By

By

Hugh Marlow

in

in

Strategy

on

on

Principles outlast trends.

Header image for "Principles outlast trends"

Trends are a loan; principles are an investment.

Every year brings a new visual trend, and every year a wave of brands adopts it at once. Twelve months later they all look dated together.

We separate a brand into two layers: a core that should last a decade, such as the name, logo, colour and voice, and a campaign layer that's free to follow the moment.

Illustration for "Principles outlast trends"

Five years on, our identity still feels current because it was never chasing anything.

Lena Ortiz

Lena Ortiz

Brand manager, Velvet Frame

Brand manager, Velvet Frame

Style is a point of view applied consistently. When a brand knows what it believes, it can try new things without losing itself.

Second illustration for "Principles outlast trends"

Build on principles, not trends.

Campaign layers let a brand stay current: seasonal colourways, experimental layouts and new photography directions, all sitting on a stable foundation.

That split keeps the identity fresh for customers and affordable for the business, because the core rarely needs rebuilding.

Portrait of Hugh Marlow

Hugh Marlow

Hugh Marlow

Strategist

Strategist

Hugh is a strategist at Agenciex who writes about long-term brand building and creative culture.

Hugh is a strategist at Agenciex who writes about long-term brand building and creative culture.

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