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Death by a Thousand Small Inconsistencies: Part 3

Over the past two weeks we’ve explored how consistency shapes the way people experience a brand, and how easily that consistency can unravel. What often gets overlooked is how closely branding is tied to the long-term value of a business.

Death by a Thousand Small Inconsistencies: Part 2

Practice makes permanent. The things we repeat become the things we’re known for. The same is true for brands. Businesses that maintain consistency over time rarely do so by accident.

Death by a Thousand Small Inconsistencies: Part 1

Brands are felt in the gut. Long before people analyse your messaging or offering, they have an instinctive reaction. If your brand feels right, people trust it. Consistency is often misunderstood. Many businesses treat it like a rigid rulebook and set of restrictions. In reality, strong brands behave more like people. Their personality remains recognisable even as they evolve.

Feeling Blue? You’re Not Alone

Ever noticed how many leading global brands are dressed in blue? In fact, one-third of the world’s top 100 brands use it as their primary colour. From banks to tech giants, blue dominates corporate identity because it communicates something every customer wants to feel: trust. It’s no coincidence that industries where reliability and security are non-negotiable like finance, healthcare, and technology, lean heavily into this hue.

The Power of First Impressions

“Marketing is the equivalent of asking someone on a date. Branding is the reason they say yes.” Ren Jones’ words cut to the heart of what makes business communication work. Marketing is all about visibility, outreach, and attraction. It’s the invitation. Branding, on the other hand, is about substance. It’s what makes someone feel compelled to accept, engage, and commit. Without the right brand foundation, even the most polished marketing campaign risks falling flat.

A year of Brand New!

With the Covid-19 pandemic about to enter its third year, 2021 hasn’t been without its fair share of unique challenges. For us, running a design studio across various locations meant embracing the “new normal” of daily video-call reviews. Add to that an economy weighed down by lockdown fatigue, and just to keep things interesting, the ever-present threat of loadshedding.

The Value of Brand DNA

With public discourse around the recent Absa rebranding leaning toward the inevitable wave of negative sentiment, I was reminded of the power and necessity of long-term design strategy in shaping business success.

Fight Against the Ugliness

A few weekends back I took my car in for its usual fortnightly wash. My local carwash has this unexpectedly stylish setup: a coffee bar tucked beside a lounging area with oversized black sofas. With a cappuccino in hand, I dropped into one of them, eyeing the pile of magazines on the coffee table.

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Circle Branding by Design Pty (Ltd.)
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Circle Branding by Design is a Level 2 QSE with 51% black ownership.