Vicky’s thought of the day
Life is like a beach. If we look too far ahead, we may trip on the pebbles and rocks that have moved with the daily tide.
I am the luckiest branding creative alive because I get to enjoy stunning beach walks daily. The Worthing coastline is particularly stunning and interesting because of the varying tides. No one day is alike, and it got me thinking about how similar nature is to the business branding landscape. Remember, our brand is a mirror of the people inside.
People ask if I get bored because I either turn left to Worthing Pier or right to Goring Gap: No! Each day is different because the light is different, the tides have moved the pebbles. Today, we received a beach of chalk pebbles and rocks, I’m guessing from Dover.
It made me think how different our landscape, business and personal, is, daily! Each day there are changes—economic, life, health, politics. Like the beach, there are fascinating changes. Many people are scared of change—it feels different. How can we use the beach metaphor to change our mindset about business changes for our brands? It’s different. It makes it interesting. It gives us new daily challenges.
For me personally, as a graphic designer, the biggest change has been the shift in perception of professional design. With social media platforms like, Pinterest and Instagram, people have access to stunning designs from across the globe. They also have access to clip art and ‘creative templates provided by Canva and other platforms. Originally, I wondered if this was the death of the graphic designer. However, like AI, there are huge ‘personal gaps’ in stock illustrations. In a world where we need to stand out, there is an irony between finding our niche and then purchasing a stock illustration, that thousands have access to. If you want something completely bespoke to your brand, and a look and feel that captures your essence, a professional graphic designer, who understands your business is key to designing a bespoke brand.
The other thing that stood out, is that when I look in the distance, to see where I want to head, I nearly tripped over a beach rock that had changed position! Being too focused on the long-term goal meant I missed out on enjoying the new beauty the tide had brought with it. The way to our long term goals may change. We may need to take a different route as there are obstacles in the way of our planned route. However, if I get to wrapped up in avoiding the rocks, I may wander off course.
So, bringing this back to our brands. We must plan for long-term goals, but be flexible and at the moment, so we don’t miss out on the beauty of every day. What rocks have moved for you? Are they fully embedded in the sand and safe to walk on, or are they a little wobbly?
Anyway, that’s my philosophy for today. I have many more beach thoughts, which I will share as they arise. It’s not only a good excuse to share my beach photos.
Happy New Year!
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