Today's design trend can become tomorrow's dated aesthetic. A distinctive brand needs something more enduring: a recognisable character that gives it a place of its own and continues to feel relevant as the years go by.

A brand has to make sense on both sides of the conversation. It should feel right to the people behind the business and strike a chord with the people it hopes to reach. Getting that balance right is what makes an identity feel genuine.

There is a fine line between making something interesting and making it unnecessarily complicated. Clever ideas are welcome, unexpected choices even more so, as long as the message never gets lost in the effort to make it look good.

Some ideas need a full page. Others need a single frame. A brand should be able to take both in its stride, finding the right expression for the space without losing the qualities that make it recognisable.