The phrases “brand style” and “style consistency” have become so common among marketers and designers, so they’re practically clichés. It feels like everyone knows exactly what these terms mean and how to create them.

But what if you’ve misunderstood the word “style” all along?

Why do many visually and conceptually consistent brands remain unnoticed, while competitors with chaotic visuals suddenly sprint ahead?

I’ve analyzed plenty of these “gray mouse” brands and reached a surprising conclusion. The answer is ridiculously simple. Ask the self-proclaimed style experts just one question:

1. What is style?

They’ll confidently describe logos, color palettes, fonts, graphic elements, and communication styles. They’ll insist all these components must align with the brand’s core values and goals. Sure, they’re technically correct.

Yet they’ve missed the most crucial aspect. Without it, everything they listed is just a pile of gray bricks. Sure, you can build a neat, gray house with them. But is that really what the market values?

Style is a distinctive feature that grabs attention.

Imagine you regularly pass these four people on your way to work:

• A woman in a perfectly coordinated outfit, shoes matching her purse;
• A man in a sharp business suit with a guinea pig peeking from his jacket pocket;
• A homeless guy who always wears a red beanie;
• A guitarist singing about the apocalypse.

Who captures your attention the most? Would you argue the guy with the guinea pig lacks style? Is the homeless man’s red hat worse? Does the guitarist look depressing, singing nonsense?

Yet these three are precisely the most stylish!

The word “style” comes from Latin and originally referred to a sharp bronze stick. Something sharp, right? So what’s sharp about the harmonious outfit of the lady in gray? Nothing. You can’t remember her face or what she wore.

But that guinea pig in the man’s pocket? You can’t stop thinking about it. Why is it there? Now, any red beanie reminds you of the homeless guy, and the word “apocalypse” brings back the sound of that guitar.

That’s real style. And let’s be clear — style isn’t uniqueness!

Grasping the true meaning of brand style prevents a lot of mistakes.

Stylish branding isn’t about harmony or beauty. It’s about market appeal and profits.

For beauty, it’s better to go to a museum.

Sometimes even a well-crafted, cohesive brand design is just missing that extra edge. In that case a redesign might be all you need. It’s much less expensive than a full brand refresh.

2. Uniqueness and Style: Soul and Body

Uniqueness is a brand’s “soul.” It’s internal and primary.

Style is the brand’s “body.” It’s the outward expression of what’s inside.

In branding, you first develop the core idea and find what makes you unique. This uniqueness determines the style that visually communicates your brand values.

If your external look doesn’t match your inner essence, your brand feels fragmented.

Style is the mirror of uniqueness. No uniqueness, no style.

Many brands resemble the woman with the matching outfit: everything coordinated down to the handkerchief. True style consistency, right?

So why does everyone ignore her and forget her face?

Frustrated by the lack of attention, our gray lady throws on a red beanie and puts a rat in her purse. Why do people now look at her with suspicion, hesitant to approach?

That’s what a failed refresh looks like — copying competitors’ styles without aligning with your brand’s core.

Uniqueness doesn’t change unless you shift brand positioning. Style, however, adapts to trends and audience preferences.

Think of soul and body as a simple analogy. The body (style) grows, evolves, and matures. But the soul inside remains essentially the same.

(Almost the same. In practice, uniqueness might shift slightly under market pressure, customer perception, or brand behavior. But these changes are rarely drastic.)

3. What’s allowed for Jupiter isn’t allowed for the Bull

In branding, this proverb means not every brand can afford to maintain an unchanging style. Established global brands can stay visually consistent for decades without seeming outdated. They’re like the perfectly dressed lady mentioned earlier — except EVERYONE knows her. When she walks down the street, nobody notices the homeless guy, the guitarist, or the guinea pig.

Startups and growing brands can’t afford such inflexibility. We must watch trends carefully and adjust quickly. Changing the hat’s style, repainting the guinea pig ultramarine, swapping the guitar for a balalaika — we have to keep moving.

4. Is it time to repaint your guinea pig?

To stay relevant, everyday brands need to constantly adapt their style to shifting audiences, market trends, and new technology.

At least it keeps things interesting, right?

Eventually, every brand must repaint their “guinea pig” to get noticed.

The result could mean millions of dollars in investment. Our team celebrates with our clients when a successful brand refresh or redesign can attract investors and give businesses the incredible chance to surge forward.

Check your guinea pig. Is it looking old and tired?

Consider a refresh if your brand:

• Appears outdated (doesn’t meet modern audience expectations);
• Lost connection with the audience (old visuals don’t “click” with new users);
• Changed business focus (new products or services emerged);
• Has weak recognition (gets increasingly lost among competitors);
• Creates confusion (customers don’t understand your distinctiveness);
• Struggles with scalability (hard to adapt visuals across various formats);

If two or more resonate, it’s time to rethink your look.

5. Don’t rush to paint your pet!

But imagine if our overlooked gray lady smiled sincerely every morning, asked how you’re doing, wished you a good day, and occasionally offered candy.

You’d look forward to seeing her. She’s become your friend. You no longer notice the homeless guy, guitarist, or guinea pig guy.

When a brand doesn’t have the budget for a new suit, it can still stand out through a sense of presence: through real communication, sincerity, and active engagement.

People forgive outdated visuals if there’s authentic connection, real values, and genuine care.

A few years ago, our team created designs for Podcorn. Today, its visuals look outdated. Yet users have grown fond of the original illustrations, and Podcorn isn’t rushing changes. The reason isn’t just the visuals. It’s the genuine, two-way connection and ongoing communication with the community.

You love your friends for who they are, not for how trendy their clothes are, right?

Only analysis and testing will tell you what your brand truly needs right now.

Investing in community pays off far more than just refreshing your style.

The paradox is that visual updates boost community building — capturing attention, improving perception, facilitating contact, and enhancing memorability.

6. Change your style, but stay true to yourself

Say you’ve changed something about your appearance.

Ask yourself:

• Is this still me?
• Do I feel comfortable?
• Do others prefer this new me?
• Have I improved? How exactly?
• What have I gained or lost?

If most answers are positive, you’re on the right track. Maybe this new version is genuinely you, harmonizing with your inner self and helping you shine brighter.

This applies perfectly to branding. Brands have personality traits. Changing means never losing sight of your brand’s unique soul.

Not everyone can be themselves. It requires courage, deep self-awareness, and constant effort.

It’s tough enough for individuals, let alone an entire brand!

A great refresh means you’ve changed without losing who you are.

Conclusion

Trends come and go, but your essence is what keeps people coming back.

Being stylish doesn’t mean putting on something trendy and flashy. It means being yourself — but at full strength. It’s about returning to your true self, just on a new level.

Some dull, noncompetitive brands have spent tons of money on a “new suit with matching shoes” — and still ended up overlooked.

What could save them?

• A clear understanding of what style actually means. This clarity lets you craft clothes for your brand that express its essence and attract your audience.
• The right “suit” can only be made if there’s genuine uniqueness behind your brand’s concept. Trying to slap a stylish design on something generic is just wasting your time and money.
• No refresh can revive a dead brand — that is, a brand that doesn’t communicate with or care about its audience, or that delivers low-quality products.
• When changing your appearance, your brand must never sacrifice its core to chase after trends.
• Style must reflect, highlight, and amplify your brand’s uniqueness.
• Working continuously on your style ensures your outfit doesn’t end up outdated before you even wear it.

Let’s keep working on ourselves. Good things always come from that. :)

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