3 Brands That Ignite My Design Passion

Defining Your Brand: Lessons from Inspiring Companies

Starting a brand isn’t as simple as picking a logo and a name. It’s a layered process filled with strategy, discovery, and a whole lot of creativity. At the heart of it all is one essential step: defining your brand.

So, what does that really mean? It begins with purpose. Your purpose could be rooted in sustainability, wellness, education, or any number of causes — what matters is that it becomes the guiding light for your business. From there, it’s about identifying your audience. Not everyone will connect with your brand, and that’s okay. The right audience will feel drawn to your purpose, your story, and the way you make them feel.

Because ultimately, a brand is more than visuals. It’s perception. It’s personality. It’s the emotion that lingers long after someone interacts with you.

Why Purpose + Personality Matter

When you combine purpose with personality, your brand comes alive. It stops being just a business and becomes something people want to champion.

A few brands I admire illustrate this beautifully:

Sun Bum

More than sunscreen, Sun Bum sells a lifestyle. Their playful, surfer-inspired design has inspired me since college — from their vibrant palettes to their laid-back storytelling. They’ve mastered how to take something ordinary and make it aspirational, proving that great branding creates experiences, not just products.

Duluth Trading Company

Duluth embraces humor and grit to connect with their audience — people who need clothing that can withstand tough, physical work. Their straightforward tone of voice, paired with wit, makes them stand out in a market where “durability” could easily feel dull. It’s a reminder that leaning into your brand’s personality can be the difference between being overlooked and being unforgettable.

Life WTR

Life WTR transformed the everyday water bottle into a canvas. By collaborating with artists and making creativity part of their brand DNA, they’ve turned a commodity into an art form. Their work challenges expectations and brings beauty into ordinary moments — something that always inspires me as a designer.

Bringing It Back to You

Each of these brands proves that defining your brand goes beyond surface-level design. It’s about clarity of purpose, connection to audience, and the courage to think differently.

At Nat Marie Design, this is the work we love most: helping businesses uncover their purpose, clarify their story, and bring it all to life through thoughtful, strategic design.

So here’s my challenge to you: What’s your brand’s purpose? And how can you bring it to life in a way that feels authentic and unforgettable?

If you’re ready to brainstorm, I’d love to connect.