Who are you, really?
Your passport? Your accent? Your Spotify algorithm?
The world has changed. We migrate, blend, build businesses in second languages, and raise kids who ask what country they’re “from-from.”
And yet, the question of identity still trips us up, in our lives and in our brands.
Let me tell you a story.
Many years ago, I was in a pub in Basel. One of those classic European hangouts where you share benches, and half the people are talking over loud music in five different languages.
Next to me was a guy who looked African. He was speaking the most beautiful, fluent Spanish I’d ever heard. I was impressed. Curious.
After a while, I leaned over and asked, “Why do you speak Spanish so well? Where are you from?” He smiled and said, “Colombia.”
I didn’t expect that answer, but wasn’t sure either what I was thinking, he then said, reading my expression, “There are Black people in Colombia, you know.”
Boom. That moment rearranged something in me.
I was embarrassed, feeling ignorant at 18, but grateful to learn something new. That single exchange cracked open my assumptions about what identity should look or sound like.
So what does this have to do with branding?
Everything.
We live in a world where identity is fluid. But so often in business, we try to “flatten” ourselves to fit a certain mould:
- We silence the part of us that speaks another language.
- We hide the influences that shaped us.
- We pick “safe” words, “neutral” tones, “clean” aesthetics.
But the truth? Your brand isn’t just visual. It’s visceral. It’s made up of the layers that make you… you.
When you embrace your story, your upbringing, your accent, your migration, your values, your journey, you build a brand that’s not just pretty…
It’s powerful.
3 Identity-Led Branding Tips for Creatives in Business
- Embrace your complexity You’re a blend of cultures, experiences, passions. That’s your strength, not something to “tidy up.”
- Stop hiding behind neutral Your voice, your humour, your quirks, these are the signals your ideal clients are actually drawn to.
- Lead with story, not credentials Your qualifications matter. But your lived experience? That’s what builds trust. Show your humanity, it’s magnetic.
We don’t need more polished brands. We need more personal ones. Ones that reflect real people with real layers, not curated caricatures.
So next time you question if you’re “doing branding right,” Ask instead:
Am I telling the truth about who I am? Because that’s where connection starts.
I’d love to know: Have you ever made an assumption that changed your perspective on identity? Or had someone assumed something about you that made you feel invisible?
Let’s open the conversation.
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