Why we rebranded
We rebranded ourselves.
Here’s why.
Article by Katharine Morgan
We’re always telling clients that their brand should reflect who they are – not just look good, but feel right.
Well, turns out we needed to take our own advice.
Initial has grown in many ways this last year. It’s grown in the kind of work we’re doing, the people we’re doing it with, how we think, how we show up. All of it levelled up.
But our brand? Not so much.
It just didn’t feel right anymore. The vibe wasn’t right.
And this needed to change.
The business had changed, and the brand had to keep up.
Initial isn’t just lil’ old me running the show — there are two of us in the business properly now.
Yes, we’ve always flexed up with freelancers when we need to, but Shell plays a huge role in the day-to-day and in the overall client experience. So it made sense that the brand should reflect both of us, not just me.
The calibre of work has shifted too. We’ve rebranded national companies. International ones too. The kind of projects we’re taking on now are a big step up from the side hustle projects from when the business started.
For a very long time, I relied on my portfolio to do the talking. A bit of a “here’s what I’ve done, I can do it for you too” approach.
And, for a very long time, that worked.
But if we’re serious about where this business is heading, how can we keep relying on the same old look and feel? A brand rooted in the past can’t carry us into the future.
It’s like trying to host a dinner party with the Ikea plates you bought at uni. They’ve done the job. But now? We were playing at a whole new level.
So we did what we do for others: we rebranded ourselves
We started from the inside out — just like we do with our clients.
Kicking off with two core questions we ask our clients when rebranding them.
1. Who do we actually want to attract?
2. Then, how do we want them to feel?
Once we had a clear answer on these, everything else started to flow.
Here’s what’s new:
- We have a new logo, brand avatar, and monogram.
- We have a refined colour palette that we LOVE (beyond black and white) and typography style – more polished, more grown-up.
- And we did a shoot to get sharp, editorial-inspired brand imagery to build a fresh image library that feels intentional, stylish, and consistent across our website and socials.
The shoot wasn’t just about getting new photos. It was about building a visual world our brand could live in.
We wanted to tell a story — not just sell a service.
One that shows our growth, reflects our standards, and resonates with the kind of clients we want to work with. Editorial, elevated, and a little unexpected — because that’s what the best brands do:
They stand for something and show up with clarity.
Welcome to The Beautiful Brands Club
As part of this evolution, we launched a concept we’re so excited about: The Beautiful Brands Club.
It’s what our clients become part of when they work with us. It’s not just a clever name, it’s a mindset.
It’s about helping brands rise to their full potential, look as good as they perform, and make the kind of impact that only comes from thoughtful, strategic identity.
And to make it real?
We designed and produced custom merch featuring our new graphic elements — gifts we send out to new clients when they sign on. A little welcome to the club.
Because great branding should also be experienced and felt, not just seen.
The result we didn’t expect.
Everything just… clicks.
Writing emails. Talking about what we do. Our creds deck. How we show the services we offer. Delivering the kind of experience we actually want clients to have.
It all feels easier now, because it finally aligns with who we are today, and where we’re going.
The brand didn’t just change how we look. It changed how we think.
So do yourselves a big favour and ask:
1. Who do you want to attract?
2. How do you want to make them feel?
Stuck? We can help.
Final thought: If your business has evolved, your brand should too.
It’s easy to outgrow your brand without even noticing. You stay focused on delivering great work, while your identity slowly drifts out of sync.
But when your brand finally reflects where you are now, everything changes. It builds trust more quickly, opens the right doors, and reinforces your value before you even speak.
If that sounds familiar, we get it. We’ve just been through it ourselves — and we’d love to help you do the same.
Join the Beautiful Brands Club. You’ll fit right in.
About the Author
Katharine Morgan
Katharine Morgan is the founder and creative director of Initial Marketing, a branding studio based in Sydney's Northern Beaches. With 20 years of experience in design, including 15 years in major agencies working with global brands like Cathay Pacific, KFC, and Westpac, she now focuses on helping organisations with their branding. Katharine's design style is bold and minimalist, aiming to create branding that makes an impact without being over-the-top. She believes in building brands that feel true to who they are, diving deep into what makes each company tick