding/design clients. Be sure to contact me early this year if you would like to be one of those clients.

Thanks for following along. I’m looking forward to sharing this process with you.

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