We’re back with a brand new Branding Beauty, and this time around it’s Caroline Colom Vasquez of Paloma’s Nest.  Unlike our last two, shall we say, branding sleeper hits (Lisa Lefkowitz and XOElle), Paloma’s Nest is almost as famous for its beautiful branding as it is for its beautiful products.  It was truly a delight to read through Caroline’s interview, and I think when you do, you’ll agree with me that the amount of love and thought she puts into her business is inspiring.  Without further ado…

Please describe the different elements of your branding.

Paloma’s Nest creates Handcrafted Modern Heirlooms.  Our pieces are made of the highest quality natural materials available, and are designed in a timeless, pure style.  We do this to ensure that the pieces will last and be enjoyed for several generations.  In our packaging and branding, we incorporate this same philosophy.

Natural materials and a simple color palette, both of which mimic and share qualities of the product collection itself, are used throughout all of our branding.  Our signature kraft boxes are hand stamped with our logo and filled with a hand formed “nest” in which the product perches.  Some designs are wrapped in natural cotton bags, and others in translucent vellum envelopes (made of 100% recycled materials).  Every package is tied with beautiful cotton cord, a shimmery gold thread, or a chunky natural ribbon.  In both our products and our packaging, we try to allow the natural characteristics and beauty of the materials to shine through, while also holding strong to our commitment to Heirloom Quality.

What inspired your branding’s design elements, look, and feel?

The company name, Paloma’s Nest, is the source of inspiration for most all that we do.  The origin of the name is a whole other story, but was chosen on a whim (and named after our daughter) and it stuck!  It was only later that we realized with much relief and delight how perfectly the name matched the collection and product line.  A “paloma,” which means “dove” in Spanish, is such a powerful symbol of peace, tranquility, hope, rarity, treasure… all elements that we hope come through in the products themselves.  We are also inspired by how the most simple of materials and designs can be the most bold and elegant.  We selectively edit in all that we do so that there is a small hint of timeless elegance in every piece and every package–without it being overpowering.

Do you keep your company’s “look” cohesive across multiple branding platforms (i.e. your website, store, blog, business cards, stationery, collateral sent with purchases)?  Why or why not, and how?

Paloma’s Nest has a very cohesive look across all of the branding platforms we use, and feel this has been one of the keys to our success.  From the very early days of the business, we have always aimed for consistency in our photographs and collateral.  When the business began growing rapidly, we luckily had already established our brand.  As our images spread throughout the internet and in print, they (and the products featured in them) quickly became recognizable as belonging to Paloma’s Nest.  This has been so valuable in establishing the company as the “creator of the original Ring Bearer Bowl(TM)” and our collection of Modern Heirlooms–all of which bear our signature style.

What is your favorite part of your branding?  What part would you most like to change?

I love to challenge myself when creating new packaging or collateral.  How can we push our concepts further?  How can we introduce a new material and make it cohesive with what we already have?  Marketing and branding are two of my favorite parts of being a businesswoman.

We have some big surprises in store for the New Year which include some significant changes to our packaging.  Our goal with these changes is to take our packaging from being “temporary” wrapping to something that is a more permanent “home” for your Modern Heirloom piece — that the packaging will be saved along with the piece as it is passed on to future generations, not only to protect the piece for years to come, but to also help create a living history of the origin of the artwork.

What advice would you give to another wedding professional looking to improve their branding experience?

Be sure that the materials you use reflect who you are or what your company offers.  A while back, I created my own personal “branding board” — an inspiration board of sorts, that I share with graphic designers, web designers, or anyone with whom I am collaborating with on a business project.  This ensures that your team of professionals will share your vision for your branding, and that what they create for your business will reflect the marketing you already have in place.

You can make your own “branding board” by simply gathering up the collateral you already have in use — your business card, letter head, gift packaging, etc.  Step back and take a look.  If something is out of place, chances are it is not reflecting your brand the way it should be.  Pay attention to the details, too.  If you use low-quality images or paper, or a ribbon that is not the perfect color, realize the huge impact that these over-looked details can have on your brand; even if they seem like small things, they have the power to tell your audience so much about who you are as a company.

Thank you, Caroline!Once again you’ve proven you are even more lovely than your branding.  Look for more from Paloma’s Nest in the November issue of Southern Weddings, coming to a newsstand near you on November 10! (and we can’t wait to finally meet her in person this weekend at our launch party!) A little sneak peek of Paloma’s Nest in SW…

For even more Paloma’s Nest goodness, you can visit Caroline’s site here, her shop here, and her Twitter here.

And as always, if you or someone you know would make an excellent Branding Beauty, please send me an email: emily [at] laracaseyreps [dot] com.

And we all stopped.  And stared.  And ooh’ed and ahh’ed.  Her bowties were the hit of the weekend.  (Fred Egan loved the one we gave him so much that he slept in it) And possibly even more than the bowties, we were smitten with her packaging.  It was fresh, unique, reflective of her personality, and memorable — exactly what branding should be.  Today she’s here as a Branding Beauty to answer a few questions.

Please describe the different elements of your branding.

I run an online shop and blog, where my product photos all need to portray a consistent image.  I furnish customers with a super experience when they receive the product with unexpected packaging, business cards, hang tags, and thank you cards.  I also sell my items at local farmer’s markets and keep my booth space and signage consistent with my online presence.

What inspired your branding’s design elements, look, and feel?

Cheerfulness.  Simplicity.  I want my branding to feel familiar yet unexpected.  I like bold, clean colors and flat space.  I like squares and round edges.  I want to keep the element of handmade in everything that I do, so my business cards, hang tags, and thank you cards are all filled in by hand.  I chose elements that could be easily reproduced in various media so that I could continue to create more branding elements by hand.

Do you keep your company’s “look” cohesive across multiple branding platforms?  Why or why not, and how?

Yes!  I want a customer’s experience with me, in any form — in my store, on my blog, and in person — to feel the same.  It’s important for any business to be easily recognized by the client, and it is especially important for a little business like me to stand out and develop brand loyalty.  Hopefully, a customer will know that they are in an xoelle space (on Etsy, on my blog, Facebook, Flickr, etc.) because it has the same elements as all of the others.

Do you feel your physical branding echoes your or your company’s in-person and/or written persona?  How?

I created this little business as an extension of myself and what I love, so I hope that my branding echoes me and my personality.  The whole idea of bowtie wearing is to be a little different from the crowd and that’s what I am, too.  My hair is blue, my son’s middle name is Danger, and I don’t watch TV.  My blog is an important part of my branding efforts.  Hopefully it reflects who I am to my customers, and inspires them to want to create and live their own lives with more intention.

What is your favorite part of your branding?  What part would you most like to change?

My favorite part of my branding is its flexibility.  I didn’t tie myself down to certain exact colors, but chose a palette of bright colors.  I can add, delete, or modify colors to suit holidays or new product rollouts.  I think it is important to constantly improve and keep your image fresh, so I’ve been thinking of adding some basic patterns here and there and reevaluating my packaging to see if there’s a way to keep it more in line with the rest of my branding materials.  It’s all a work in progress.

Name three other brands that you admire.

Johnny Cupcakes, The GAP, and Apple.

Look for more from xoelle in the November issue of Southern Weddings.

As always, if you or someone you know would make an excellent Branding Beauty, please send me an email: emily [at] laracaseyreps [dot] com.

Welcome to our new series, Branding Beauties!  Lara and I (Emily, for those of you I’ve yet to meet!) are thrilled to introduce this insightful series of posts on the whys and hows of integrated branding across multiple platforms.  Since branding – whether in the form of business cards, a blog, or even an email message signature – is usually the first way a potential client or collaborator encounters you, it is the most important investment you can make.  Yes, branding can make or break you. Your brand is essentially everything that is visible to the world that reflects who you are as an artist or business.  Great branding has the potential to tell your unique story and set you apart in the market.  We will be asking this question a lot in the coming series and I challenge you to ask yourself this right now:  what does your current brand really say about you?

Our first guest in the series is photographer extraordinaire Lisa Lefkowitz, who blew it out of the water on her recent re-branding collaboration with the fabulously talented Melanie Halim of Collective Lines.  Lisa and Melanie were kind enough to answer a few questions about the re-branding process.

What was the impetus for changing your company’s branding?

Lisa: After almost ten years in business, I was ready to overhaul the look and feel of my brand, collateral, website, and blog.  (Lisa’s old brand look below)

I felt that my business had outgrown it and my images had moved in a different direction from my old brand.  I wanted to take my business to the next level, and felt strongly that a new brand could support the vision I have for where I want to be.  I had never worked with a branding agency before, and while I knew it would be costly, I also knew it was the right thing for me to do at the right time.

What inspired the design elements, look, and feel of your new branding?



Lisa: Melanie and I worked closely in many meetings to get to a moodboard {shown above}.  I wanted a new brand that captured the feel of my images and my approach to wedding photography.  Some of the key words we wanted to resonate visually were fine art, artisan, classic, elegant, exquisite, feminine, and high end.  I knew I wanted to work with letterpress for much of the collateral, and Melanie suggested using gold throughout the pieces to evoke an old-world, artisan feel.  I am thrilled with the results and LOVE the gold — it is so distinctive and elevates all of the paper goods.

Melanie: The inspiration started from Lisa herself as an artist, a person, and a business, from her exquisite, classic, and beautiful photographs.  When she showed them to me at one of our first meetings and talked about her work and business so passionately, I was inspired.  We were determined to translate that passion into a brand that would truly represent her.

Do you keep your company’s “look” cohesive across multiple branding platforms (i.e. your blog, website, business cards, stationery)?  How?

Lisa: Yes, definitely — that was very important.  It was great working with Melanie.  From the start she saw this branding project from the big picture perspective, as one vision.  I was blown away when, at one of our meetings, she laid out mock-ups of the entire system on my studio table.  It was so consistent across all platforms and so beautiful — I think I even shed a tear! She had that consistency planned out in advance — another benefit of working with an experienced agency.

Do you feel your physical branding echoes your or your company’s in-person and/or written persona?  How?

Lisa: Yes.  Working so closely with Melanie, I felt that she got to know me well, and was very concerned with essentializing not only my images but my personality into my brand.  I am a low-key person both in the way that I shoot and the way that I do business.  I think the look and feel reflects that.  It’s not flashy — it’s simple, classic, and lovely.

Melanie also pushed me to express my written voice in the collateral, something I had never really done.  We have a postcard that goes on top of my promo cards that has just my logo and a statement from me in the first person.  She felt that having my voice heard would personalize my business, which I think it did.  We carried this voice into the bio sections of the website and journal, as well.

Melanie: The brand uniquely reflects Lisa’s personality which includes her voice (personable and professional), her approach (high quality craftsmanship with attention to the finest details), and her character (simple, sweet, and elegant).

What advice would you give to another wedding professional looking to improve their branding experience?

Lisa: Bite the bullet and hire a branding agency.  Find the right agency, one with a vision that is in line with yours.  Trust and respect each other’s expertise.

Thank you so much, Lisa!  We are in love with your branding and your work, and we couldn’t have picked a more fitting individual with which to start our series.  See more of Lisa’s beautiful work on her website and blog.

Wedding professionals: Would you like to be featured as a Branding Beauty or know someone who should be?  Don’t be shy!  Email me to nominate yourself or someone you know for a future feature.

All images c/o Collective Lines.