"...First time undergoing a brand name change drastically and while it was scary, it was a necessary step..."

As a warm up question… What’s it like working with Somewhere Else?

Working with Somewhere Else was an experience that’s very real. I remember a day when I had a call with Yong, and he said something along the lines of, “if you don’t truly like it please say, it’s not wasting our time.” I really appreciated this and the many honest conversations we had around the business side of things. It’s rare to experience such working relationships nowadays, as everyone moves very fast and things tend to be more transactional.

What did we do together?

We mainly did a refresh to Ellie’s brand identity. There were a lot of things that needed to be done to really reflect our work as well as who we are as a team. We wanted to convey our brand’s personality too. Beyond identity work, this project presented a window to really think about where we’re heading towards as a business, who we are as a brand, providing needful clarity to the Ellie team.

Describe the challenges we faced at that time. How did we navigate it?

Having been in the field for quite some time, it was personally very difficult for me to see where we currently stand as a creative team in this day and age. It’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters and is important in why we do what we do. What really helped was the many questions asked. These guided me along the process as I was probed to look inwards for the value we bring as creatives today, surfacing the areas we can focus and work on to progress the business.

How was it like having to make decisions that would usher in big (scary) changes—especially something like a brand name change? How did you reconcile your thoughts and what pushed you forward?

It was quite a difficult move even till after the project ended as we entered a transition phase of clients and people coming to us with questions about the change. First time undergoing a brand name change drastically like this and while it was scary, it was a necessary step. I tried not to stress myself out too much as I did not have much experience with it, and approached it one step at a time with my team.

What do you like most about Ellie’s refreshed identity?

I like that the brand is more human—the simple and short name that comes across much more approachable. And of course the refreshed visuals as the byproduct of the many iterations explored during the project.

What is the most valuable takeaway (tangible or intangible) you’ve gotten from this project?

This project really reminded me of why I do what I do in the first place—that the creative industry is a service based business at the heart of it. And without being of service to our partners and clients, there is no business. Having been in the creative industry for some time, things become very monotonous but this project came as a breath of fresh air for me. I didn’t expect a rebranding project to be much more than a change of name and of pretty visuals. But this felt more like a much needed retreat for someone who has been in the industry for a while but still needed guidance (that I didn’t think I needed). Coming out of the project, it was clear what Ellie should be focusing on.

Looking back… What’s one thing you would’ve done differently?

Honestly… I would really like to have more space and time in the very beginning to have a think of my business name, so that we wouldn’t have to go through this name change after the business is already running. Haha.

Looking forward… What’s a key move you’re working on that you’re excited about?

This refresh has given me more clarity on where we are today and where we want to be realistically. To get to where we want to be, I’ve now come to terms with not just the work that has to be done, but the patience and courage needed to make the change. I am looking forward to cleaning things up in the business, be it from how we deal with clients and partners and also most importantly, being clear and mindful of who we are hiring and who we are going to work with— that would benefit the brand.

What new challenges looming on the horizon do you see, for this industry Ellie is in?

The challenge has always been to be mindful of all the trends and sporadic changes the industry is going through. Often, the FOMO will kick in when we see new things and we tend to lose focus by chasing new trends, instead of being realistic on where we are standing and being aware of our strengths.

Any advice for young brand managers or business owners reading this?

I am not sure if I am at the place to give such advice. But sharing from my experience of starting over with a second business, I can empathise with how easy it is to get impatient and lose sight of what is important in the first place. It is a struggle as things will not stop moving fast, but remaining clear of the main direction is an anchor for the company and beneficial to the brand.