As we ease into sunnier days, there is a clear indication that spring is upon us. The world around us is transitioning from the cool tones of winter to the budding greens of spring. There are pops of color, blue skies, and a renewed sense of energy contrasting against the passing of winter. If we pause for just a moment, we can feel the sun hinting at warmer days ahead.
What can seasons teach you about your brand identity?
We strive to apply identifying characteristics to a company during any brand strategy session. These attributes help us formulate who a brand is and how it shows up. They are often used to guide the visual assets and inform the overall personality your brand will embody.
Each of the four seasons has distinct qualities and traits. There is an energetic flow between what’s happening in nature and the emotional characteristics we use to define a particular time of year, giving each season a personality. Using these properties as a reference, you can orient your brand to a season.
Defining your seasonal personality helps you think big. It gives you or designer cues to style your brand, choosing your colors, shapes, patterns, and even textures.
One important thing, while there are both positive and negative qualities about each season, it is essential to focus on the positive to avoid any potential negative connotations. We also want to concentrate on people-driven attributes to shape your brand’s human characteristics and personality.
Spring
After a long winter, spring tends to fill us with a sense of optimism and a spark of energy. Flowers and plants awaken from being dormant, giving new signs of life.
Spring personalities often include enjoyable and enthusiastic people who can light up a room through creativity and expressions. They are natural social butterflies, quick-thinker, and multitaskers that are inspirational to those around them. Simplicity and clarity are also essential to them.
Key attributes:
Youthful, creative, bursting with like, bubbly, friendly, optimistic, expressive, forward-thinking, inspirational
Summer
As the heat turns up, we slow down. Think long, hazy summer days spent along the water and evening gatherings outside with friends. Our renewed energy of spring has faded into a summer flow. As the sun beats down, we see colors fade to more muted tones, and there is a grace to how we move about our days.
Summer personalities lean into a romantic side. They are elegant, stylish, and embrace a quest for perfection. They are more reserved and tend to be observers of a situation. Summer personalities are organized, productive, and efficient.
Key attributes:
Elegant, romantic, chic, understated, balanced, quality, graceful, efficient, dreamy, logical, organized
Fall
Cue the pumpkin spice. As leaves begin to turn all different shades of red, gold, and orange, we charge ahead at a more robust pace. The colors around us are warm, bold, and intense.
Fall personalities are affectionate, friendly, and loyal. They have an earthy and natural component and a love for nature. Think substance, passion, stubbornness, and authenticity when it comes to autumn.
Key attributes:
Warm, energetic, cozy, ambitious, authentic, strong, comfortable, friendly, passionate, earthy
Winter
Winter is a season of extremes, but it grounds us and makes us present. This time of year is dynamic, but we become a little more intentional and focused with it.
Winter personalities are highly-driven people. They don’t make much of a fuss, are understated, and are thriving. Winter epitomizes glamour and luxury while being practical, reliable, and honest.
Key attributes:
Dynamic, grounded, focused, lavish, driven, practical, uncompromising, glamorous, minimal.
Understanding which season your brand falls into can help bring your brand’s personality to life. While there can be overlap between the seasons to create uniqueness and a more dynamic brand, it is still good to know what season your brand predominantly falls into. This method can also help separate your personality from your brands.
Use it as guidance. There are more layers to color psychology that a professional designer can help support your brand. But, by beginning to see your brand separate from yourself and with something like a season, you can grasp how your brand shows up.
Alfa Charlie is an award-winning creative agency based in San Diego, California. We use design as a tool to build meaningful connections between brands, people, and the planet. We work with clients who value the importance of human well-being and believe a brand can be a catalyst for change. Through strategic practice, we help clients navigate a clear path to building relationships with their customers while staying true to what they stand for.