A Cat Becomes A Brand
It’s hard to tell sometimes which moments in life will be pivotal and which will be ordinary, especially when you’re in the middle of them. The year 1998 had a few moments in it that would change my life. And I’m not talking about the release of “Everybody” by Backstreet Boys (though – that was a pretty epic song, right?).
I’m talking about the moment that I got my first cat.
Along with my love of design and helping others, I also decided early on that I was a cat person. I have absolutely nothing against dogs (in fact, I’d like to get one someday), but there were characteristics of my first cat that I immediately appreciated. The way they cuddle and purr, and how curious they are about the world around him (much like I was at even a young age), cats quickly both astounded and connected deeply with me.
As I grew older, though, I also began to appreciate a cat’s independence and ability to be care-free. Anyone who’s ever owned a cat knows that they like what they like and don’t what they don’t.
Why did you join AMA? What is your favorite part?
Right before my junior year in college, I met Captain Jack. He was a handsome little fellow that instantly clicked with me, and I could tell he had cat-itude right from the beginning. Let’s just say he’s not one to hide how he’s feeling! But that part of him rubbed off on me, teaching me to stand firm in who I am and not hide my feelings.
And little did I know that he’d become the one constant in my life in the upcoming years.
He took on a very active role in my school affairs from the beginning. I’d often have paper cutouts lying around from school projects, and he loved to play fetch with them (yes, cats can play fetch too!). He’d also sit next to me watching as the mouse would move around on the screen. These are still some of his favorite games today.
Captain Jack and I would go on to conquer college, where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design. Before long, we were on the road to Pittsburgh, where I’d start my new internship (which ultimately became a full-time job).
I continued building the foundation for my career: designing and creating brands to help people follow their own dreams. And every night, I had a furry friend greeting me at the door, reminding me to slow down and relax for a bit.
We eventually took our adventure to the mountains of Colorado to grow personally and professionally, and Captain Jack has been by my side through it all. He joins me on hikes through the mountains (some call him Bubble Boy when he’s in his kitty-backpack) and makes his appearance on Zoom calls. He’s especially an expert in taking naps, thousands to date!
He was even featured in BuzzFeed Animals.
When I decided to launch my own design agency, I needed to build a brand that could grow into a longstanding foundation for my team and partnerships. And we needed a vision and symbol of something that our team would be excited about, believe in, and love.
What or who else would we build our brand around than the little guy that loved to play ‘cat and mouse’ on my computer screen? The constant buddy and companion in my life, Captain Jack.
A Brand That We Love Takes Shape Through Brand Identity
Captain Jack was one of the biggest inspirations to the CreativCat brand. Not just because of our story together, but because of what cats symbolize.
Cats represent exploring the unknown, being even-keeled through adversity, flexibility, and independence: all of the foundational elements of our company’s core values. They also have a precise vision and focus. Those attributes would be key to our business. And essential to our brand and brand identity.
Brand identity is the attributes that make you or your company recognizable to your audience and consumers. The building blocks of brand identity include fonts, color palettes, and forms and shapes.
Our brand and brand identity would incorporate cat puns (we’re not kitten around with this one) and subtle mountain shapes created by letters, representing moving forward and striving to be our best. We also incorporated the use of the Colorado “C” logo – out of respect and appreciation for our home in the beautiful mountains.
If you spend any amount of time on our website, you’ll also notice that we also love the color teal and coral, using it across all of our platforms, on our merchandise, and even fonts (as you can see here in this post!).
Teal represents and combines the tranquil stability of blue with the healing and optimistic properties of green. It represents a balance between mental and spiritual attributes, restfulness, and encourages calmness and a reflective mood. Individuals drawn to teal are reliable, naturally creative, and independent in nature.
Coral, a color traditionally complimentary with teal, is a new addition to our CreativCat brand. Coral is a unique color that blends three warm colors (red, pink, and orange), bringing out the best identities in each color. It represents friendliness, openness, and being emotionally intelligent. Coral symbolizes being inclusive and revitalizing.
We put a great deal of thought into building our purrfect brand (like we do with each and every brand we create), utilizing a very intentional and meaningful brand identity for our team.
We want our brand to incorporate a story of who we are, represent what we believe in, and ultimately, be a brand that we are fully committed to, purroud of, and love. Building a brand on those essential pillars would be critical to our success, and they’re imperative for any brand.
How To Build A Brand That You Love
When companies and individuals build their own brand, they must incorporate key factors to connect with their audience and continually grow and truly develop. Those factors include:
And don’t be afraid to have fun along the way. Your clients will appreciate that!
Love Your Brand, Live Your Brand
Building your brand with a solid brand identity is key to any individual or company’s success. Living your brand is your commitment to your company. And it’s what drives you to wake up to every day, wanting to succeed in helping others.
Loving your brand allows you to give 100% and more into your brand, mission, and vision. It also allows you to be proud of your company, whatever it may be, and share your vision with others. Ultimately helping others reach their own dreams!
If you build a brand that you love (and live), you will be set apart from so many in your industry. When you put your entire heart into it, you will make sure it is nurtured and grows.
And like our own brand – you’ll always appreciate the little things about it, the things that make it unique and different, making sure you or your company is right where you need to be.
Give your brand nothing but the best. Just like our brand (Captain Jack) has given us so much.