121. Creating Emotional Connections in Branding with Elizabeth Hambleton

In this exhilarating episode of the Milk and Honey with Lemon podcast, host Lemon is joined by her friend and branding expert Elizabeth Hambleton. Elizabeth delves into the essence of branding, debunking common misconceptions and demonstrating how effective branding extends far beyond just logos and colors. She emphasizes the importance of messaging and finding a 'through line' to connect diverse passions into a cohesive brand.

Elizabeth shares her journey from fine arts publishing to personal styling and explains how she rediscovered her love for branding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tune in for in-depth discussions, practical tips, and learn about Elizabeth's upcoming branding course.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to deepen their understanding of branding in both business and personal contexts.

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for Today's Episode
00:31 Welcome to Milk and Honey with Lemon
01:32 Interview with Elizabeth Hambleton Begins
02:51 Elizabeth's Journey into Branding
06:55 Finding Your Unique Brand Throughline
11:36 Balancing Design and Functionality in Branding
21:45 Elizabeth's Upcoming Branding Course
22:00 The Importance of Messaging in Branding
28:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I am so beyond excited for today's episode. My friend Elizabeth is going to talk all about branding, what it is, what it isn't, how people sometimes misconstrue what branding actually is, and so I'm excited. Elizabeth is going to do a deep dive for you and then she has an offer for you to do an even deeper dive with her, and I think you're going to be very excited because it's not what you expect. So sit back, enjoy, get a notebook, because I promise you're going to be very excited because it's not what you expect. So sit back, enjoy, get a notebook, because I promise you're going to want to take some notes and I will see you on the earth. Hey friend, welcome to Milk and Honey with Lemon.

Speaker 1: 0:39

The Bible says in Numbers 14, 8, and if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. On this podcast, we talk about stepping into that overflow that God has for us by becoming those ultimate Proverbs. 31 women. Hey, I'm Lemon. I am just like you, sister, friend. I knew God had something more in store for me, but I couldn't see a way out of the laundry piles and frankly, I resented that Proverbs 31 woman. How was I going to live up to the hype? That is until I found out how to really step into becoming this Proverbs 31 woman through leadership development. In this podcast you're going to find financial freedom, leadership, growth and motivation so you'll be able to do all the things God has called you to do with ease and really step into that land of milk and honey.

Speaker 1: 1:30

Welcome back to the Milk and Honey podcast. I am so excited about the interview today because I have my friend Elizabeth Campbellton on. I've known Elizabeth for years and I think Elizabeth is personally one of the chicest people I've ever met in my whole entire life. She has been through fashion and fine art and publishing, design, education, entrepreneurship, and so obviously she's a creative person, which is kind of what we want to talk about. She also just launched a podcast Never Too Festive a celebration of motherhood where she discusses how even the busiest of moms can find style, creativity and joy in the midst of motherhood mayhem, which I feel like is all of us. But I'm excited you're here, my friend thank you for having me.

Speaker 2: 2:16

I'm excited to be here so excited.

Speaker 1: 2:19

Y'all, when I met elizabeth a couple years ago, was like she is not going to want to be my friend. She is way too chic for me. No, she's fancy, she's fancy and I love it. Even though she says she's not fancy, I think she's pretty fancy and pretty amazing. So it's funny, michelle, we were just talking about this, but Michelle Schaefer text me the other day and she was like Elizabeth is so brilliant. I was like Elizabeth is so brilliant. I was like I know, I know she is and so I don't want to have her here to talk about branding and all those kind of fun things. So can you just tell us, like, how you even got into branding and what is branding, because I think people get that confused all the time.

Speaker 2: 3:00

Yeah, absolutely. I would love to talk about branding because I think a lot of people have a very limited view on it. They think it's kind of just colors and a logo A lot of people think about maybe a font or typeface and that they sort of stop there. But really good branding is about a mood, it's about emotions, it's a zeitgeist if we want to get fancy. It's sort of what it makes you feel and it's interesting.

Speaker 2: 3:34

I had a, we'll say, circuitous kind of entry into branding. I started my first job ever out of school was in publishing in a fine arts museum, which is where my editing, analytical sort of side comes from. And then I did that for about five years and got married and moved and I did a little bit of corporate work. But then, after I had my first child, I got into styling because I'd always had an interest in it. And one thing to know about me is I've always been a weird mix of things, like I was a triple major in French art and political science kind of really all over the place in terms of something really artsy, something kind of dry, something in between that feels very fitting for you I know, right, if you know me.

Speaker 2: 4:28

It's like it's getting on brand for you, right, if you know me. I think it makes a lot of sense. But for other people who are like, wait, what One? It's funny because I had to do a thesis to graduate and even my thesis advisor was like how in the world are we going to tie these together so that you can graduate? He was actively worried about this and I ended up doing a thesis on art repatriation from World War II from France, sort of like the whole Monuments Men thing. If people remember that from a little while ago, it's possible. It's totally possible. But yes.

Speaker 2: 5:07

So then I got into personal styling and I have a really just creative personality. I had an Etsy like literally anything you can do to monetize creativity. I've tried it. I've shot weddings as a photographer, I've done portraits, I've done product styling. I had an Etsy shop that I sold. I do Canva templates, the whole works. But actually I got back into branding heavily during COVID because I had a styling business. But it actually turns out that no one in America needs help picking out tie-dyed sweatpants that feels fitting, that feels super fitting, picking out tie-dyed sweatpants that feels fitting.

Speaker 2: 5:44

That feels super fitting. So when everyone, when everything, just abruptly, there was nowhere to go. People really didn't need fashion help for a while and I got back heavily into branding then because people were still doing that. So here I am today. I do both. I love that.

Speaker 1: 6:05

I love that you do both and today I do both. I love that. I love that you do both and thank God you do both because I feel I spam a little bit. It's brand Like little things, because I'm like does this make sense, does this fit, does this work for what we're doing? I also love this part of your story where, you like, have these triple majors that everybody was a little bit stressed about and yet they all work together. And I think that is a beautiful takeaway, because I hear from women all the time they're like I'm passionate about this and this and they don't go. And I'm like is that that they don't go? Can we make it fit? And you made it fit. What would you say to somebody who's I'm passionate about these three very opposite things, or whatever it is they're doing, and they're like can I make this a brand? Do I have to suppress parts of myself? What do you say to people like that?

Speaker 2: 6:55

Yes, I think you can always make it a brand, and maybe that feels like a weakness, but I think we should all be looking at it as a strength because, let's say, you're a copywriter, there are other copywriters out there, so just being a good copywriter is not going to set you apart, or being a copywriter with experience isn't going to set you apart.

Speaker 2: 7:21

What could set you apart is being a copywriter with these other things added in this other flavor that makes it unique to you. There's always what I call a through line if we look for it. So a through line being the thing that connects your interests or your passions. So if you think that the three things seem really different, all you need to do is find some sort of through line, some sort of connecting point, whether it's like a origin or sort of a style or sort of some sort of just feeling that people can connect to. And then, if you kind of create that image for the person like these are the ways that these things connect, and sometimes it's just that they're what you're passionate about that can be the through line. If this is me right, I have some greatest showman energy that this is who I am and you are the through line, and then that's what makes you unique and I think lean into that.

Speaker 1: 8:30

Okay, I love that you talked about this because I personally, first of all, I don't think I've heard anybody talk about having a through line the way that you have. I think it's. I think it's part of your thing. I don't know if you've thought about this, it's like part of your thing, but I think it is a part of your thing is because you're helping authors with their through line. You're helping. I'm like I'll give you guys an example. So I am moving, ideally over the summer. Who knows what we're doing?

Speaker 1: 8:55

Glenn and I are still up in the air about that, and Elizabeth and I had a very long conversation about my brand, because she saw my brand very differently and I think we can talk about this too but I felt like forced into my brand because of the location. And so I was like this actually is not my personality. My personality is actually a little different than this. And so I was texting Elizabeth and I'm like do these things kind of make sense together? Does this work? And so she was like put a Pinterest board together and we'll find the through line. And she did. It was the same thing working on a project with her. She's like let's find the through line in your story. I love that. You're like the through line could just be you or I don't know. I've noticed it like even just talking to you about stuff that I'm working on. There's like very clear through lines and they think it takes somebody almost being outside of it to find it.

Speaker 2: 9:40

Yes, I absolutely think that sometimes it's like the plumber's pipe kind of thing. You've heard that saying that the plumber's pipes always leak, the doctor's kids are always sick. Sometimes it's hard, when you're too close to your own brand, to see what is the connecting point, what is the overarching theme, and sometimes I think you just also have to sit with it. Like you mentioned, I started a podcast recently and for a while I was thinking, oh, is style the through line? Is design the through line? And I was sitting with it and I knew those were wrong, but I didn't immediately know what was right. And then it took probably at least a week and it hit me you know motherhood is the through line at least a week, and it hit me. You know motherhood is the through line.

Speaker 2: 10:27

It took sitting down and writing out what would I want to do as show topics, and then I kept thinking what's the connecting point? If you're interested in thinking, oh, I don't know if my brand has a through line when I say through line I just really mean theme or connecting point I would encourage you to sit down and write about, just write a list of what are the topics that I talk about, or make a Pinterest board and what are the images that I want my brand to embody? And when you do that, when you look at a collection, I think it's easier to see. Oh, the connecting point oh, I love this.

Speaker 1: 11:08

I love that it doesn't have to be immediate to you, I think we pressure like, okay, I'm gonna put these things out, I'm gonna figure this out immediately and I want everything like I don't know. I feel like everything, especially in a digital world, like it's got to be so quick and you just have to get it up and get it out and do it messy. I hear that all the time too do it messy. But I wonder if you have a different perspective, right? I don't wanna just like slap something up on the internet and then focus on a brand, right, yeah?

Speaker 2: 11:37

I think this really hinges on the level of honesty you can bring to yourself, because, because there's two camps, I think there's the overly do-it-messy which okay, here's my soapbox about. That is the reason you have. From a design perspective, your messaging is going to be what converts. It's not going to be your design. No one on the internet is going to hand you money for it looking really great. Just to be clear, design is not for conversion as much Design is for credibility and relatability.

Speaker 2: 12:13

When you get an email in your inbox and you say to yourself is this spam? We've all had this right. You get an email and you're like, oh, did my bank actually send that? What do you do? You look for the brand. You're like, oh, is this the blue of chase bank? I don't know. It feels like not. Or like when you get those spammy facebook phishing ones, fishing ones Is this the right blue? Is this the logo? Is this URL right? You look to the brand elements to convince yourself is this real or not?

Speaker 2: 12:52

I do think in an online world, your digital footprint, your design, helps people believe that you are a real brand and if it's too messy, I do think you don't look credible in a world where people are really wanting that credibility threshold to be met, because there is a lot of spam and weird stuff on the internet and they want to know, if I'm giving you money, that you're really going to deliver a product or service.

Speaker 2: 13:20

That's quality. So I do think increasingly in digital worlds that design threshold is a credibility marker, but I don't think it's for conversions and I also don't think that if you've met that kind of threshold, you don't want to swing too far to the other side, into what I call procrastinating, which is I'm scared to actually launch anything or get visible. So instead of publishing, I'm just going to tweak my logo for another six months, because actually launching is terrifying and I've definitely seen procrastinating happening. So I think you just want to be somewhere in the middle. We don't want to get caught up using branding as our excuse to not launch, but we also don't want to just make it so random and haphazard that it doesn't give a professional and polished present.

Speaker 1: 14:18

Oh, I love that. All I could think about is okayizabeth and I were just having this conversation literally before we hit record is she sent me a sweater from target and she was like I feel like this fits your brand. And then there was one very similar for a brand that I also love, but it was literally like 10 times the amount of money for almost the exact same sweater, but the quality with the quality is probably different right there, but their branding is completely different, like completely different branding, and but it's like it's a feeling right, like it's a I can trust this place because I'd like I know what to expect because of the branding. The same thing I feel like I tell people this, like when I walk into Neiman Marcus, it's a whole lot different than when I walk into Target. Absolutely, there's an expectation that you have, I feel, based on the brand element too absolutely.

Speaker 2: 15:15

And even you know Target's an interesting one because in the sort of mom we're not even really middle-aged yet, like the younger middle-aged kind of 25 to 45 mom crowd which is who I spend a lot of time with, I think three years ago everyone was wearing Target dresses. Wearing Target dresses If you needed sort of a more fast fashion type easygoing dress, a lot of people would be in Target. But Walmart has made huge strides in taking over that market and I see more free assembly which is a Walmartmart brand dresses out on the street now then I see target dresses.

Speaker 2: 16:09

But it took walmart a good year and a half of having influencers promote their stuff because it's like you're saying, inherently I think a lot of us didn't trust it. We're like oh, a walmart dress, I don't know, is that gonna be weird? Is the fit, the fabric? You know all the things like I don't know if I want to be seen like Walmart's not my vibe. But then they did a huge marketing and branding push to change that perception and to create that sense of trust. And now tons of people I know wear Walmart clothes who I think three or five years ago wouldn't have. Because it is that trust You're like I don't know, am I going to miss when it comes, kind of thing?

Speaker 1: 16:51

Yes, Okay, I love this whole conversation and I love also talking about branding and being on brand and like the feeling that people elicit from your brand. We were having this. I feel like I'm just going to keep using myself as an example, because Elizabeth and I have had a ton of conversations about this. We were talking about brand photos and things too. And you know I was like, okay, eileen, if now you guys are getting a sneak peek in how the rebrand is going. But, eileen, much more like Postal Grand Americana.

Speaker 1: 17:25

And Elizabeth even said today like you're more Lobster Shack and like Nantucket-y vibes than Yacht Club vibes. And I was like, for sure, that definitely fits. And we were dissecting this a little bit. But I was talking we were talking like a week or two ago about brand photos and I was like should I stick to this like color palette? And you were like, no, do not be so literal too, and I think we see that all the time everywhere too. Can you kind of talk about why not to be like, okay, my colors are this shade of red, this shade of blue and like whatever, and so I'm only going to take photos and do everything in those colors.

Speaker 2: 18:02

Yeah, it's funny because we were talking about, I think, it's specifically what you would wear in a brand shoot. I'm a huge fan of okay if anyone ever works with me or reads anything I put out or whatever you'll hear, begin with the end in mind. I actually think this is potentially the number one place that brands go wrong. I see this so often. People pick a brand based on what they like. I love the color pink, so I'm going to make a pink brand and on the surface, there's nothing totally wrong with that totally wrong with that but we lose sight of functionality sometimes and that's where the problem creeps in. I've seen brand color palettes that look gorgeous and maybe you've seen those brand boards where they have kind of the images in a collage or montage and there's maybe five images and they all look really pretty together and then the person just pulls five colors from the images. But the thing is that looks really pretty on a Pinterest board or something, but that's not always functional, because I've seen them where they're all light colors or they're all really dark colors, or they're all really dark colors or they're all the same kind of saturation. But if my brain colors are light pink, champagne and white. How do I overlay those in a design where you can read the text? I cannot put white text on light pink and expect it to be legible. You need to think through how you're actually going to use things, because a brand needs to be functional at the end of the day. It needs to be legible, it needs to be functional in designs. You need to think about will it be clear when the person same with a logo, if you put it in light pink as your color against the white background, which everyone needs, a logo that can stand against the white background, because it just happens right how we can all be able to see it? So the same way in brand photos.

Speaker 2: 20:19

I was saying I don't think you want to always wear your exact brand colors. At least you could. You don't want to have every photo in that, because then when you put it next to a brand color, it's like a color field on your website. Let's picture a website landing page. The background color of your website is your brand color, so let's say that like a navy blue. If you're in navy blue and you want to take the background out of your photo like you don't really pop against the background. So you want to be thinking really functionally, like I need a few photos of myself in neutrals that complement my brand colors but don't necessarily like match, so that I have flexibility with how I'm using it. Because this is how people end up spending a lot of money on a brand or brand photos or all of it and then when they go to use it they're like this is not functional at all. I have no colors that work well together because someone hasn't thought through the real function.

Speaker 1: 21:27

I love that you. Yes, I'm like thinking so heavily about these things right now. Okay, we could talk about this all the days because I have so many questions about branding and all of those things. But you made it a whole lot easier for people to learn about branding and you have a course coming out on June 1st. Do you want to talk about what's in the course, what inspired it, what people learn? All that kind of fun stuff.

Speaker 2: 21:55

Yeah and that's funny because the course is actually a little bit of a left turn from the conversation we've been having Because, as much as I love the design and I think it serves a function, absolutely a purpose has value. All those things what's really gonna convert at the end of the day is your messaging, because think through the last five things you've bought and why you bought them. You bought them because they filled a need or a desire. You didn't buy them because the logo was cuter than the one on the other package.

Speaker 2: 22:30

You might have thought if you're buying face cream, let's say, if the ingredients are the same and they both promise to lighten your brown spots, then yes, maybe your buying decision is oh, I'll get the cuter one. If the price point's similar, the function is similar, all of the usability is similar, then yes, I think a cuter packaging can tip the scale. But if there's two face creams on the counter and one is I don't know whatever, it just moisturizes and then the other one it's not packaged as cutely, but it's going to moisturize you and make you look 10 years younger and lighten your brown spots You're probably going to buy that one because it serves a function in your life. It solves a problem. We buy to solve problems, so that's why your messaging is what's going to really move the needle, and that's what this course is all about oh, I'm excited about this.

Speaker 1: 23:25

I actually literally got a text about messaging, so that is really funny. This is apparently hot on everybody's brain right now. Is good messaging? And yeah, when I think about it. And then now there are, like there's definitely some brands, like even last night we were at the bookstore and there was like a cluster of books and they had the most beautiful spine. Like I didn't even. It's not weird? I don't know, maybe it's not weird because you're you work, but I was like, oh, these the spines to me felt like on brand for my. I'm like I would display them on my coffee table solely for the spine is it like yeah, but there it is serving the function.

Speaker 2: 24:04

You want it for display, so it's beautiful, so it serves your function, so you would buy it for that, but you're buying it for display. In that case, you're not like. This is the most thrilling storyline. I'm gonna put it on my coffee table 100.

Speaker 1: 24:16

It was all things that fit right. It was about gardening and baking in that genre.

Speaker 2: 24:21

And so I was like oh, these would be.

Speaker 1: 24:23

Really do they fit my aesthetic? But yeah, I wasn't looking at it for necessarily the oh, this has the best information or whatever. But then there was another book I bought. The branding is not very attractive in any way, shape or form. The cover is not beautiful, none of it is beautiful, but the information is so good. I spent $50 on a book because the information was good, the messaging was good, like it was better than the other books that were available because it had better messaging, not necessarily the brand. So you're going to cover messaging because it's so insanely important, yeah, messaging because it's so insanely important, yeah, and especially for service providers.

Speaker 2: 25:10

This is huge because products do to your point sort of stand can like product design is actually a little different from the brand, Like they're obviously related. But you know you could like Lululemon as a brand but if the legging material doesn't fit you well, then that's more of a product level issue than the brand, and maybe you'd go to the brand for hair ties but not for leggings, because the at the product level there's still differentiation. But yes, absolutely for service providers. This is so key because they can't see or feel or kind of tangibly experience your product. Your service, Like your service is your product and they can't hold it in their hands and evaluate it. So they're really leaning on the brand to evaluate and make decisions on will I like this service when I'm experiencing it? And so that's really where your messaging has to be on point, because you're trying to convince them that you are the single best or fastest way to achieve some goal.

Speaker 1: 26:17

I love this. Okay, guys, you need to go take a course. So, elizabeth, where can they connect with you and how can they take this course with you?

Speaker 2: 26:26

Yes, you can take the course by joining GPA, which is a membership that Lemon and I are both heavily involved in, and we think you'll love it for multiple reasons, just one of which is a branding course. There's tons of other resources and also a great community, but that is one place. We'll have a link in the show notes for that, and then also, if you're interested in anything else, you can find me at elizabethhamiltoncom or you can find me wherever you listen to podcasts.

Speaker 2: 26:57

Never Too Festive, a Celebration of Motherhood, and there I talk less about branding specifically in a business sense, but more the idea that motherhood is kind of a brand. It's like you're creating the feeling, the vibe, the essence of your home, of your family, of your life. For most of us, women are the ones who are consciously making those decisions, and there's no reason we can't make it beautiful and joyful and creative, and all of those things are possible for you. Even if you don't identify as someone who is naturally drawn to creativity and style, it is still accessible for you. That's a huge thing that I believe in. It's for everyone, and we can all make our lives a little more beautiful and joyful.

Speaker 1: 27:43

I love that and I will link to everything in the show notes so you guys will have a link to take the course with Elizabeth in the show notes. It'll be her link. You can work with her directly, which is exciting Her podcast, her website, all of that kind of fun things. But she just did a rebrand of her own website because of the podcast I like forced her into it. So just thank you for being here, elizabeth. She, y'all, she truly is just a wealth of knowledge, and the best decision you can make for yourself, I'm telling you right now, is to be in her orbit, because she truly is an absolutely brilliant person.

Speaker 2: 28:16

Well, I appreciate that, and I would say the same about Lemon. So there you go. Thanks, friend.

Speaker 1: 28:21

Until next time. Hey friend, what a joy it has been to share today's journey with you. If you found a spark of inspiration or a nugget of wisdom that resonated, would you bless someone else by sharing this episode with them? It could be the encouragement they need to step into their purpose and calling. Also, if you could spare a moment to leave a review, it would mean the world to me. I really appreciate your feedback and it really helps our community grow. Remember, the road to discovering God's call for you isn't one you have to walk alone. So join me again next Monday for another episode where we'll continue to explore the depths of leadership and the heights of our heavenly calling. Until then, keep seeking, keep growing and keep trusting in his plan. God bless you and I'll catch you on the flip side. Bye, friend.