Developing a Brand | Cajun Heritage Collection

You may have heard us say (once or twice) that developing a brand can be like the awkward teenage phase of a business. That’s because we’re hard-pressed to find a more apt metaphor. When you’re a young brand, identity crises can abound. Who are you? What is your purpose in this world? What do you have to say, and how will you stand out as you say it?

Though we’re still trying to crack the code on how to get actual teenagers through this phase, we’re experts at guiding businesses through it. So when jeweler Lindsey Baudoin came to us for help to develop her new jewelry brand, we were thrilled to see her off on a fresh start. Though she’d spent the past 6 months designing her collection and taking crash courses on how to run a business, Lindsey quickly learned that there was too much important work at this stage for her to simply “wing it.” Lindsey knew her Louisiana heritage played a role in shaping her jewelry’s aesthetic and goals, but she wasn’t sure how it fit into the greater purpose of her brand:

“I have really struggled with designing my logo, figuring out what my story is, finding my brand identity, and designing my e-commerce site. I think Aeolidia could be the answer to all of my struggles!”

Emphasis on the “figuring out what my story is.” After all, before creating a logo, a brand identity, or writing a word of copy, every business needs to know what they’re all about, deep down at their core. Thankfully, we have a resident business soul searcher—Caroline, our marketing expert—who worked with Lindsey to excavate her brand’s true purpose. Together, they defined the essential elements of Cajun Heritage Collection, such as its target customer, its key differentiators, and its unique selling proposition. They created a mission statement that succinctly and proudly touched upon the brand’s manifesto and the emotional experience it creates. With this newly-discovered brand story, our team now had a frame of reference for everything that came next in Lindsey’s project—from the copy on her website to her logo and print work. We began planting seeds of her story on her home page:

A style so personal it reminds you of home.
Inspired by our southern Louisiana roots, Cajun Heritage Collection is a celebration of how we’re all connected: vibrant and unique gems coming together to create a beautiful whole. We hope our handcrafted pieces inspire you to embrace your unique culture—and those all around you—wherever life may take you.

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Then, inspired by the brand’s bohemian-rustic style, Jess created a visual identity that captured the spirit of Cajun Heritage Collection in a way that’s classically nostalgic but also modern vintage.

Lindsey’s Experience

Having her brand’s story come alive organically through words and design helped Lindsey realize her brand’s true identity. Rather than discovering it as she went, Lindsey could now proudly own her messaging and visuals with confidence and purpose.

“I first discovered Aeolidia while listening to a podcast that had a guest speaker, Arianne Foulks. I visited Aeolidia.com as soon as the podcast was over, and I just knew that they were going to be the answer to my current struggle—defining my brand identity and designing my logo.

I particularly loved the fact that Aeolidia only worked with makers. I also loved how they were so organized. They had every stage and step of my project scheduled before we even began. Their professionalism and organization was very comforting and reassuring. My initial consultation over the phone with Samantha gave me the clarity and piece of mind that I needed. I knew I needed help if I wanted to grow my business, and I knew I would be in good hands if I worked with Aeolidia.

Sam did an amazing job being the glue that held my entire project together. The marketing consultation with Caroline was invaluable. She helped me define my ideal customer and established our mission statement. She unknowingly came up with my business tagline; something that was not planned but I am so grateful for. Natalia wrote the most amazing copy for my About Page. I still get excited and re-energized every time I read it! Her copy gave meaning and emotion to my brand. One of my project goals was that I wanted my customers to connect with my brand and be inspired after they visited my website. Thanks to Natalia, I think we have accomplished that goal.

My designer, Jess, was truly magical. She delivered exactly what I envisioned, and then some! She just ‘got’ me from the very beginning. It was like she took everything I pictured in my head, and was able to make it a reality. She was reassuring when I was hesitant during the design phase. She graciously accommodated every request that I made. I really appreciated how she designed with my ideal customer in mind. She not only gave life to my brand, she inspired me to grow my business far beyond what I imaged. She helped me envision my brand on a much larger scale.

I am so much more confident in my brand thanks to the design work and guidance I received from Aeolidia! I feel more equipped to communicate who I am as a business and now have the confidence to reach out to editors and potential wholesale accounts in my field. Aeolidia is definitely the dream team that I was looking for. Thanks to them, I not only feel professional, I also LOOK professional.

I am so grateful for all the time and energy put into my project by the entire Aeolidia team. I truly appreciate everything they have done for me and my new business! I could not be happier with the final results and the overall branding experience! Everyone was so encouraging, excellent communicators, and delivered beyond my expectations! I can’t wait to work with them on future projects. To any business that needs help establishing their brand identity or logo: I would highly recommend Aeolidia! It is 100% worth the investment, and I promise you will not be disappointed!”