09 | Bringing our beliefs to life: the brand strategy behind OurCreative
Who are we? For some, it’s a question that triggers an existential crisis. For us, the answer was always clear. We just hadn’t written it down - until now.
A brand is not about your company or your products. It’s not just a logo, either. Your brand is the gut feeling people have about you. A gut feel is raw, unfiltered and unmistakable. It’s what people say when you leave the room. So, who are we, really?
For us, we’ve always known who we are. We’ve just never had the time to put it to paper. Like any creative agency, our time is spent on what we do best: creating belief in brands. But what about our own?
We had the fundamentals that make us, us, but we need our brand strategy to help us celebrate, share and be reminded of who we are as we grow.
Let’s rewind a bit.
Our branding agency has been here for over 20 years. Along the way, we’ve added new faces, new clients and new ways of doing things. But one thing hasn’t changed: who we are.
We wanted to preserve our collective culture, both internally and externally, so that whenever someone joins us, they know exactly what we are about. You know, that gut feeling.
We needed to lock this down in words, not just through word of mouth. To do it right, we brought in an independent, expert brand strategist. Why? Because our brand deserved the same respect as we would treat clients - fully focused and no excuses.
The people make the brand.
When we create belief, we create brand advocates who love what you do and want to share this belief with others. This genuine kind of love starts from within. Your own people must buy in first - ultimately, they’re your most important advocates.
The brand strategist started with anonymous one-on-one interviews, allowing everyone to be open and honest. They focused on:
- How we perceived our brand before joining us
- Why we liked working here
- Why we enjoyed coming to work
- What makes us different
At OurCreative. we’re passionate people. We push boundaries and tell it like it is. So, when it came to the interviews, everyone had something to share, reinforcing what we’ve always known: we all live and breathe our philosophy together.
What makes us tick.
We wanted a brand our people could own - something they’d feel proud to build side by side. Inspired by the interviews, we defined our vision and values. This was brought to the table for everyone to pitch in.
Our workshop focused on getting the values and vision right. The values had to be something real that our whole team could stand behind. We took on every piece of feedback, which captured the attitude of OurCreative.
We walked away with more than just words. We left with core values we believe in, embody and live by.
How we talk, the talk and walk, the walk.
Our culture is what brings our team together. It’s the reason we show up to work. Why we love what we do and help our people grow. The work on our vision, values and workshops encompassed our culture and perfectly represented who we are.
To embody our culture, we crafted a tone of voice that’s unapologetically ours. Clear, direct, and full of character - it's how we show up in every word, every message, no matter where it’s seen.
Our brand, our story, in a book.
With the right words in place, we built our brand book - a cornerstone of our brand identity journey. It’s where everything we stand for comes to life. Every line was crafted with care, and each word was chosen to ensure that anyone reading it feels who we are.
The way our brand has been brought to life visually and tonally is just what we dreamt it would be. From the quirky visuals to the intentional messaging, we captured the OurCreative. culture. It’s the brand our people love and live by and what we’re proud to be.
We rolled our identity across every touchpoint, from our website to team onboarding, to help strengthen our brand inside and out. This project was a defining moment, finally capturing what our brand is and what we all believe in.
Want a brand strategy that delivers? Let’s chat.
Your brand strategy shapes who you are. It leaves a mark on the right people and gets them to believe in you over the competition. Let’s make your brand better together. Start the conversation with our team today. We’re ready when you are.