When deciding to redesign a blog there are a lot steps involved in the rebranding process. It isn’t an easy process and there are more steps involved than you may think. You have to think about everything from your content strategy, your target market, the emotional aspects you want to convey to the audience, and the design experience. So today in a two-part Q&A series, I’m sharing my insight as a content strategy expert and I’ve asked my graphic designer Tiffany Jones to share her thoughts.

Q&A with Jewel Hazelton, Founder and Editor of After Sunday Dinner

Tell us about After Sunday Dinner. What was the inspiration behind the name change?

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I felt like it was time for my brand to grow up a bit. The name After Sunday Dinner came to me one evening a few years ago. At the time I didn’t know what I wanted to do with it. When I was deciding what to do with my old blog I thought it would be easier to manage one brand vs two.

What inspired the new look?

When I met with Tiffany for the first time, I told her I wanted my design concepts to reflect a dinner party with friends. Because truly that’s what I want After Sunday Dinner to feel like. I want my readers come together, enjoy a nice meal and have great conversations while at the dinner table.

What was the best moment of this rebranding?

Seeing the design process unfold!! It was amazing to see my vision come to life.

Q&A with Tiffany Jones

Tell us a little bit about the design process

The design process always starts with a consultation call. The best way to get to know a brand is to get to know the owner. What kind of words do they use? What kind of mindset do they have about their vision and the experience they want their audience to have? From there I had Jewel complete a detailed design questionnaire which is designed to hone in on the details and more fully align us. Two people can describe the same vision in completely different ways and it isn’t until you determine how that vision is defined that you can fully understand what the other person sees.

How did you come up with the different design concepts?

Jewel was the ideal client, she did a lot of visual brainstorming on her own and created a Pinterest board. This is a great way to get the ideas in your head into visual form before you’re 100% what you’re looking for. From there, it’s my job as the designer to hone in on any themes and work with the client to understand why she’s attracted to certain images. Jewel had three clear themes within her visuals that helped me to design the concepts. I deciphered the moods behind each theme and designed around them, adding additional colors, fonts and images. Again, it’s important to listen to the client to understand them, even what they haven’t said, to understand the vision. Having an understanding of colors and fonts and how different styles communicate to the audience is key.

How did you choose the color scheme for logo?

During our design consultation and through my design questionnaire, I discover the desired feeling for the brand. Many people don’t realize this, but all brands and colors are associated with specific feelings and associations. For example, the color Gold is usually subconsciously associated with luxury and quality. Based on the vision and mission statement for the brand, I was able to design and stick within the colors that corresponded to that feeling. “Spring” colors are aligned with a fresh, welcoming and open mood, which is the essence of After Sunday Dinner.

What were your favorite aspects of this project?

I really loved the design/mood board phase of this project. Jewel gave me a lot of creative freedom which is always fun for the designer. She has such a fun and open brand concept that allowed me to explore some fun and upbeat images and concepts. We both were very excited about the initial concepts and it was tough to choose one. With any project, my favorite part is when the client can’t decide between designs because they love them all. That tells me I’ve done my job as my ultimate goal is to ensure the client is happy!

What was the most difficult part?

The most difficult part is choosing the best concept for the brand and really using discernment and performing a clean and clear critique of each concept. We make decisions based on visuals but also the emotion that comes with each design. Sometimes a concept can make us feel great when we see it, and we get excited, but it’s not always the right choice for the brand. The right choice is the one that makes you feel great, and will also reach your audience in the same way, getting your vision across and also reaching others.

Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere! Everyday life is really the best place for inspiration as you’re in it each day, and if you’re really paying attention, you can find something new everyday. Travel is my second favorite place for inspiration where I’m able to meet new people, see new things, and experience a new “everyday” for a while. Lastly, Pinterest is an amazing resource and always has lots of magical images - the best ones seem to be those that don’t link anywhere and you wonder about the source. Those require you to do some digging, which leads to other sources of inspiration and really makes you use your imagination.