I recently had a talk with two of the most artistic people in my life and when I started talking about branding, they both grimaced.
"Every time I hear someone say the word branding, all I can think of is stuffy business people." one said.
"I agree." Said the other, "On top of it, I don't like the idea that I can be boxed into one specific brand."
Brand = You + Business
Branding is a word that has been used in a specific context for so long, we tend to forget what it really means. We see branding as this thing that business people do in order to package themselves into a tidy box they can sell for $19.99.
In reality, branding just means to identify yourself in a specific way so that you are distinguishable from others who do what you do. If you feel limited by a brand then it isn't "you" enough. A brand isn't a box to sit in, it's a cloak to identify you by. But don't kid yourself and think that a logo and a color scheme make up everything that you are... You're way deeper than that.
What makes your heart pound with excitement? If you had to limit everything you said to one demographic of people, who would they be? What would make you cry tears of joy to see changed for the better? Answer those questions. That is your branding.
Live In Motion,
-Joél Casanova