Why you don’t always need a full rebrand (and what you might need instead)
When I joined a new charity a few years ago, they’d just launched a shiny new rebrand. It had taken months. The fonts were perfect. The logo was clever. The launch deck had real sparkle. But within a couple of years, we started to feel… boxed in.
It looked great on paper, but in practice? It wasn’t always flexible, and it didn’t quite capture the tone or warmth we needed in day-to-day comms.
So we refined. Working closely with Abi (yes, olio creative’s Abi!), I updated our visual identity - introducing a few new shapes, a secondary colour, a couple of fresh textures. The core brand stayed the same, but it suddenly felt much more “us.”
At the same time, Abi revisited the tone of voice - clarifying key messages, tightening up our writing style, and giving the team tools to sound consistent across everything from social media to reports.
We didn’t need a total overhaul. Just a few thoughtful tweaks.
What we realised
So many small teams - charities, therapists, coaches, creatives, small businesses - feel stuck between DIY branding that no longer fits and full agency rebrands they can’t afford (or don’t need).
And sometimes, just enough is more than enough.
Introducing The Essentials Package
A mini brand identity for small teams with big hearts.
We created the Essentials Package to help people show up more confidently online - without the faff of a full rebrand. It’s ideal for charities, therapists, coaches, and small businesses who want to look professional and feel like themselves.
Here’s what you get:
A simple, flexible logo (primary + secondary lockups)
Colour palette + typefaces
A 3-sentence brand statement to capture your purpose and personality
A tone of voice guide (keywords + do’s and don’ts)
A set of branded social media templates
You can also add a discounted Squarespace website (1–2 pages) if you need a simple online home to match.
We offer three pricing tiers - from Essentials Lite (£950) to Essentials Plus (£1,500) - and take on a limited number of projects each quarter.
