Any idea can be brought to life through creative brand strategy


GOOSEBERRY is here to help you turn inspiration into action by doing all the creative heavy-lifting so you can feel calm, confident and clear in your brand. Let's build a brand that supports the creative career and lifestyle you can't stop dreaming about.

FIRST THINGS FIRST...

WHAT EXACTLY IS BRAND STRATEGY?


Why do you love the people in your life? Is it because of how they present on paper? No! You love people for the way they make you feel, regardless of their resume. This is also why well developed brands become beloved.


Branding isn't just a series of technical items (like a logo, some colours and fonts) glued together under a name. It's not just your story, or your values, or your personality wrapped up in some pretty photos and graphic design.


Truly effective branding is world-building — it's creating a nuanced, interconnected ecosystem that nurtures a presence, an energy and a heartfelt connection that can't be replicated. And it's all a result of customized and creative brand strategy.

TRY THIS VISUALIZATION...

THINK OF A BRAND LIKE A CAKE...


The icing and the sprinkles are the photography and the graphic design, which is what first catches the eye and draws hungry customers in for a closer look.


But it's the recipe underneath the icing — you know, the decadent, rich, delicious layers that are filled with secret ingredients — that actually makes the cake and keeps people coming back for more.


This is your brand strategy and this is one of the most important pieces for building a memorable brand experience that people can't get enough of and better yet fall in love with.


Don't just be a puddle of pretty icing that falls flat, because nobody is ordering that (at least, not repeatedly).

IF ALL YOU HAVE IS...


  • A logo, a headshot and a topic you enjoy talking about on social media.... you do not have a brand.


  • A series of products but no unifying presence to present them under... you do not have a brand.


You have a brand identity crisis and trying to force haphazardly developed pieces together will be a frustrating endeavour.


What you really need is an all-encompassing, on-going brand strategy that brings cohesion and calmness to your ideas as they evolve, because from calm comes magic.


GOOSEBERRY'S BRAND STRATEGY SERVICES INCLUDE...

BRAND BUILDING

& DEVELOPMENT


PRODUCT

CREATIVE DIRECTION



CREATIVE WRITING

& STORY-EDITING

PHOTOGRAPHY

& ART DIRECTION

GOOSEBERRY WILL HELP YOU...


  • Realize your unique ideas and bring them to life in an elevated, creative and cohesive way.
  • Build a harmonious brand ecosystem that can gracefully weather on-going growth.
  • Position everything in your brand ecosystem to deliver an impeccable audience experience.


STRATEGY IS FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE...


  • The ideas, but you need help organizing and articulating them in a way that stands out.
  • The vision, but you need help developing a signature style and a compelling voice to activate it for all to see.
  • The goals, but you need help building out a brand ecosystem to ensure that you're not only seen and heard, but adored as well.


WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING...

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING...

“I had previously worked with Laura for my branding photos. I knew she also had extensive experience as an editor, so I approached her to help me edit a chapter on a book I was co-authoring. Throughout the process Laura provided such valuable feedback on telling the story of my journey to become a group fitness instructor. She helped me open up more about the struggles I faced to make the chapter more personable and relatable.

I highly recommend Laura if you are looking to bring your story to life.”

SAMPLE PORTFOLIO OF 1:1 STRATEGY PROJECTS

FAQS

How long does a brand build take so I can budget?

A brand build (which includes a custom brand identity, 20-40 page brand book and strategy, logo design brief and connection to a third-party graphic design (additional fee may apply), brand language, art direction, photography, templates and content strategy) takes 8 weeks to complete. The investment is approximately $4800 + HST.

What sorts of products can gooseberry help with?

Beyond building and developing a brand itself, we support our clients in creating and nurturing their body of work, including books (story-editing, ghostwriting, photography), podcasts, blogs, online programs, lookbooks, print materials, membership sites etc.

We also bring in vendors (available for an additional fee) from Gooseberry's network as needed to assemble the best elements needed for your particular project.

how does gooseberry help with book projects specifically??

Firstly, Laura, the founder of Gooseberry, adores books! She's a ferocious reader and a self-proclaimed word-nerd through and through.

Book projects are supported through:

- Story-editing
(does the narrative make sense, does the story unfold beautifully, is it comprehensive and creatively positioned)
- Ghost-writing
(to help you say what you want to say in a memorable, genuine and heartfelt way)
- Photography
(either for covers or the book's contents itself)
- Consulting
(do you need a creative partner to bounce ideas around with, brainstorm strategy and supportive marketing campaigns)

Memoirs, self-help, cookbooks, ebooks, lifestyle books and more -- all book projects are welcome!

how would you describe gooseberry's brand design style?

Vibrant, lively and trend-breaking. Gooseberry chooses presence over perfection. Similarly, Gooseberry doesn't believe in cookie-cutter, preferring custom. The studio is all about bold and artful action and believes in building brands from the inside-out.

what are the benefits of hiring a brand strategist?

Your brand is like an engine and it needs consistent, high-quality fuel to run, as well as a clear direction so it doesn't fly off the tracks. That's where Gooseberry comes in! Our Toronto brand strategy studio takes care of all your creative strategy and production needs to ensure a unique and mindful brand presence that audiences can fall in love with.

HOW SHOULD GOOSEBERRY'S STRATEGY WORK BE ACREDITED?

It depends upon the project. The very nature of brand strategy is to work behind the scenes and while formal published credit is always appreciated for the creative energy and deliverables invested into your project, Gooseberry also deeply respects our clients' privacy. In other words, if you'd rather keep your professional development private, the work can be completely discretely. If this helps, Gooseberry only publicly shares about 25% of the work we actually do for clients out of respect for our clients' privacy.

INVESTMENT + APPLICATION

1:1 Brand Strategy

INCLUDES
- a monthly Half Day Brand Photoshoot
- content library management
- weekly strategy meetings
- product development
(media kits, ebooks/books, courses, copywriting etc)
- brand auditing + design
- creative consulting

$2000 / month (3 month min)

Build a Beloved Brand Course

A self-serve x10 lesson course so you can build your own beloved brand from scratch with confidence and clarity.

LEARN HOW TO DEVELOP:
- a signature style
-a compelling voice
- a solid brand structure infused with strategy
and elevated artistry.

COMING SOON!

SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TODAY


Gooseberry only takes on a limited number of brand strategy projects per season to ensure clients get Laura's full creativity and focus. Submitting an application helps her brainstorm some top-level ideas for your discovery call.


All applications will be reviewed and replied to, followed by a no-commitment 30-minute discovery call to learn more, because it's important to us that you feel 100% comfortable before officially booking.


Thank you for this step! We can't wait to hear all about what you have in mind!


{Please note that brand strategy projects are booked out 3 months in advance. This means that if you apply January 1st and move forward with a booking, your project would commence April 1st)