This is probably the funnest part of creating a business. Your brand is what lives and breathes. It is how you connect to your customers. It is how you find your business voice, both internal and external. The exploration around this sifts out the questions and fills you with clarity.

When we started the food truck business, our designers made us play a game where we had to choose words that resonated with us. They had piles of little cards that we could choose from. At the end we were only left with three words and those became our identity. I used a similar method with Guddog and wrote down all the words that felt right.

Honest - Transparent - Simple - Challenge - Quality - Humane - Natural - Playful Trust 

These became the words we based the branding and packaging on.  

I’d been on the hunt for a manufacturer for about a year and was really struggling to find someone who could make the product for me. But also a manufacturer that had the vibe. It is weird to try to put this into words because it is a feeling vs a thing. I fully believe you need to get the right feeling from someone you chat to as the relationship should be an ongoing one. After many calls and emails, I found an epic company called Black Label Creations. They were young, fun, on trend, interesting and interested in working on the Guddog product. And the cherry on top, they have a sick design team who specialise in product. I felt and still feel like I hit the jackpot finding them. 

Together we embarked on a branding journey that has given Guddog a solid voice and base. I want the customer to get a nurturing feeling just from the packaging. Our logo, of the human hand cupping the dog's face made me teary the first time I saw it. It reminded me of the tender moments I have spent with my dog, that moment when you turn to your dog and check it is OK or tell it how much you love it. 

That is what the logo feels like to me, it feels like a moment captured.