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This is a repost of the article, “Why Should My Business Help Protect the Ocean?,” originally published by Greenspark Have you ever considered how businesses and climate change affect the oceans? It's actually a big deal, not just for the water’s sensitive ecosystems and marine wildlife but also for humans and business! If we can continue to hurt the oceans and its wildlife at the rate we are right now, the damage could be irreversible. How Businesses Are Affecting The Ocean Today Businesses can negatively impact the ocean in several ways, whether or not the sea is an integral part of your company. This includes: Pollution: Industries like manufacturing, shipping, and agriculture can release pollutants like chemicals, plastics, and oil into the ocean, which can harm marine life and damage marine ecosystems. Overfishing: Overfishing by commercial fishing industries can lead to declines in fish populations, disrupting the food web and harming the ocean ecosystem. Coastal development: Building on coastlines can alter and destroy habitats, disrupt migration patterns of marine animals, and increase erosion and sedimentation. Climate change: Businesses contribute to climate change through the emissions of greenhouse gases, which can lead to ocean acidification, rising sea levels, and changes in ocean temperatures, which can disrupt marine ecosystems and threaten the survival of many species. Unsustainable tourism: The tourism industry can negatively impact the ocean through activities such as pollution from cruise ships, destruction of coral reefs and other marine habitats, and overfishing. So we spoke to Natalie and Brandyn of Tortuga Creative Studio, the world's first Ocean-Focused Brand Consultants, to find out what businesses can do to harness their collective power for good and reduce their impact on our oceans. Introducing Tortuga Creative Studios Seven years ago, Tortuga Creative Studios started its journey as a creative branding studio on a mission to change the world with its art. While the first six years of business were not solely ocean-focused, they consistently connected with the ocean-forward clients they worked with the most, thanks to their own personal love for the sea. In 2022, they committed to only working with ocean-focused clients. As the ocean sector grows, they recognise that businesses will need support from those who know the ins and outs of brand strategy, communication and creative services but also understand that a core piece of their work is about shaping a better future for the oceans. Now, through their one-of-a-kind approach to brand consulting, they help passionate ocean-focused businesses and organisations leverage their brands to create solid and sustainable growth while increasing their positive ocean impact. So who better to ask about ocean protection this Earth Day? Let’s get started… ‍ Why is it essential for a business to think about our waterways? Simply put, our waterways and oceans are essential to civilisation, the integrity of local and global ecosystems that support us, and all other life on the planet. Our customers, clients, communities, businesses, cities, rural areas, agriculture, natural areas, fish and wildlife - all rely on the health of our oceans and waterways. As business owners, consideration for our channels shows respect, responsibility and commitment that goes beyond the limited interests of our business. For many of us, water and waterways are essential business resources, and all companies need water to some degree. Water quality and quantity and the health of lakes, rivers, and marine ecosystems are directly connected to our business interests. Healthy and natural waterways and coastlines support businesses. And not least important is that our oceans and waterways hold deep ecological, psychological and spiritual significance beyond water and channels as a utilitarian resource. For all these reasons, businesses should consider their impact on water. “When we damage our water resources, we damage ourselves.” While we typically think of the damage big business and industry cause to the ocean, businesses of all sizes play a role, whether they mean to or not. For example, our founder Natalie recently spent some time in the Florida Keys and had a revealing experience with several beachside bars. While these businesses depend on clean and pristine oceans, she found they served their drinks from single-use plastic cups. Likewise, a snorkel boat tour that she participated in served thirsty guests from plastic water bottles while floating above a designated marine sanctuary. These practices didn’t seem intentional but just something that could be improved upon and leveraged as part of their brand. In this instance, and so many others, there’s a significant opportunity for these ocean-focused businesses to take stock of what they’re doing and innovate ways they could lessen their impact on the ocean. Could the beachside bar reduce its impact (and increase its beachy vibe) by swapping plastic straws for wheat grass ones? Could the snorkel boat share awareness of how plastic can threaten the reef they’re snorkelling on by providing their guests with a water bottle refill station at the dock? Absolutely!” What can businesses do to reduce their impact on the ocean? Reducing your business's damage to the ocean doesn’t have to involve significant and overwhelming changes. Like the beachside bars and snorkel boat tours in the Keys, many companies don’t even realise their actions are damaging the ocean. So starting with an awareness of what your business is doing, alongside the resolve to make the necessary changes, is a significant first step. When looking for where within your business you may be able to increase your positive impact on the oceans, consider what’s going on with your product, how you deliver it to your customers, your team, the environments you work in and what you communicate. Let’s imagine you’re that snorkel boat tour operator we mentioned, and you’re keen to start finding ways to make your business more ocean-friendly: Look at your product or service - in this case, the 2x daily snorkel boat tours you provide to your guests. Your service is what you know best, so there are bound to be some easy-to-spot opportunities to do more for the ocean here. Perhaps there’s an alternative fuel available for your boat, or maybe you can start printing your guest's tickets on sugar sheet paper (yup, it’s a real thing!) Dive into the experience that guests have when they join your snorkelling tour. Could you require that guests use reef-safe sunscreen or have your tour operators trained in interpretation techniques so that they can share ocean issues on the boat ride out to the site? Curate an experience for them that shares your passion and respect for the ocean. Understand your team and vendors. Are your trip operators making ocean-positive changes? If they are, you could leverage their skills and talents to develop ways to make their role more ocean-friendly. Add a passion for the oceans to your hiring criteria! Consider your environment - the physical and virtual spaces your business operates in and its impact on the oceans. Could the neon starfish that glows all night to advertise your business be turned off at 10 pm, or the outdated blogs on your website be cleaned up so your site uses less energy? Analyse your communications' role and how they could be adjusted to support a more ocean-positive mission. Could you start to share inspirational stories about what the ocean means to your business over social media or consider a marketing collaboration with a nearby local company that’s also ocean-focused? Making a lot of changes at once isn’t going to be realistic for most businesses (unless you happen to have a huge team and a lot of resources at your disposal - in which case go crazy), and that's okay. "The first step in increasing your positive ocean impact is simply knowing what’s going on with your business and starting to explore ways that you can make adjustments that work for you as you move forward." The Remora Approach™ To help make it easier for you to make changes in the future, you can use The Remora Approach™ methodology - a simple way of thinking that allows you to consider both the business and ocean element within your business. To use The Remora Approach™, take any element of your business - current or future - and ask yourself: How can I make this work for business growth? AND How can I make this positively impact the ocean? If you've got many answers for business growth but not for ocean impact, you have the opportunity to innovate ways to adjust your ideas to do more for the ocean and vice versa. The key with The Remora Approach™ is that, instead of separating business growth and ocean impact into boxes, it's essential to think of the two as intertwined and necessary to the success of each other. “Every business decision should consider both aspects, and the best actions for you to take will be the ones that balance growth and positive ocean impact in service of a better future.” ‍ How Greenspark is Taking Action For Our Oceans The theme this Earth Day is about investing in our planet, whether that’s your time, energy, money or knowledge. And Tortuga is not alone in its mission to use business as a powerful engine of positive change. Like Tortuga, there are over 300 Earth-positive businesses in the Greenspark community, and many of them are using impact this Earth Day to help make a difference. In fact, many of them are choosing to help protect the ocean and rescue ocean-bound plastic bottles through our partnership with The Plastic Bank. So far, we’ve rescued nearly two million plastic bottles from entering our oceans! And we are just getting started! Are you taking action this Earth Day? If you’re not part of the Greenspark community and want to join hundreds of other earth-positive companies turning their businesses into agents of change, book a demo here! Already part of the community but want to do more? Head to your dashboard, where you can easily manage your impact settings. Simply add or increase the number of plastic bottles you will rescue from our oceans for any use cases! ‍ Want To Know More About Tortuga Creative Studios? "Tortuga Creative Studio helps passionate ocean-focused entrepreneurs leverage their brands to build resilient businesses that do more for the oceans. Through a one-of-a-kind approach based on the perspective that business growth + positive ocean impact = a better future, Tortuga combines brand consulting, creativity and ocean-forward thinking to innovate solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing us business owners and ocean lovers. Learn more about our work at www.madebytortuga.ca or get in touch at hello@madebytortuga.ca"

"I feel like I'm competing with so many similar companies..." "How will I ever be able to stand out in the crowd enough to secure the investment I need?" Does this sound familiar? It does to us! We’ve certainly been there before... in fact, we spent the last seven years there (the struggle is real!) But, after seven years of striving to stand out with minimal success, we finally figured out how to change things. The key? Go all in on niching down and defining a small target audience you care about passionately and can serve better than anyone else. For us, these are all you amazing ocean-focused business owners out there who need branding support to grow and do more for the ocean. Another great example is Emily Charry Tissier of Whale Seeker, who's using her AI technology to focus specifically on detecting marine mammals through imagery. Or Kira Coley, who scoped down her freelance science writing business to specifically help ocean scientists communicate and tell their stories in a way that connects meaningfully with non-scientists. The key to differentiation is committing to as narrow a niche as is realistic for you. Why? Because when you speak to everyone, you speak to no one. But when you speak directly to a small and specific group of people and offer them something that no one else can offer, they will choose you every time. So, don't be afraid to be specific. To think narrowly. To speak to fewer people, but in doing so, to be more relevant to them. If you niche...they will come.

The most impactful designs don't only look good on the surface; they stand for something more profound. They tell a story, communicate a message, and set the stage for growth. Take the new Ocean Knowledge Action Network logo we designed last month. Ready to grow and increase their positive ocean impact, Linwood Pendleton and Stella Alexandroff of the Ocean KAN realized their need for a more professional and impactful brand identity. They were looking for something that would successfully represent their mission of "The coming together of global & diverse groups of people to co-design science for a sustainable ocean, " be easy to recognize and give their members a strong sense of identity. The Ocean KAN proposed a design contest to find their new identity and invited the creative world to submit their concepts. Seeing the opportunity to support a values-aligned organization in its ocean-positive mission while increasing our visibility within the ocean community we'd recently become official members of, Tortuga answered the call and put our 7.5 years of experience in strategic creative services to work. Our goal? To successfully capture what the Ocean KAN represents and create an identity that would serve a dual purpose: supporting the organization's growth and helping increase its positive ocean impact. Thanks to our ability to tell an impactful story with our designs, our experience in portraying complex ideas through simple visuals and our shared love for the ocean, Tortuga's design was selected as the winner. Now, the Ocean KAN has a brand identity that truly represents its mission, is unique and easy to recognize, and is something all its members can be proud to be associated with. On top of that, the design communicates to a broader audience a strong message about Ocean KAN and their belief that a better future depends upon global collaboration and harmony between humanity and the oceans. With this identity, the stage is set for the Ocean KAN to reach further, grow stronger and achieve more. _ To see everything incorporated in the new Ocean KAN logo, take a look below: // The Squoval The squoval (square + oval) shape from the original Ocean KAN logo was retained but modified for the new identity, allowing for some continuity with the original brand and smoothing the transition into the new. // Diversity At the centre of the design are two human figures swimming together, reaching toward each and representing knowledge sharing, co-design, diversity and a global, inclusive approach. // Ocean The ocean elements of the logo design represent the four coastal habitats that sustain ocean life and mitigate climate change, as well as two crucial areas of ocean science & sustainability - blue carbon and the high seas.

For those of you I've not yet had the pleasure of speaking to directly, it's time for an introduction! I'm Natalie - the world's first ocean-focused brand consultant, artist, and mother of two. As a life-long standup paddler, scuba diver, swimmer, ocean-side camper, tide-pool explorer, and surfer, the oceans mean a lot to me. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a marine biologist, but in high school, when I found myself fascinated with the history of piracy, I chose to pursue a career in underwater archaeology instead. With a BFA in History in Art and a Minor in Anthropology, I headed out to excavate Roman shipwrecks off the coast of Spain in an underwater archaeology field school. From there, I spent a few seasons unearthing mummies along Peru's desert coast. Not ocean related, but still insanely cool. Later, as the circumstances of my life shifted, so did the focus of my career. Returning to my artistic roots, I founded Tortuga Creative Studio in 2015 as a design studio named for my interest in pirates (remember Tortuga, the pirate haunt from Pirates of the Caribbean? 🏴‍☠️) Within year one, I scaled Tortuga to a 6-figure business and brought my business partner Brandyn Hansen on board. Over the next six years, we gained countless experiences in graphic design, creative strategy, brand strategy and creative direction. During these years, I've also held the position of Creative Director for three companies and worked on projects ranging from branding for startups to communications design for Parks Canada to award-winning waste management campaigns (in collaboration with the Armstrong Strategy Group). Although the first six years of Tortuga were not solely ocean focused, I always connected with the ocean-forward clients we worked with most. At the end of last year, thanks to some impactful mindset and audience work done through Tobias Dahlberg's Certified Brand Consultant and BETA programs, I decided to commit Tortuga 100% to ocean-focused clients. Through some research, I noticed no brand consultants explicitly focused on helping ocean-forward businesses grow, thrive and do more for our oceans. As the hugely important fields of ocean innovation, tech and conservation grow through support from the UN Ocean Decade and SDG 14, many ocean-forward businesses would benefit from a consultant who knows the ins and outs of brand strategy and creative work but also understands that a core piece of their work is about shaping a better future for the oceans. So here I am, nearly seven years after starting Tortuga, with all my experience, passion and creativity in hand - leading the world's first team of ocean-focused brand consultants in service of a better future - one where business growth and ocean impact go hand-in-hand. And even though the name Tortuga now refers to the sea turtles we adopt for our clients, I'm still a pirate at heart. 🏴‍☠️ 💙 🐢 #brandconsulting#brandconsultant#mystory#oceanlovers

These three essential characteristics of a vision statement will help your ocean-focused business stand out (and secure funding, intrigue investors, and open up collaboration opportunities...) 😴 Vision statements have a bit of an unsavory reputation... They're one of those things that checks a box and are often created quickly without too much thought to their future value. However, because your vision statement exists at the core of your business and reflects your company, a well-considered one can open up doors, while a poorly-crafted one can shut them. To help your vision statement open doors, make sure that it is: 1. Inspirational An inspirational vision statement will fire people up - yourself included. Anyone reading it will feel the passion that led you to start your company. It will motivate your team internally (thereby improving team culture through alignment to a common cause) and get potential collaborators excited about the opportunity to support you. There's nothing less inspiring than a cold and generic vision statement that relies on unintelligible corporate language, so keep your vision statement enthusiastic, relatable and unique to your company's story. 2. Aspirational Working in the ocean industry means you're trying to grow a business and working towards a better future for the oceans and humanity. You have a strong purpose driving your company; your vision statement should reflect the world you want to see. An aspirational vision statement will show potential collaborators that you're a solid investment, committed to doing whatever it takes. To build out an aspirational vision statement, focus on the specific things you want to achieve in the future and the results from this achievement. Think big, bold and world-changing. 3. Clear A clear vision statement focuses on the most essential thing your ocean-focused company wants to achieve - no fluff and non-nonsense. Staying clear, simple and narrowly focused allows your vision statement to serve as a compass for internal decision-making and potential collaborators to see if they align with your direction. When it's clear exactly where you're going, you'll be able to get everyone on the same page about what decisions, opportunities and partnerships are right and which are wrong. _ In summary, give your vision statement more credit. It might not seem like a hugely important piece of your ocean-focused business, but paying attention to it and putting the time into crafting something inspirational, aspirational, and clear can be the difference between securing that next partnership opportunity and not. In our highly competitive world, you've got to take any opportunity that you can get to stand out and show how you're different. Your vision statement is an incredible yet often overlooked opportunity to do just this. _ Is your vision statement inspirational, aspirational and clear? If it needs some help, book a discovery call with us and let's get your vision on the right track. #BusinessVision#BrandConsulting#BrandingTips#ImpactDriven#OceanTechnology#Entrepreneur#StartupBranding#OceanConservation

The next time you're pondering a business challenge that you're facing, try approaching the answer with 'what could I do', instead of what 'should I do'. Research conducted by behavioural scientists at Harvard Business School demonstrated that simply swapping the word 'should' for 'could', produced drastically different responses when study participants faced a challenge. They suggested that using the word 'should' feels obligatory and narrows your thinking to just one path. 'Should' feels heavy, like there's a responsibility - something you have to do whether you want to or not. On the other hand, using the word 'could' feels open, creative and inspiring. 'Could' opens the door to a myriad of possibilities to which there are no limits. For example: I 'should' do more for the oceans... feels stressful and limited, whereas, I 'could' do more for the oceans... feels hopeful and full of possibility. Likewise: I 'should' invest in improving my brand feels like a chore that you can definitely wait until next month to do, But, I 'could' invest in improving my brand is full of opportunity and something you're more likely to take action on immediately. 'Should' is the realm of business problems that weigh you down and hold you back. 'Could' is the realm of brand innovation, opportunity, and possibility. So which is it for you? Do you approach your business challenges as problems you SHOULD solve or opportunities you COULD solve? _ A 'could' mindset guides our brand innovation programs and opens the door to new possibilities for ocean-focused entrepreneurs to grow their businesses while increasing their positive ocean impact. Learn more about what our programs COULD do for your business #BrandInnovation #BrandConsulting #MindsetMatters #Entrepreneurship #BrandingTips #ImpactDriven

Like the sea turtle and remora, building a symbiotic relationship between business and impact is how you can turn the tide for our oceans... Learn more about balance and our 'Remora Approach' methodology in this video ⬇️ _ The Remora Approach is a simple and strategic way of building brands that allow positive ocean impact and business growth to work in a symbiotic relationship where they support, nurture and empower each other. This relationship is essential for creating a better future for yourself and our oceans. #BrandConsulting#OceanConservation#ImpactDriven#Balance Want to learn more about how to put the Remora Approach to work for your ocean-focused business? Book a free discovery call with us, and let's chat!

How can I save the oceans? Well, that's a serious question, isn't it? It's easy to become overwhelmed by such an enormous challenge with no boundaries, an endless scope, and an even greater range of possible solutions... As Marty Neumeier says so well in his book 46 Rules of Genius: "too much freedom can lead to mediocrity. Why? Because without boundaries, there's no incentive to break through them." On the other hand, a specific, well-defined challenge with clear limitations is exciting, inspiring, and leads us to creative and innovative problem-solving. When you're faced with problems and challenges that feel as though there's no way you can ever solve them, zoom in and reframe your challenge: Place limitations on it. Give it boundaries and rules based on your resources. Put the challenge within your own context. As you reframe and close in the walls around your challenge, your motivation and creative energy to overcome it will expand because you're no longer dealing with something impossible or unachievable. Instead, you're staring at a challenge you CAN devise a solution for, square in the eye. For example, if you zoom in and reframe the overwhelming challenge of 'How can I save the oceans', new, actionable and inspirational challenges emerge: 'How can my standup paddle expeditions be an educational tool to inspire others to care more for the oceans?' or... 'What is the best way to use my annual ocean-impact budget of $10,000 to make a difference for my local beaches?' or... 'How can we create more transparency around our operating process and share our ocean-positive behaviours with our audiences?' By narrowing in and creating a tightly framed challenge, you're still tackling the more significant issue of wanting to save the oceans but doing so in an approachable and actionable way. Now, instead of losing sleep over the state of our oceans or waiting until you have more resources, you can take immediate action to increase your positive ocean impact. _ "A tightly structured brief will generate energy; a wide-open one will drain it." ~ Marty Neumeier _ Want to learn more about problem framing as a tool for helping save our oceans? Book a discovery call. #BrandConsulting #OceanConservation #ImpactDriven #Entrepreneurship #ProblemSolving

I recently spent a few days in the beautiful Florida Keys. While the Keys are an area that's truly breathtaking both in terms of views and experiences, something that I couldn't get my head around was the sheer volume of single-use plastics that are still in use by local businesses. It kind of blew my mind to see so many businesses that are 100% dependent on the oceans for their revenue, so entangled in single-use plastics. That's not to say that all the businesses in the Keys are built around plastics - in fact, I really enjoyed learning about Florida's Blue Star coral restoration program from a local dive shop - but many are, and it really got me thinking about the implications of these practices for the future of the Keys and their oceans. The Florida Keys are located on the Florida Reef - the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. I've dove and snorkelled around the world but being in the Keys is the first time I've seen a fully living reef, and watching lavender sea fans dancing in the current was an experience I'll never forget. Because the Florida reef lies only a few miles offshore from the Florida Keys, this precious example of one of the world's few remaining living reefs exists only miles away from businesses that consume hundreds, if not thousands of single-use plastic items every day. What are the implications of so much single-use plastic for the Florida Keys? First, there's the potential detriment to the reefs themselves. From microplastics to open-water pollution to plastic consumption by marine life, plastics are a significant threat to the Florida Reef as we know them today. Beyond the reefs' impact, what will an overabundance of single-use plastics do to the tourism industry? If your tiki bar is located right on the beach like so many are in the Keys, and your beaches become littered with the plastics you serve your drinks in, will people still visit you? If your snorkel charter sells plastic bottles of water to guests and those plastic bottles end up littering the reef, who will want to snorkel there? There has to be a better, more ocean-positive way to do business in the areas of the world, like the Keys, that rely so heavily on the ocean. I understand that single-use plastics are cheap for businesses. I get that plastics keep shards of glass off the beach, protecting the feet of beachgoers. I respect that there aren't always easier options for businesses. But when your business is on the line because our oceans are at risk, isn't it worth innovating to try and find something new to do that's good for business AND the oceans? Positive ocean innovation doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't have to change everything you do. It's about balancing business growth and positive ocean impact and finding solutions that work for both... ...to create a better future for the oceans AND stronger, more sustainable businesses. _ Book a discovery call to learn more about how you can balance business growth and positive ocean impact.

A new year and a new direction for Tortuga! From design to illustration to branding, our 7-year journey has taken us down many paths... ...but here, at the start of 2023, we're finally on a path that feels perfectly right. So what are we doing this year that feels so good? We're finally going all in on being ocean-focused and working exclusively with other ocean-focused entrepreneurs. Our passion for the ocean has always been there, it's always been a core part of our brand, but we've taken the leap and are now committed to being 100% ocean-focused at all levels. On top of that, we're moving away from doing hands-on graphic design work and switching to identifying as brand consultants. Why? Because we can really let our creativity shine through consulting, AND we have the opportunity to help people, businesses, and the oceans on a much deeper level than we could as designers. We're not saying goodbye to design, we're just letting all the knowledge and skills we've gained as designers evolve into a new set of design thinking and brand innovation skills that we're using to amplify our positive ocean impact AND that of other entrepreneurs. Our mantra for the year? Business growth + positive ocean impact = a better future. _ To kick this year off right, we're launching two new one-of-a-kind brand innovation programs specifically for ocean-focused entrepreneurs: 🌊 Turn the Tide | Brand & Ocean Impact Innovation Program Leverage your brand to increase your positive ocean impact and strengthen your business in 30 days. Through this coaching, innovation and design thinking program, ocean-focused entrepreneurs and their teams have the guidance and support they need to dive fully into their dream of doing as much to help the oceans as possible while growing a successful business. Participants in Turn the Tide will work 1-on-1 with our team of experts to identify their biggest opportunity areas, innovate with their teams to create inspiring solutions, and build an action plan for the next year. _ 🐢 Arribada | Brand & Ocean Impact Group Workshop Overcome your biggest challenge to supercharge your business and boost your positive ocean impact. Arribada is a 7-day group innovation program that brings passionate ocean-focused entrepreneurs together to discover what’s possible when ocean impact and business work together. Highly recommended for solopreneurs or young entrepreneurs who are keen to identify their biggest business and ocean impact challenges, innovate solutions within a group setting, and build a customized plan to take immediate action. _ Want to learn more about our new programs? Check them out on our programs page.

Have you noticed the message of self-care is everywhere!? Whether it’s going for a walk, eating healthy, taking a bath, watching the newest Netflix show without guilt, or journaling, the concept is simple: take care of yourself. There is even an International Self--Care Foundation that outlines 7 Pillars of Self-Care and how to implement them into your life. Not only does practicing self-care allow us to build a rock-solid foundation for our personal health, but it also allows us to help others more sustainably. Remember the flight attendant’s announcement before the airplane takes off? They always tell passengers to put their oxygen masks on before helping others because you can’t help anyone if you’re depleted of oxygen. The same thing happens in our daily lives. Just swap out oxygen with energy or patience or whatever else that gets depleted when you’re exhausted. Here’s what happens when you prioritize self-care (no matter what self-care practice you choose to partake in) every day: When you spend some time on you, you become better at helping others. When you take a break, you become more creative, productive, and connected to your goals. When you're mentally and physically healthy, you're happier and can achieve more of what matters to you. Self-Care For Your Ocean-Focused Purpose-Driven Business Self-care is super important to you as an individual but does practicing self-care also help your purpose-driven business? We think so! Here’s what we mean: if you spend time caring for your business and nurturing it so it thrives, your business will become better at helping the oceans. When you take time to focus on self-care for your business, whether it’s dedicating a day every week to learning or letting go of doing every little thing yourself, you open yourself up to be more creative, productive, and connected to what you love to do. For example, instead of being present on five different social media channels, focus on one or two so you can share high-quality content rather than using all of your energy to post on multiple channels at multiple times throughout the week. All of this can contribute to a healthier business. And a healthy business doesn’t need you to constantly manage it, allowing you even more time to practice that ever-important self-care. A healthy business also means you have more time and energy to take care of the oceans. When you’ve reclaimed time from cutting down your social media channels from 5 to 2, you can put it towards thinking about your next great ocean-focused initiative! Do you see the cycle that can happen when you implement more self-care into your life and your business? Just like when you take time for personal self-care, nurturing your business will naturally create a more significant impact on your community and the oceans you care for. Spend Time On Self-Care The overarching message here? Spend some time every day on self-care. Self-care for yourself, yes, but also self-care for your business. Make sure what you’re doing in your business is working for you and that you’re happy with the direction you’re going. Try doing fewer things. Revisit your goals or step back from client work so you can work on your business instead of in your business. If you want to take better care of others, you must put yourself first. If you're going to take better care of the oceans, you must put your business first. Your business is your vessel for change - nurture it, and your impact will thrive. _ Take care of your business by booking a free discovery call with us. Find out how we can help take the weight off your shoulders and some of the to-dos off your list.

In case you missed the news, as of September 14, 2022, Yvon Chouinard, founder, and owner of the outdoor apparel brand Patagonia, and his family have sold their company shares (worth $3 billion) and placed ownership of the brand into a trust and formed a non-profit called Holdfast Collective. Essentially, what this means is that Yvon Chouinard has restructured Patagonia's ownership so that all annual profit goes to fighting climate change and bettering the planet, thus ensuring that Mother Earth always comes first for the company. As 1% For the Planet puts it: Earth is now Patagonia’s only shareholder. With this revolutionary move, Patagonia further epitomizes what being a purpose-driven business truly means. It has also given us an unprecedented opportunity to examine the most extreme example of a brand committed to putting its purpose as the highest priority. What It Means To Be A Purpose-Driven Brand Let’s be honest, 'purpose-driven' has become a bit of a buzzword lately, almost like a trendy definition for the modern business and brand. We've seen it defined lately in several ways, often focusing on the modern consumer's expectation that a brand SHOULD stand for something –therefore, a brand should try to be purpose-driven to appeal to the customer. But is trying to live up to your customer's expectations really a reason to build purpose into your brand? Are you truly purpose-driven if you're doing it just because the consumer wants you to? What A Brand Purpose Is Your purpose is the big WHY behind your brand. Why does your brand exist? Why do you do what you do? What do you aim to achieve beyond incurring profit? When you understand and clarify the WHY behind your outdoor business, you will build brand loyalty and inspire others to take positive action. If you want to learn more, we dive deeply into brand purpose in this blog post, where we talk more about two halves of purpose, including your brand’s Higher Purpose, which is the global cause or challenge that your business is willing to be an ambassador for. Your Higher Purpose goes beyond what your company does and focuses more on the bigger picture of how you want your business to positively impact something. For example, as they state in their mission statement, Patagonia wants to “save our home planet.” Why Patagonia Is THE Prime ‘Purpose-Driven’ Brand Patagonia is an excellent example of what being purpose-driven means and how we feel the term ‘purpose-driven’ should be defined. Here at Tortuga Creative Studio, we have strong opinions about what it means to be purpose-driven, and to us, being purpose-driven means: Letting your purpose and values guide your brand because you truly believe in them, not just because it's what you think your customers or stakeholders want to hear. Your purpose comes before money. If you're calling yourself purpose-driven because you think it will make you more money, you're not purpose-driven. Being willing to do something radically different, something out of the box, something that just might change the world - in the name of your purpose. Not because you have to but because you won't be satisfied until you do. You live, breathe, eat and sleep your purpose. Your purpose keeps you up at night, it's what wakes you up excited in the morning, and it's the first place you should go when you're faced with a business decision. Purpose isn't just part of your business, it's the engine that drives it. Patagonia is not the only business in our current world that is truly purpose-driven, but they do have a great platform from which they can shout their purpose to the world. Interested in learning about another highly ‘purpose-driven’ brand? Check out our case study on Arc’terex, where we examine their Higher Purpose and Business Purpose and how their actions positively impact the industry and the planet. Get Inspired To Make A Bigger Impact Moving Forward Aside from the direct impact that Patagonia’s restructuring will have on the planet, we hope that we start to see more and more decisions like this from the other big businesses of the world as business owners tap into their humanity and uncover what it truly means to be purpose-driven. Now, we want to emphasize that you don’t have to donate ALL your profits to good causes to become a purpose-driven outdoor business. Don’t get us wrong, donating a percentage could be a great option, and we encourage you to check out the 1% Percent For The Planet Membership for more information. But there are so many other incredible ways to weave your brand purpose into your outdoor business and take associated actions that make a positive difference –just as Patagonia has done, but maybe on a *slightly smaller scale. Are you ready to make impactful waves with your branding? Reach out and book a Discovery Call with us! We can answer any questions about your branding, discuss what Patagonia’s newest move means for the outdoor industry, or further explain what great branding can do for your purpose-driven outdoor business.

The outdoor industry has a very unique opportunity to help people forge deep relationships and deep connections with nature. The products, services and experiences that the industry offers are powerful opportunities to inspire people to want to preserve the places and environments in which they’ve had meaningful, life-changing experiences. There are many ways outdoor brands help build bonds between people and nature, but one of the simplest and often overlooked ways to do this is by developing solid brand values, owning them, and weaving them through the very fabric of your brand. A 2021 Stackla study shows that 88 percent of consumers say that authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support. When you own what your brand stands for and cares about (aka your brand values), you’re better able to increase your impact and make a difference by being authentic and having integrity with your values. Brand values are powerful tools for purpose-driven outdoor businesses when defined and used effectively. Whether it’s environmental stewardship, ecosystem preservation, wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, or something else, values can be strategically woven into outdoor brands to inspire their audiences and create a positive environmental impact. But if you want your values to make a difference, it’s essential to know the 4 things every outdoor business should avoid doing with their brand values. When you know how to appropriately use (and how NOT to use) brand values within your purpose-driven outdoor business, you can avoid the pitfalls we see so many businesses fall into and take advantage of the huge opportunities that brand values can offer. 1 - Don't choose generic values What do we mean by generic values? Generic values are values that every business should automatically have or practice internally and externally. Avoid choosing standard values that should already be a part of your outdoor business. For example, we’ve seen many brands choose integrity as one of their values. While it’s certainly a great value to have, integrity should be part of every single business, no matter what. Choosing integrity as a brand value is a missed opportunity to define a value that is more unique to you and can make you come across as ordinary rather than exceptional. Instead of going with the basics, dive deep into what values align best with your outdoor brand and choose ones that are unique and important to you. Your values are meant to inspire your brand and, ultimately, take your purpose-driven outdoor business to that next level. If they’re generic, they can’t do that. 2 - Don't rush through or overlook your values When you’re in the midst of the development and design process for your brand, it’s easy to rush through or even overlook your values. And we get it. Many elements go into designing a brand, and choosing brand values that align with your purpose-driven outdoor business can seem like a low priority or even a simple process that just involves picking a few words that sound good. We promise this couldn't be further from the truth! Well-thought-out brand values will flow into a strong brand purpose, which in turn flows into a solid foundation that will help you build, grow and make waves with a sustainable and successful purpose-driven outdoor business. Values are a huge part of what makes a purpose-driven business PURPOSE-driven –if you get our drift. Behind every successful purpose-driven outdoor business are strong brand values that ensure everyone on your team (including you!) shares a higher purpose and works towards a common goal. Your values guide your purpose, mission, vision and everything you stand for as a brand. They also guide your business goals, behaviours and the image you put into the world. Take the time to figure out your values and give them the time they deserve as a core piece of your brand foundation. 3 - Don’t hide your values away Your values should be visible in every single thing that you do. Why? Because values are an incredibly impactful element of your outdoor brand. As we mentioned in a couple of points above, your values can shape how your brand shows up in the world, what it does and how it is perceived. Get your values wrong, and you could come across as ordinary, inauthentic or just another choice of many. Get them right, and you will have a solid foundation for standing out, owning your space and creating a loyal following with similar values. So don't hide your values in the corner of your website and let them collect virtual dust. When you have strong brand values that reflect your purpose-driven outdoor brand, you’ll want to show them off to the world, and you should! Just as your values inspire your purpose and your team, they will also inspire those who come in contact with your outdoor brand and share similar values. When people relate to you on a deeper level - beyond liking the product or service you offer - your customer base will grow and become more loyal. 4 - Don’t choose values you don't believe in You might be surprised how often businesses use values as a band-aid for what they’re not doing well in their business. This is a quick way for brands to start to feel inauthentic to their audience –and that’s definitely NOT a place you want your outdoor brand to be in. So please, don’t choose a value that you can’t or won’t deliver on. If you don’t believe in or want your brand to embody specific values, don’t make them your values! For example, don’t say you value sustainability unless you’re able to take a stand and show how your business weaves sustainability throughout it’s entire operations. If you claim sustainability but don’t live and breathe it, you could end up labelled as greenwashing or something else equally detrimental to your brand image. Instead, let your values be your guide and the undercurrent that runs through your business. As a purpose-driven brand (or any type of brand), you need to embody every value you choose so you show up as authentic and trustworthy. How To Own Your Brand Values All these tips on what to avoid doing with your brand values are meant to guide you to use values more effectively within your business and highlight why it’s so important to choose brand values that you can OWN, be proud of and weave through every facet of your brand. Our Norm Hann Case Study is one of our favourite examples of what you can do with your brand values and how you can infuse them into your business. Like Norm Hann Expeditions, there is a HUGE opportunity to live out your brand values and use them as a point of difference and a place to connect with people on that human level. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity for your brand by overlooking your values! Have you optimized your brand values? Book a brand map and get your values audited so you can start making impactful waves with your outdoor business!

We’ve been riding the wave of sustainable branding in our last few blog posts by talking about the four elements that make up your Brand’s Foundation Compass –your brand purpose, brand vision, brand mission, and brand values. These four elements are essential for your brand as they help direct and set a course for your outdoor business –much like a compass–so you can achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself and your company. When the four branding elements that make up your Brand’s Foundational Compass are rock-solid, you can move forward feeling confident that your outdoor brand will be compelling, impactful, and most importantly, sustainable. If you want to learn more about each foundational brand element, we encourage you to deep dive into each piece of your brand compass in these posts: Brand Values Brand Purpose Brand Vision & Brand Mission In this post will explore what a Brand Foundational Compass is, why it’s important for your purpose-driven outdoor business, and how all four branding elements work together to create a strong foundation for your outdoor business. Are you ready? Because we are! But First, What Is A Brand Foundational Compass? We love the Brand Foundational Compass concept because we believe it perfectly epitomizes how it works for our clients. The four elements that make up your Brand’s Foundational Compass orient you and your brand towards the direction you want to go. We talk a lot about a business’ Brand Foundational Compass both within our client work and on our marketing channels –and that’s because it’s a HUGE part of our branding strategy and process. Here’s why we believe it’s a key player in achieving a sustainable and impactful brand: Your Brand’s Foundational Compass is the core of everything within your business and should guide where you want to take your brand. Like the red “X” on a pirate’s treasure map, your brand’s foundational compass guides you towards your booty or that larger vision of the future you want your brand to (eventually) achieve. Now, you can’t just throw a few brand values together, whip up a mission statement and think your brand ready to go. It might work in the short-term, but long-term, it’s just not sustainable. To build a rock-solid brand foundation, you need to understand each brand element and how they work together to steer your outdoor adventure business in the right direction. The Value of Brand Values Your brand values are what you stand for as a human being and a business owner. They are the fundamental beliefs that guide your brand story, behaviour, actions, and, ultimately, the decision-making process. Think about the values that motivate your brand. What values guide you forward towards your goals? Your brand values should serve as a guidance point for you and your team as you make decisions in your business. Your values are the reason your brand exists, and they should never change, no matter your business situation. We love to think of brand values as markers on a treasure map because your values help you determine if you’re keeping to the course that leads to your treasure, or rather, your business goals. Why Your Brand Purpose Matters Your brand purpose is the big WHY of your brand. Why does your business exist? Why do you do what you do? What makes you excited to start your day? In case you haven’t already guessed, your answer needs to be more than just making a profit or paying bills. As consumer expectations change, brands are increasingly held accountable for their actions and expected to do much more than fill up their treasure chests with booty. According to WARC, brands with a purpose experienced 30% growth compared to those without. Having a purpose can naturally lead to profits. Right now, businesses are expected to make a positive impact in this world, but to do this, they need to establish a higher purpose and run a business that reflects it. When you understand and clarify the WHY or purpose behind your outdoor business, you will organically build brand loyalty and inspire others to take positive action. The Importance of Your Brand Vision Your brand vision statement is the big WHAT behind your brand. Think of what you want to achieve with your outdoor business down the road. What are the ultimate goals for your outdoor business? What do you want to accomplish or achieve? What do you want your brand to become in 5-10 years? What difference have you made or want to make in the world? When you brainstorm these goals – think big and think bold. Maybe your goal seems scary and unachievable, but at the end of the day, you’re going to try your best to reach these goals no matter the outcome. This is why we call it your brand vision. Your brand vision should clarify what you plan to do to reach this long-term aspiration or goal in your business and is meant to be straightforward, measurable, and, most importantly, inspirational to everyone on your team. The Benefits of Having a Brand Mission Your brand mission is all about HOW you’re going to get to your final destination on a day-to-day basis. Your brand mission directly relates to your brand vision in that it helps you get crystal clear on the daily actions you can take on the path to achieving the brand vision you’ve just set. Think about how you plan to achieve your brand’s vision. How are you going to get there? What practical steps do you need to take today to accomplish your vision? Your brand’s mission should serve as inspiration for your team and clarify the daily, weekly, and monthly decisions you make in your business. How All Your Brand Elements Work Together To Build Your Brand Foundational Compass Hopefully, by now, it’s evident that you need ALL four elements to build a solid foundation for your outdoor business. But how exactly do they work together to establish a sustainable Brand Foundational Compass? Let’s start with your brand values. Brand values help clarify what your brand is all about. They also articulate what your brand stands for –and as a purpose-driven business, your values should stand for something beyond making a profit or even the products or services you offer. Your brand values should drive your brand’s purpose because your purpose is what makes up the core of your outdoor business and is built off of what you stand for. We like to say that your brand purpose stems directly from your values –or rather, your values lead you directly to your purpose. When you’ve established a clear and impactful brand purpose, you’re better prepared to deep dive into those big, audacious goals you want your outdoor business to achieve –this is your brand vision. As you work towards these long-term aspirations or goals (that brand vision) –your brand mission will help you clarify exactly which steps you need to take to achieve those goals on a practical, day-to-day basis. Together, these four branding elements help you build a Brand Foundational Compass that provides clarity and a sense of direction for your brand so you can steer your ship confidently and sustainably towards your final destination. Schedule a free Discovery Call with us if you’re ready to start building your Brand Foundational Compass! We’d love to hear more about your outdoor business!

A Brand Values Case Study with Norm Hann Expeditions As a leader in the industry, Norm Hann Expeditions (NHE) offers guided wilderness standup paddle adventures along the British Columbia coastlines to foster connection and protect, preserve, and respect the land, people, and the oceans of Canada’s West Coast. Challenge: Create Brand Consistency After years in the SUP business, Norm was working on growing his team of paddle guides and building a prominent presence in the coastal water sports industry when he approached Tortuga Creative Studios in 2021. Although Norm Hann Expeditions was experiencing amazing growth and popularity, it lacked a strong, cohesive brand identity and Norm was seeing the effects of this problem trickle throughout his business. Norm had tried to bring his branding together and put it under one umbrella brand guide that everyone on his team –including himself– could use moving forward, but it just wasn’t working. When Norm approached us, he was dealing with the ripple effects that flow from branding inconsistency and desperately needed a strong brand foundation to combat these issues. Norm’s values and purpose were floating beneath the surface, but they hadn’t yet been woven throughout everything he was doing within the Norm Hann Expeditions brand, but we knew we could help. Strategy: Build Strong Brand Foundations Norm’s brand is built on the deep ties he has with the British Columbia Coastlines and the indigenous people that call it home. With both his indigenous connections and his participation in bringing awareness to the environmental threats present along the coastline through adventure paddle expeditions, we knew going into the project that Norm had a very purpose-driven backstory that would easily flow into his overall brand foundations, including his brand values. After signing up for a full brand field guide package with us, we dove deep into the research necessary to build out Norm Hann Expeditions’ brand foundations. We quickly discovered that Norm ran a very values-driven company but hadn’t yet fully realized the potential of these values and how deeply they can be woven into the NHE brand. Even though Norm’s values were there, and they significantly influenced his overall brand purpose, he still lacked a consistent, easy-to-use brand identity which trickled into the brand issues he faced when he first approached Tortuga. To get his brand back on solid ground, we decided to really dial into his brand values and bring them front and center. If you want to learn more about brand values and why they are important for outdoor businesses, read this post all about them! Repositioning Norm Hann Expeditions Using Brand Values To better reposition Norm Hann Expeditions as the one-of-a-kind, purpose-driven company that they are, we started by really diving deep into the core values that were critical to the company. After establishing his core brand values, Norm brought about the incredible idea to tie the spirit animals from the Great Bear Rainforest and British Columbian coastlines directly into his core brand values. Not only do these spirit animals correspond perfectly with Norm’s values, but they also give a symbolic meaning to the deep connection he has with the coast and coastal communities. Salmon: Connection - Seek deeper relationships with the wilderness and people to promote growth and transformation. Raven: Culture - Create meaningful experiences that build empathy and respect with the indigenous community that stewards the coastlines. Spirit Bear: Conservation - Educate and protect wild coastlines. Wolf: Guidance - Lead, teach, and guide others towards confidence and growth. Bald Eagle: Growth - Provide opportunities for growth through paddle adventures. We knew he felt a strong connection between the places he loves and the values that drive him as a person and the values that drive his company and felt this approach was appropriate, memorable, and impactful for his brand, his team, and his customers. With Norm’s brand values firmly in place, we built a rock-solid brand foundation that he now uses internally with his team to create a cohesive and consistent brand that personifies the Norm Hann Expedition’s company culture. Result: Decisions Influenced by Brand Values Brand values are the fundamental beliefs that guide a company’s brand story, behaviour, actions, and decision-making process. For Norm Hann Expeditions, we were able to see these beliefs come out to the forefront with a simple yet deceptively impactful decision to start using stampcards. Norm wanted to offer a five-stamp punchcard for his customers to use as an incentive for repeat paddle adventures and to get them more involved and connected with the wild coastline of BC. When he approached us with the idea of a punchcard, we thought about how we could tie this tiny piece of his business, this tiny card, into his brand values and his higher purpose. After brainstorming, we decided to bring his big brand values to the front and center on this tiny punchcard. Each stamp or “punch” on the card would correspond with his five spirit animals/brand values. Additionally, each card would highlight the spirit animal and its corresponding brand value with further information on the card to learn more. This decision opened up the opportunity for Norm and his team to display their values on a daily basis and initiate meaningful conversations with customers about the company’s values. As brand strategists and designers, it was revolutionary to be able to highlight the often hidden elements of a brand (in this case, brand values) and not only make it a conversation piece but something Norm could be proud of. To take this brand values case study one step further, we had to think about implementing these punchcards into Norm’s business without compromising his core value of conservation (Spirit Bear). Due to his strong connection with the Great Bear Rainforest, an old-growth forest in BC, we wanted to steer clear of using tree-printed paper since its production necessitates the logging of trees. We also wanted to avoid using standard ink as it often contains chemicals that leach poison into the waterways and oceans that Norm works hard to protect. The solution was to use cotton paper and plant-based ink for the punchcards and stamps, making them easily compostable for Norm’s customers at the end of their life cycle! From a values-based perspective, the decision to use environmentally friendly punchcards supported Norm’s purpose of protecting, conserving, and increasing awareness around these wild coastlines and the Great Bear Rainforest. Conclusion of Creating Strong Brand Values With his new branding, Norm has seen firsthand how the seemingly, small business decisions he makes daily can be influenced by his values to serve his higher purpose. We LOVE that by highlighting and making Norm’s values so central to his strategy, every decision he makes moving forward has sustainability and purpose top of mind. In addition to solidifying his brand foundations, Norm was able to share his Norm Hann Brand Field Guide (made by Tortuga) with his team to achieve consistency, clarity, and alignment in the company’s overall branding. Now, Norm and his team can make decisions that align with Norm Hann Expedition’s values and purpose and move the company towards sustainable success. "Before working with Tortuga Creative Studio, there were loose ends with my brand. My business had grown and I needed to bring everything together so our messaging was consistent. My partnership with Tortuga has laid out an effective brand strategy, field guide, and messaging for my business, and helped me find clarity in our brand. The work we did together and accomplished was invaluable to where our brand has come from, where we are at now, and where we are headed in the future.” Norm Hann, Norm Hann Expeditions Want to learn more about how we can help your outdoor business? Contact us today and let’s get started!

If you want to achieve those big business goals you’ve set, you need to deep dive below the surface of your business. When you put the time into understanding your brand, you’ll have more clarity in which direction you want to go and the confidence to build a solid strategy that gets you to your final destination. However, before you even set off on your voyage, it’s essential to have a rock-solid brand foundation. We’ve talked about why your brand purpose matters, and we’ve explained the difference between your brand vision and your brand mission – but today, we want to talk about one of our favourite pieces of a brand foundation: your brand values. Behind every successful purpose-driven outdoor business are strong brand values that ensure everyone on your team (including you!) shares a higher purpose and works towards a common goal. Those core brand values are essential if you want to create a sustainable business that actually achieves the business goals and brand visions you’ve set. Imagine a captain trying to navigate his schooner towards the ultimate treasure, but the treasure map in question contains unclear landmarks or weak navigational points that cause mayhem for both his crew and himself. Without clear directions, that pirate ship will never reach its destination, much like a business without solid values. Because your brand values are integral to the direction you want to take your outdoor business –and without them, your business will flounder. Like your brand vision, brand mission, and brand purpose, your brand values are the fourth and final element that make up your Brand’s Foundational Compass. And today, we want to focus on and explain your brand values, how they tie into your brand purpose, and why having core values help your purpose-driven outdoor business achieve sustainable success. What Are Your Brand Values? Your brand values are what you stand for as a human being and a business owner. They are the fundamental beliefs that guide your brand story, behaviour, actions, and, ultimately, the decision-making process. In simple terms, they are the reason your brand exists. A question to help you establish your brand values is: WHAT values motivate your brand? As you ponder this question, think beyond the values that should come standard with every business (such as integrity) and find ones unique to you. Remember that, unlike other branding elements, your brand values should never change, no matter what business situation you’re in. Think of your brand values as your treasure map when you need guidance in sticky situations that will inevitably arise for you as a business owner. Brand values help you determine if you’re keeping to the course that leads to your treasure, otherwise known as your business goals. Why Your Brand Values Matter There will be times during your outdoor business voyage when you have to make tough decisions. But when you have rock-solid brand values representing your business and what you stand for, you have the opportunity to make the right decisions as you navigate tough choices or encounter new situations. If you have to compromise one of your brand values to achieve a short-term gain or profit, you should hear internal alarm bells going off. Instead of making decisions that have short-term gains, your brand values serve as a guide map or compass to help you make decisions that benefit your brand and your customers in the long term. Not only do your brand values help you connect with and stay true to the brand promises that you made to your clients, your team members, and yourself as a business owner, but they are key to building a sustainable branding strategy that differentiates your outdoor business from the sea of others out there. How Your Brand Values Tie Into Your Brand Purpose Brand values help clarify what your brand is all about. They also articulate what your brand stands for –and as a purpose-driven business, your values should stand for something way beyond making a profit or even the products or services you offer. Your brand values should embody your brand purpose because it is the core of your outdoor business. We actually talk more in-depth about what a brand purpose statement is and why it matters in this blog post. But the important thing to know about your brand purpose is that it stems from your values. Or rather, your values lead you to your purpose. By now, you (should) know that your outdoor business is so much more than the products or services you offer and the money you make from them. According to a study by Accenture, 62% of US consumers want brands to take a stand on social issues like sustainability and fair employment practices. Like all brands in this day and age, your business needs to stand for a higher purpose –and your values not only help define what this higher purpose is but keep you on course to reach that higher purpose. If you’re interested in learning more about using your purpose-driven branding for business growth (with stats!), we have a post. An Example Of Tortuga Creative Studio’s Brand Values To help clarify brand values from brand purpose, we want to explain what Tortuga Creative Studio’s brand values are and how they inform how we do business to shape our brand. We came up with five core brand values that aid our decision-making process and help us develop a solid brand strategy that trickles into the WHY behind the Tortuga brand (brand purpose), the WHAT (brand vision), and the HOW (brand mission). Our five brand values are purpose, clarity, confidence, passion, and growth. Purpose We prioritize having a strong purpose beyond the profit we make by building meaning into everything we do. For example, we teach our audience about business and branding in the form of this brand values blog post, social posts, free resources, and our branding services. But our main under-the-surface goal is to teach you about brand values because your values lead to your purpose –and your purpose is everything. Clarity We value being clear, relatable, helpful, and relevant in our communications and messaging. We don’t want to lose people by using jargon and exclusive wording or phrases. Don’t get us wrong, we do love throwing in pirate and ocean references and puns when and where we can! Confidence We always strive for results that make others feel confident, empowered, and optimistic. Everything we do in our own business and in the work we conduct for our projects is meant to leave our customers and clients feeling confident in their brand. Not only do we want to feel confident in the choices we make as business owners, but we want our clients to feel confident in choosing us as their brand strategists and designers. Passion We take passion very seriously over here at Tortuga Creative Studios. We’re super passionate about Tortuga and the work we do for our clients. We’re passionate about ocean advocacy and protecting ocean wildlife. We’re passionate about sustainability and making changes that positively impact the planet. Most importantly, we’re passionate about working with outdoor businesses that are passionate about what they do. We revel in sharing the joy, spirit, and passion that our clients experience for their business. Growth We value growth in two capacities. The first is how our work allows our clients to grow their impact and do more good in the world, whether through growing their purpose or growing the positive ripple effect they have on the planet through their branding. Secondly, we value the personal and business growth we achieve as brand strategists each time we work on projects with purpose-driven outdoor brands like yours! Every project we work on inspires new ways of thinking and more industry knowledge that helps our current and future clients flourish. An Example Of How Tortuga’s Brand Values Lead To Our Brand Purpose By establishing those five core brand values, we built out a brand purpose that epitomized the WHY (brand purpose) behind Tortuga Creative Studio. You can see all five values woven into our brand purpose statement here: Tortuga’s Brand Purpose Statement We are dedicated to helping (1) purpose-driven outdoor business owners (2) clarify their path through branding so that they can (3) confidently (4) grow their business and increase their impact on the planet. We are committed to supporting life underwater by focusing on sea turtle conservation. We support our higher purpose through adopting sea turtles with every project and offsetting our plastic footprint each month. While we don’t explicitly call out our brand value (5) passion in our purpose statement, our messaging implies our passion for our purpose-driven clients and the opportunity we have to help them find brand clarity. In the second part of our brand purpose, we highlight our passion and commitment to supporting ocean advocacy, sea turtle conservation, and offsetting our plastic footprint through our branding work. You can see how solid brand values can flow into a strong brand purpose, further ensuring you have a solid foundation to build a sustainable and successful outdoor business. When you have a firm understanding of the beliefs and values that your brand stands for, you’ll inevitably have more clarity and confidence in every decision you make as you sail your brand forward towards business growth and success (read: a treasure chest full of positive impact). Ultimately, your brand values (along with your brand vision, mission, and purpose) help guide you in the direction you want to take your business and keep you on the path you’ve set a course on. This is the magic and beauty of your Brand’s Foundational Compass. If you don’t know what your brand values are or aren’t sure if the values you do have are serving your outdoor business, book a Brand Values Audit! Inside this 30-minute audit, we’ll deep dive into your brand values to uncover which ones are working (and optimize them further), which ones are not, or discover new values that better serve your brand.

The value of sustainable branding is as bottomless as the ocean –and it’s what will sail your purpose-driven outdoor business forward towards growth and success. But to get there, you need to have a strong brand foundation. We’re not talking about the logos, colour palettes, or mood boards you see above the surface of a brand (although they do have their place). We’re talking about the brand foundations lying underneath the visual elements commonly associated with branding. To build a rock-solid brand foundation for your business, you need to clarify your brand purpose, brand vision, brand mission, and brand values. Together, these four branding elements orient you and your brand toward the direction you want your brand to go – like a compass – which we collectively call your Brand Foundational Compass. The core guiding statement of your Brand Foundational Compass is your brand purpose. Your brand vision, mission, and values will flow more naturally if you are crystal clear on your brand purpose. Maybe you’re wondering why your brand purpose is so important and impactful for your purpose-driven outdoor business –we’ll tell you! The Impact Behind A Brand Purpose Statement Every outdoor business knows WHAT they do (they sell a product or a service), but many don’t understand WHY they do what they do beyond making a profit. Don’t get us wrong; your business, like ours, exists to make a profit. But making a profit isn’t enough anymore. Now, more than ever, brands are being held accountable for their actions and are expected to do so much more than fill up their treasure chests with booty (read: make a profit). Businesses are expected to make a positive impact in this world. An increasing number of stats back up why having a purpose is good for business growth, including a survey by Customer Thermometer which states that 13% of consumers would pay 31-50% more for products or services if they were under the impression that your business positively impacts the world. Do you know which branding element helps you clarify to yourself, your team, and your customers how and why you’re making an impact? Your brand purpose statement. You may be thinking that this is a pretty simple thing to craft. You might already have a brand purpose statement in your head that sounds something like this: "My purpose is to sell ______ to my customer who is ______. " But this isn't your purpose; this is your WHAT, or rather, a description of what it is you do. What Is Your Brand Purpose? Your brand purpose is the big WHY of your brand. WHY does your business exist? WHY did you start your business in the first place? WHY do you do what you do? WHY do you wake up excited to start your day? As you brainstorm this WHY, think beyond the goals you want your business to achieve because your brand purpose is so much bigger and deeper than any business goal you set for yourself or your team. Instead, think about the outcome you’ll achieve if you remain committed to your brand purpose. Describe what you plan to do and your overall vision for your business. Emphasize why you still get up every day and go to work feeling pumped and excited for what you do. Why will your purpose benefit the world, and why will it make people want to be a part of this disruptive new idea? What problem do you help your customers with? What global problem do you want to address? As you develop your brand purpose, focus on the people (either your internal team or your customers) and the emotional connection they have with your brand. Also, consider the feeling your customers get that makes them care about what you are selling and the larger impact your business has on the world. When you understand and clarify the WHY behind your outdoor business, you will build brand loyalty and inspire others to take positive action. Finally, similar to your brand’s vision (which we talk more about in this post), a brand purpose statement might be unattainable, but it still should be relevant and serve as a guide as you sail forward in your business. The Two Halves Of Brand Purpose As you craft your brand purpose, there are two halves –or rather, two different perspectives to consider. There is the business side, where you focus on the impact you want to have on your customers' lives, and there is the global side, where you focus on the impact you want your business to have on the world. These two perspectives are known as your business purpose and your higher purpose. What Is A Business Purpose Your business purpose is the practical and emotional value your customers receive through your product or service. It’s a problem you solve for your customers and why you started your business. Instead of focusing on the details of your offering, your business purpose should be about the impact you have on your audience's lives because this is what will increase the impact your business has on the planet. What Is A Higher Purpose Your higher purpose is the global cause or challenge that your business is willing to be an ambassador for. It goes beyond what your business does and focuses more on the bigger picture of how you want your business to positively impact something. Environmentally conscious outdoor businesses are, by nature, driven by a higher purpose. You might have even started your business to give back and positively impact the planet. Where many companies have to dig deep to find their higher purpose, yours probably comes built-in. Remember that as a sustainable outdoor business, you should consider both what you stand for on an environmental level and what you stand for when it comes to your customers. An Example Of Tortuga Creative Studio’s Brand Purpose To help you understand what we mean by having a brand purpose –and within that, a business purpose and higher purpose, we’re explaining Tortuga’s own brand purpose statement below. “We are dedicated to helping purpose-driven outdoor business owners clarify their path through branding so that they can confidently grow their business and increase their impact on the planet. (business purpose) “We are committed to supporting life underwater by focusing on sea turtle conservation and the ocean plastics crisis. We support our higher purpose through adopting sea turtles with every project and offsetting our plastic footprint each month. (higher purpose) You can see that we haven’t specified any goals inside our brand purpose. Instead, we’ve expanded on WHY we are in business: to help outdoor businesses find clarity through branding, to serve a higher purpose through sea turtle adoption, to offset our plastic footprint, to use our resources for the greater good We address the problems we see in the world and explain why and how we are participating in being a change for good through our work as brand designers. We believe that as purpose-driven brands, we can all be ambassadors for causes that inspire our clients and benefit the planet. How To Live Out Your Brand Purpose A lot of brand builders lightly touch on purpose and then move on, but here at Tortuga, we genuinely believe that if you want your business to have an impact, you need a steadfast brand purpose. Why? Because having a well-defined purpose at your core opens up endless opportunities for you (and your business) to live out your purpose every single day and inspire others to take their own positive action. For example, you can add an impact offset for every purchase, client signed, or income goal met. Here at Tortuga, we remove 5 pieces of plastic from the ocean through our membership with Greenspark for every Brand Purpose Workbook downloaded. We’ve also committed to donating 1% of our annual income to the Sea Turtle Conservancy & SeaSmart through our membership with 1% For The Planet. Finally, we adopt a sea turtle for every branding project we work on. Your purpose can come through in the tangible choices you make like the paper you print your brochures on, the vehicles you buy to transport your gear, and the sustainable or ethically sourced swag you purchase for your event. There are so many incredible ways to weave your brand purpose into your business. You just need to do the work and really clarify that purpose first –and then take the associated actions to make a positive difference. Find out how brand purpose can boost your business growth and impact Diving deep below the surface of your business and putting the time into understanding who you are and what motivates you as a brand will bring more clarity and confidence as you navigate your voyage towards business growth and increasing your impact. If you are looking to gain some clarity on your brand purpose, check out our Brand Purpose Workbook. In just two steps this workbook will help you polish your brand purpose in a way that will boost your business growth and help you make a difference in the world.

This is a modified version of the article, “7 Ways To Reduce Plastic Consumption in Your Workplace,” originally published by 3P Insights. Plastics are everywhere – in our landfills, our streets, our waterways, our foods and in our bodies. They are nearly universal materials in our economy, businesses, and social practices. Plastics production and consumption marks a cultural revolution that has had both positive and negative impacts. On the one hand, the lightness, durability, versatility, and cost-effectiveness of plastics democratized consumption, allowing people of modest means to become consumers of what are now considered to be everyday products, like combs and toothbrushes. According to Scientific American’s historical account, plastics held the promise of a new material that enabled and oriented the middle class. On the other hand, excessive use of plastics in production and packaging has presented environmental and health challenges unlike anything else in consumption history. Particularly alarming is the amount of plastics that end up in our oceans and waterways. Every year, 8 million metric tons of plastics enter our ocean. This is on top of the 150 million metric tons of plastics estimated already to be circulating in marine waters. Whether it’s water bottles, plastic bags, straws, fishing nets, or mismanaged plastic waste, that’s the equivalent of dumping a full garbage truck of plastics into the ocean every minute every day for an entire year! Plastics have been found in 100% of sea turtles and more than 60% of sea birds, which often mistake plastics for food. Since plastics never fully decompose – they just break down into smaller and smaller pieces – they have also been found in the fish we consume. In the last decade alone, the proportion of fish consuming plastics more than doubled across all species. Plastics in the fish we eat has been linked to health problems in humans. It's no wonder that we’ve seen growing awareness and so many #PlasticFree campaigns over the last several years. So, what can you do about it? As an outdoor business, you have an unmatched opportunity to step up, commit to doing better for the planet, and help protect the outdoor spaces that are so important to your purpose. Here are a few ideas: 1. Educate About the Issue. Businesses have an unmatched platform to connect plastic-free choices with the values and aspirations of their employees and customers. By helping educate employees and customers about the problem, and then to further provide solutions, business leaders and managers can engage and inspire others to reduce their plastics consumption. Sharing about the problem and incorporating signage into your workplace or service center are two great ways to communicate the issues with employees and customers while reinforcing your organization’s values. The Plastic Free July campaign has a number of posters to get you started. 2. Find Some Easy Wins. The truth is, the plastics problem is larger than any individual person or business. Plastics are woven into our systems and structures, and going completely plastic-free is nearly impossible for most people. A great way to get people engaged is to ask them what single-use plastics they could eliminate. Staff often enjoy challenging each other, so incorporating an employee challenge like “BYO Bottle to Work” can make plastics reduction fun. Consider providing your employees with a reusable water container or coffee tumbler to take with them to work and on their outdoor adventures – it’s a great advertising opportunity also! Just be mindful of the businesses that you’re purchasing these containers from. Here’s one eco-conscious company that offers an affordable option to customize drink containers – they support sustainability research and ocean conservation too! 3. Make Some Changes In The Workplace. Easy wins are fantastic for motivation, but some workplace changes are also necessary to support plastics reduction. If your business has a physical office space, consider eliminating plastics straws or coffee K-cups in the office. Provide reusable utensils and dishware in break rooms and take-out containers when going out to lunch. Replace plastic water bottles with water coolers. Or better yet, install a hydration station! If your “workplace” is the great outdoors, be sure to bring your reusable water container and pack your food or snacks in reusable silicone bags or glass jars. Many stores now offer options to fill up reusable containers when stocking up on snacks like trail mix, eliminating the need for the plastic packaging it often comes in. For longer outdoor adventures, try reusable beeswax foods wraps. They’re lightweight and have natural oils that may help keep your food fresh. 4. Reconsider Your Supplier Relationships. Ask your suppliers about plastic-free or reduced plastics options for items you purchase for the office or for your outdoor adventures. If your supplier doesn’t offer them, consider switching to one that does. Earth Hero and Dolphin Blue offer two affordable options for office supplies. Buy in bulk whenever possible to reduce packaging for your business supplies. Buying in bulk will usually allow you to purchase supplies at a discount as well! 5. Modify Your Packaging. Product packaging plays a major role in plastics consumption. Instead of Styrofoam beads or plastic bubble wrap, try using a thicker paper alternative to package items when shipping products. Use recycled mailers or try these 100% compostable mailers when shipping non-fragile items! Many outdoor brands have found alternatives to polybags in packaging as well, such as Vela’s paper bags. If you’re selling products in the store, encourage customers to bring a reusable bag by offering a discount for those who bring their own bag. If you really want to make an impact, eliminate plastic bags altogether in your store. Just be sure to have some reusable bags for sale (or giveaway, if you can afford it) for customers who forget their own bag – this is another great advertising tool if you include your brand on the bag! 6. Organize a Beach Cleanup. Sponsoring a beach cleanup can be a great way to help clean up trash in your local environment, but it can also help show your constituents just how much plastic pollution ends up in our waterways. In this way, organizing a cleanup helps raise awareness for the cause and helps tackle the problem right in your own community. Volunteer opportunities are also an impactful way to build a shared sense of purpose and belonging among your employees. Get your customers involved for an even better brand building experience! 7. Be Realistic. And Be Positive. It can be challenging to make the plastics-free switch. Changes won’t happen overnight and it’s important to recognize that everyone is on their own sustainability journey. The good news is that research suggests more and more people are interested in reducing their plastics consumption. Tackle plastics problems one at a time and celebrate your wins. Reducing any amount of single-use plastics consumption is something to be proud of. Small changes do make an IMPACT! --- Jennifer Kuklenski founded 3P Insights, LLC to help entrepreneurs and businesses grow their income and impact through affordable training, coaching, and consulting services focused on the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profit. Learn how to grow your business responsibly through free Impact Articles or by subscribing to the 3P Insights Learning Library!

Sustainable branding is an important foundational piece of any business, similar to how the ocean is the foundation of all life on the planet. You might see the blue waters and crashing waves on the surface, but underneath, the ocean supports a diverse ecosystem that provides the planet with vital elements needed to survive. Similarly, behind the face of a successful purpose-driven outdoor business is solid branding that captures the life force needed to stand out from the crowd, connect with its audience, and positively impact the world. Everything we, as humans, rely on to survive leads back to the ocean, just like every decision you we make in your business leads back to your branding. Both branding and the ocean contain elements that individually may seem minor or insignificant, but all work together to shape the planet – or rather, your brand identity. Your Brand’s Foundational Compass An SDL global survey showed that 60% of millennial consumers expect consistent branding across different platforms. To achieve brand consistency across the board, you need to make sure your branding is well-defined, cohesive, and memorable. Unfortunately, most of the internally facing brand elements required to achieve consistency are undervalued, overlooked, and quickly put together last minute by business owners. But these internal elements of your brand are so important for the success of your overall branding and therefore, your outdoor business. As brand designers, we can't stress enough how fundamental branding is for the success of your outdoor business. Some of the core internal elements of your brand include mission, vision, values, and purpose, which all work together to build and establish a strong foundation for your brand. These four branding elements orient you and your brand toward the direction you want your brand to go – like a compass. Your brand’s foundational compass is the core of everything within your business and should serve as a guide for where you want to take your brand. Like the red “X” on a pirate’s treasure map, your brand's foundational compass guides you towards your booty or that larger vision of the future you want your brand to (eventually) achieve. When faced with a business decision, having well-thought-out brand foundational pieces like your vision and mission can be game-changing. Not only can you hold up every decision you make to your brand’s foundational compass and know immediately if you should say yes or no, but it will guide you down the path to clarity and confidence in your outdoor business. If your brand foundation is unclear or weak, you won't know which direction you're taking your business or what you need to do to get there, like a ship sailing in the fog. Without a compass or brand foundations, you'll wander the seas aimlessly without knowing where you're going. That's how mutiny happens! It's essential to build a rock-solid brand foundation before you ever set sail –and that means deep diving into your brand purpose, mission, vision, and values. We’ve expanded on brand purpose in What is Brand Purpose? and Brand Purpose For Sustainable Businesses, but after many brand strategy sessions with our clients, we started noticing confusion around the difference between your brand vision and brand mission. So today, we want to explain two overlooked yet, critical elements that can turn the tide of your purpose-driven business: your brand mission and vision statements. To clarify this concept, we're explaining what brand vision and brand mission are, how they work separately, and most importantly, how they work together to build a consistent brand. What Is Your Brand Vision? Your brand vision statement is the big WHAT behind your brand. It’s the big hairy, scary, audacious goal that you're not sure if you can reach, but you're going to try your best, and you're pumped to give it a go. Think of what you want to achieve with your outdoor business down the road – think BIG and BOLD. Does it make you super stoked? Do you feel jazzed or inspired to just go for it? That’s when you know your brand vision is on point. Here are some questions to help you get there: WHAT do you want to accomplish or achieve? WHAT have you accomplished? WHAT do you want your brand to become in 5 years? 10 years? WHAT change have you made in the world? WHAT difference have you made? WHAT are the ultimate goals for your outdoor business? In WHAT way are you changing your customer's life? Your brand vision should clarify what you plan to do to reach this long-term aspiration or goal in your business and is meant to be straightforward, measurable, and, most importantly, inspirational to everyone on your team. On the way to achieving this goal, you should be able to track your progress and easily communicate it to your audience. For example, Tortuga Creative Studio's Brand Vision is: To be the preferred branding studio for outdoor businesses in Canada while contributing to a world that is led by purpose-driven brands. Notice how we focus on our long-term goal of being the preferred branding studio in Canada. We also want to contribute our skills to change the dynamic so that purpose-driven brands lead the market. No, we're not sure if we will be the go-to branding studio throughout all of Canada, nor are we sure purpose-driven businesses will lead the world market. But through our branding work and marketing outreach, we are inspired to try our best to achieve this goal. What Is Your Brand Mission? Your brand mission statement is all about HOW you're going to get to your final destination on a day-to-day basis. Your brand’s mission should serve as inspiration and clarity for the daily, weekly, and monthly decisions you make in your business. It helps to get crystal clear on the day-to-day actions you can take on the path to achieving the brand vision you've just set. Here are a few questions to help you out: HOW do you plan to achieve your brand's vision? HOW are you going to get there? What are the practical steps you need to take? HOW will your brand look in 1-3 years? What direction do you want it to go? A brand mission statement should be inspirational for you and your team, but it's actually more of a fins in the water approach. Use your brand mission for day-to-day decisions. For example, when a decision comes up that you’re unsure about, hold up your brand mission and ask yourself, does decision A or decision B align with my brand’s mission? If the decision aligns and takes you one step closer to your brand’s vision, fantastic! If the decision doesn’t align, toss it overboard! Here are some other questions you can ask yourself to clarify your brand mission: What are you going to do today to accomplish this goal? What are the day-to-day actions you need to take to achieve your vision for the future? To give you some inspiration, here is Tortuga Creative Studio's Brand Mission: We are committed to using branding to help our clients grow their outdoor businesses and increase the positive impact they have on the planet. Our day-to-day work involves helping outdoor businesses up-level their branding through strategic and creative brand identity design services. Using sustainable branding, we actively help purpose-driven businesses stand out from the crowd and attract more people, thus increasing their positive impact on the planet. We have a clear direction of how we are trying to achieve our brand vision and have outlined actions we can take today to get there. Why Your Brand Vision & Brand Mission Matter Your brand mission and vision are essential elements of a solid branding strategy and serve a unique and clear purpose for your business. After working with Tortuga Creative Studio to conceptualize, build, and design their brand, our clients have found a ‘clearer sense of direction’ and an ‘increase in confidence on where they’re taking their business.’ It is huge for business owners to find clarity in the path they are sailing on. A rock-solid brand foundation provides that clarity and a sense of direction for your brand so you can steer your ship confidently towards your final destination. As a captain, you always need to know where you're going in the long term (brand vision) and the stops along the way to get there (brand mission). Don’t forget the importance of measuring every decision you make in your business. Does it serve your brand's vision? Does it serve your brand's mission? If it does, sail on. If it doesn't, toss it overboard. Use your branding elements as your compass. They will always point you in the right direction! Sailing Forward With Your Brand Foundation By now, you can see why deep-diving below the surface of your business and putting the time into understanding who you are and where you’re going as a brand is worth the effort. By clarifying your brand vision and mission, you are turning the tide of your outdoor business with branding foundations that will direct your actions and help you achieve your goals. If you want to learn more about how branding is the rock-solid foundation of your business –like a coral reef is the foundation of a flourishing reef ecosystem - -you can read all about it in this post. If you're looking for a quick compass that clarifies the difference between your brand vision and brand mission, we have a FREE infographic for you! Download your copy and save it to your branding folder so you can refer to it if you ever need a refresh on those essential branding elements.

Having a purpose driven brand can do more for the growth of your outdoor brand than you might realize. Not only is being purpose driven a great way to use your company for good and to have a positive impact on the planet, but it can also be a powerful tool in your business growth strategy. The world is changing and, with it, the behaviours of your audiences. As the Consumer Culture Report (Source: financesonline.com) from 2020 notes: "Consumers no longer see products as mere commodities—each one is now a statement. This is why purpose-led brands have more appeal to modern shoppers." Being driven by a purpose beyond profit is becoming expected, and more and more brands are moving towards sharing what they stand for and what they stand up for. However, it is not always easy to see the direct impact of your purpose on your business growth. Purpose can feel a bit like a nice-to-have but not necessarily a need-to-have. After all, how can something as intangible as purpose contribute to business growth? These stats tell a compelling story about how tapping into your purpose and building it consciously into your brand can help you with organic business growth: 86% of consumers say that authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support. (Source: Stackla, 2019) ‍‍‍ ‍81% of global respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. (Source: nielsen.com) ‍‍ ‍‍Of the consumers in our study who said they have a brand relationship, 64% cited shared values as the primary reason. (Source: Harvard Business Review) ‍‍ The third most reputable company in 2019 is Patagonia. (Source: financesonline.com) ‍ ‍77% of consumers buy from brands who share the same values as they do. (Sources: HavasGroup, 2019, oberlo.ca) ‍‍ 13% of consumers would pay 31-50% more for your products or services if they were under the impression that your business is making a positive impact on the world. (Source: Customer Thermometer) ‍ Being a purpose driven brand may come naturally to you, but it is also immensely valuable to your business growth. By accentuating your purpose and weaving it strategically throughout the fabric of your brand and business, you show your values to the world and open yourself up to connecting with more people who share the same values. The business case for purpose is clear - the more you connect and resonate with people, the more they support your brand, and the more you grow. Oh, and don't forget that the more your business grows, the more you can give back to the purpose that started it all.

Imagine you want to go to a yoga class, but you’re not sure where to go. You head to your Google search bar to find local options. Do you type “fitness studio”? Or do you type “yoga class in Vancouver”? When you have a specific need (finding a yoga class) you’re looking for a specific answer or solution to your problem (local yoga studios). The same is true for your target audience. They’re looking for products and services that will meet their specific needs. If your brand message is generic, intended to speak to as wide an audience as possible, it becomes very difficult for people to see themselves in your messages and connect with your business. They will not be able to resonate on a deeper level with what you are saying and they will not feel that you are speaking directly to them. “When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.” — Meredith Hill Too generic and you run the risk of not connecting with people. This can spell disaster for a brand. If no one is listening, no one is buying. If no one is buying, you will have trouble growing your business and increasing your positive impact on the planet. Memorable brand messaging connects to a specific person with a specific need. It’s the opposite of generic. ‍So how do you create a memorable brand message? By defining and understanding your target audience. Getting specific on your target audience will help you clarify what your business is doing, connect with the right people, and inspire like-minded people to get on board with your cause. How do you create your target audience? Let’s say you’re an outdoor business selling recycled plastic attire, such as sweatshirts and raincoats. You may be tempted to say, “I know my target audience—they’re outdoor enthusiasts.” And that may be true; your ideal customers love the outdoors and being in nature. ‍ But we need to go deeper than this. ‍ Being an outdoor enthusiast isn’t as niche as you may think. In fact, 2020 brought the highest outdoor participation rates on record. Luckily for sustainable businesses working to have a positive impact on the planet, outdoor enthusiasm is becoming the norm. An important part of the brand journey is understanding who your target client is on a deeper level. Here’s how to start: 1. Uncover what makes your target audience different Think hard about your ideal client or customer. What’s different about them? Get specific and dig deep: They may be outdoor enthusiasts but are they most into hiking? Camping? Water sports? Are they weekend warriors or all the time adventurers? Would they prefer that a percentage of their purchase is donated to a tree planting organization or to a local kids camp? Hint: the best way to find out is by doing some competitive research. Check out the clients of your direct competitors and see if you can gather some insights about who they are and what they are into. Chances are their audience is the same, or close, to yours. 2. Create your target audience persona Create a fictional character —or an audience persona—that is the embodiment of your ideal target audience. Most businesses skip this step, but it’s crucial for laying the foundation for your brand messaging later. What is their gender identity or expression? What age are they? Where do they live? What do they do? What are their fears and desires? How does your product/service help them overcome their fears and achieve their desires? If you’re not sure how to answer these questions, check out the reviews of your competitors. What are other people saying about what the company does well? What do they wish the company would do better? Looking at reviews can help you determine what your target audience cares about and what they’re looking for in your products and services. 3. Keep one person in mind When you start to develop your brand messaging, imagine you’re speaking directly to one person (preferably the audience persona that you created!). It’s tempting to appeal to the masses, but remember a generic message means you’ll have a harder time standing out and connecting with your target clients.

We're guessing that you've never thought about branding and graphic design in the same brainwave as a coral reef, but surprisingly, the two have a lot in common. Of course, we love that our analogy is ocean-themed (did you expect anything less?), but it is also the perfect stage for us to guide you in understanding the difference between branding and graphic design and how your ideal community echoes that of a natural ecosystem. First let’s consider the ideal coral reef – a flourishing ecosystem full of vibrant, beautiful and integral creatures. Coral polyps, sponges, algae and rocks make up this ecosystem and invite a variety of sea creatures, from starfish to clownfish. This complex ecosystem is much like your ideal outdoor business—anchored yet purposeful, stable yet ever-growing. To build a loyal community of outdoor enthusiasts, look to the coral reef for inspiration. In this post, we’ll cover the difference between branding and graphic design and how to build an ecosystem for your outdoor brand. The ecosystem your outdoor business needs So what makes a coral reef a thriving ecosystem? The start of every good coral reef is a set of solid and steady rocks that form the foundation of what will one day become a flourishing reef ecosystem. These rocks are much like your business's branding, which is made up of two key components: Brand strategy. Brand strategy involves understanding who your brand is, what you stand for, who you serve, and what makes you different. Brand personality and visual identity. Your brand personality and identity are made up of the human personality your brand displays and the core visual elements that make up your identity (your logo, colour palette, fonts and graphic styles) Together, your branding becomes the foundation for your business's “ecosystem” or community— a community of outdoor enthusiasts, loyal customers, and brand ambassadors. However, as much as your brand strategy and core identity rocks are essential for a coral reef to begin growing, you need to first set your business up for success with the right foundation. Why branding strategy comes first What happens if you try to start a reef or community without a solid foundation? You can try dumping beautiful corals into the water and hope that they find somewhere to anchor, but more than likely, they will just float around the ocean. Don't get us wrong, those floating corals would be beautiful, and they will likely attract some pretty cool fish for a little while. Still, eventually, those fish will realize they don't have a home in those floating corals, and they will head off in search of a stable, trustworthy reef that supports all their needs in the long term. ‍ The same is true for your business. ‍ If you try to grow your business with only visuals and no foundational branding, you may get a stunning brochure and a beautiful logo that attracts a few good customers, but you won't keep them because your designs are not anchored in branding. They may look incredible, but they will not mean much to your audience or contribute to the community surrounding your business. You need a branding strategy first, so you can create a solid foundation as a home for your target audience—outdoor enthusiasts who love nature as much as you do! Attracting customers with visuals Think of your visuals as the corals of your outdoor business. Branding gives your corals a safe place to anchor and begin to grow. Once you have a foundation of branding strategy, you can start adding beautiful and vibrant graphic design to your business and its touchpoints. Your reach with these initial touchpoints might start off small, but because they are anchored to rock-solid branding, they will eventually make up a strong core for your business's ecosystem. Although corals start small, they will one day become the centre of the entire reef ecosystem, attracting all manner of life to them. Much like your graphic design will become recognizable and drive your community to grow. Like the coral reef attracting new fish, with graphic design, you’ll create a welcome environment for loyal, long-lasting customers. Grow your own outdoor branding ecosystem We live in an ever-changing world. The community you attract—consumers, businesses, clients, or the general public —are becoming much more aware of a business’ inner workings, ethics and values. These inner workings are essential to who you will do business with, what your impact on the world will be, and what type of ecosystem your business will build. ‍ Your branding is not only fundamental but the key to growing your own successful coral reef ecosystem.‍ So now that we know branding is your rock, and graphic design is the coral anchored to the foundation from which your community will grow, it’s time to ask yourself, maybe the most important business question you may ever receive: ‍ Are you going to float, or are you going to anchor? ‍ PS. Deciding on who your brand is can be daunting at first, so if you’re feeling unsure of where to start putting down that anchor, you can book a free discovery call with us and let us help you start to build your reef...we mean brand.