When we first launched Media A La Carte in May of 2020, our branding served us well. Very approachable, soft millennial, feminine colors representative of us and our base; perfect for a new business. After more than a year and a half in business and some new strategic projects coming up in 2022, it was time to take our branding to the next level.
Enter: the new direction of MEDIA À LA CARTE.
Here was the task: we serve two different groups of people- brands in the entertainment, fashion, wellness, and hospitality spaces for done-for-you services and individuals/small brands who need done-with-you support. We needed our brand to reflect a higher caliber of service while retaining our fun, accessible ethos. Fashion forward, but not stuffy. Timeless, but still youthful. Elegant but... you get it.
We originally executed our own branding and website, but sometimes you need an outside eye to help you to be objective. Enter White and Salt branding and Alquan photography. We partnered with Jenna @whiteandsalt to deliver a very specific ask: to keep close to our original color palette but elevate it and design a brand that would speak to both of our audiences. @alquan killed it with this branding photography that marries fashion and professional. We're planning another team shoot with him in the coming weeks!
The most difficult part of this project was making sure that we didn't end up looking like every other brand with a black and white motif, italic font, and neutral color scheme. AND to ensure we were appealing to a higher level clientele who we partner with for agency services but still feel approachable to the small business owner or individual looking for support. We did that by making sure we had a pop of color that adds an element of fun to our look. We considered a darker burgundy, but it was too mature. That bright red we chose will really be a differentiating factor for us, used sparingly, to spice up our black, white, and beige aesthetic. We made sure the fonts we settled on weren't overused. Editorial, but unique enough.
Photography and imagery were obviously a huge part of making this rebrand come together. Instead of hiring a traditional headshot/branding photographer, we went with someone who has a lot of experience in the fashion industry to really bring that vibe to our brand. Styling and details were fun with textures like feathers and leather while mixing a more traditional professional look in.
Let's be realistic about the timeline here. It looks like it came together in a week but this was about 3 months in the making and it's still ongoing. From researching branding companies and photographers to executing the branding questionnaire, finding a studio, styling the shoot, planning the shot list, ... it was certainly very involved. And it's not over yet. Still on the docket: redoing our website, rebranding all of our assets like monthly reports, eBooks, templates, presentations... phew! I'm sweating just thinking about it.
But this new direction will serve us for years to come and beautifully reflects what Media A La Carte is all about: a fun, accessible approach to social that gets results.
Follow along and watch as we transform our brand!
