Postcards from Europe

Branding lessons from an inspirational trip overseas.

For the first time since I opened the proverbial doors to Doodling Pandas several years ago, I took two whole weeks off to explore a few of the many places on my travel bucket list. While I was successful at creating a wall between myself and my inbox for those two weeks, I didn’t completely break away from work. Rather, this exploratory time afforded me space to experience and absorb the creative inspiration that overflows in spaces outside my small circle of the world.

Here are some of the creative lessons I took away from a beautiful trip abroad.

Branding has been around for a long time, y’all.

In the age of human behavioral science and data analytics, it’s really easy to fall into a trap of believing that we have mastered, or dare I say invented, branding. But one quick trip to a medieval castle will remind us that branding predates anything in this millennia. Europe is dripping will family crests, empire memorabilia, and monarchy regalia. Put simply, branding may look different now that it did centuries ago. But the powerful have long understood the importance of consistent messaging and iconography.

The best way to brand yourself is to be the best at what you offer.

Why do we make sure to eat chocolate in Belgium? Why do we look at Google reviews before picking a restaurant in a new town? Why did I agree to rent 7 bikes and trek across Amsterdam to get a stroopwaffle at an ambiguous market tent rather than one of the other 75 storefronts I passed on the way south from my hotel?

Because we want the best. Whether we’re searching for highly rated, authentic, or catering to a specific need, consumers are looking for something specific in a product or service. Being the best at delivering it is a sure-fire way to gain, and retain, customers.

Subtle, Simple, Classic Logos reign supreme

There’s a reason Europe has a reputation for high-end design. From the luxury fashion houses to the local boutique, European design is a masterclass in understated beauty. Everywhere I looked, I saw beautifully reductive logos, simple iconography, and minimalist styles ready to last for centuries to come.

Blending the old with the new

Being in Europe is a startling reminder of relative infancy of our country. The countries in this part of the world are gifted at preserving the history of past civilizations while modernizing to remain relevant for future ones. The accompanying picture was taken in a small town in the eastern Netherlands where a preserved, inactive windmill sits prominently at the center of an orderly, well-cared for town. It’s a reminder of the foundations upon which the area has been built.

Applied to branding, this highlights that reinvention doesn’t have to come at the expense of our legacy. Where we’re headed is built on foundations of where we’ve been.

I am thankful to the many patient, generous people who make an ambitious family trek across three countries possible, and for the clients I’m so lucky to return to. I’ll be taking these lessons with me into all the design I have in my backlog. Cheers to creatively immersive experiences and irreplaceable memories.