Personal Branding for psychologist Anca Pavel
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At 47, Anca Pavel transitioned from a successful career in economics to psychotherapy and now has over seven years of experience in her newly chosen field. She graduated from AMPP, specializing in C-PTSD, using EMDR, and is currently immersed în training for Family Constellations.
As devoted fans of psychologists (check out the branding we did for Mădălina and Raluca) and with our colleague, Alexandra, being a big fan of psychotherapy (she always jokes about almost having a master's degree due to her numerous classes and books read over the years), we can honestly say this was the perfect project for us. Easy peasy.
Brand story
In our clients' stories, we always look for something to reinforce their branding. For Raluca, we have used the idea of yin kintsugi as a metaphor for the therapy process, and for Mădălina’s branding, we drew inspiration from The Little Prince story. In Anca’s case, we delved into deep conversations, searching for that unique brand idea or story.
This time, something repeated over and over again. It was a personal story about how much Anca loves rocks. Yes, rocks-large textured pieces of materials that fascinated Anca so much that she has a collection of them. So we decided to somehow use this idea, but we didn’t know how to do it.
To bring this unique concept to life, we turned to poetry. Alexandra's poem beautifully encapsulates the essence:
The poetry reflects on the diverse nature of human experiences, comparing individuals to blocks of stone shaped by life's tools. Some are smooth like white marble, others textured like granite. The passage of time, represented by the moon and waves, affects each person uniquely. Life's tools, such as chisels and knives, sculpt and shape individuals every day. The poem emphasizes the unpredictability of the final form, questioning what each person will become. Despite the uncertainty, it envisions a collective beauty in the end—a meadow of stone sculptures, each unique, showcasing the creations built within.
Therefore, much like a sculptor, Anca chooses her therapeutic instruments to guide the transformation of her clients. Drawing inspiration from the aforementioned poetry, it became clear that we wanted to use this concept of sculpting rocks in Anca’s narrative. That’s exactly how our tagline emerged:
We should mention that we decided to use the word “complex” to bring up the idea of complex trauma, something that Anca is very good at dealing with. Also, the words “sculpting” and “tools” were chosen to evoke the metaphor that will be used in the therapeutic processes.
Sculpting complex minds into what they truly are
Having the foundation laid, we continued shaping Anca’s brand identity. Opting to extend the metaphor of sculpting, we initially considered a more overt approach showcasing sculptures morphing into archetypes. However, recognizing the importance of preserving an element of mystery—a core value for Anca—we steered the visual narrative into a more metaphorical realm, allowing room for imagination to do its job.
When selecting a rock texture, we made sure to choose one that Anca will like and one that has expressivity and allows us to play with it. Gradually transitioning from the pure stone to venature-sculpture, we have introduced an accent color to harmonize these two worlds. The resulting illustration not only embodies the brand's values but also foresees its communication style in the near future, particularly in the online sphere where the brand is expected to thrive.
Taking into account the premium positioning of the brand, we designed three logo versions—principal, secondary, and tertiary—to adapt seamlessly to different scenarios.
Conscious of the desire for the brand identity to be self-sufficient, we strategically limited the logo's use primarily to the website and potentially on a business card. The emphasis was on creating a visual identity so compelling that the mere design elements would suffice for recognition.
In the realm of typography, we opted for Cabin—a sans-serif typeface with a humanist touch and a hint of modernism, ensuring a perfect balance for Anca's brand. The color palette, predominantly monochromatic with black, white, and sand, was complemented by an accent color neon pink.
The results? Statement visuals that encapsulate the brand story.
Communication
Lastly, in terms of Anca’s communication strategy, we envisioned a structure befitting a brand with a less frequent communication approach—akin to a visit card in the online world. Recognizing Anca's preference for minimal time spent on social media, our design aimed at ensuring her comfort with the posting process, aligning seamlessly with the brand's overall ethos.
An editorial plan for Social Media;
Visuals for Social Media ready to be edited in Canva;
We also developed the website in Squarespace: www.ancapavel.com;
Website: landing pages
Website: other pages
Social Media: instagram carusel
Social Media: Instagram
Social Media: Facebook preview
Social Media: Instagram grid preview
What does Anca Pavel say about this experience?
Pentru mine, anul 2023 se termină cu un nou început. După anii de muncă interioară și de redefinire profesională, am hotărât că este momentul să mă ocup și de construirea unui brand personal care să mă reprezinte în versiunea actuală. Am intrat în acest proces dintr-un fel de necesitate și m-am trezit într-o autentică încântare, pentru că am primit mai mult decât o imagine nouă: am primit o metaforă construită din poezie și elemente vizuale despre drumul meu din ultimii 10 ani și despre profesia pe care o practic.
Alexandra, cu bagheta ei magică prin care transformă ce atinge în operă de artă, a plecat de la fascinația mea obsesivă pentru pietre în orice formă, m-a găsit într-o poezie (scrisă de ea) și mi-a dat imaginea unui sculptor ce folosește unelte potrivite pentru a transforma un bloc de piatră într-o sculptură unică și strălucitoare.
A luat metafora și s-a dus cu ea la Iulian, omul despre care îmi imaginez că gândește, simte și vorbește în imagini perfect reprezentate. El a transpus metafora în identitate vizuală. Și a făcut-o într-un fel în care simt că îmi curge prin vene.
Denisa e cea care mi-a construit un acasă virtual. Un site nou. Cu elemente din mine și despre mine. M-am mutat cu drag în această casă nouă și vă aștept și pe voi, în vizită, să vedeți ce frumos a ieșit.
Team & thanks
Client: Anca Pavel;
Project & brand manager: Alexandra Crăciun;
Design: Iulian Tărnăuceanu;
Website dev: Denisa Matiș: