Why I don’t base brands on birth charts or archetypes
I’m an Aries sun / Cap moon / Leo rising, a 2/4 Sacral Generator, and an Enneagram 5w4.
I consider Swail Studio to be loosely Creator/Magician/Outlaw in Jungian archetypes, I based my own brand on The Tower card, and regularly consult Tarot when I’m feeling queasy about a business decision.
And I don’t base the brands I create on ANY of these archetypal systems. Here's why.
First, I’m NOT an expert in any of these modalities (though I love to dabble).
While I have many friends who will ask me what they sky is doing to them today, I am also the first person to recommend that they get a reading from a professional who can see the nuances that I don’t.
Likewise, I don’t have the expertise to translate the full spectrum of a birth chart into “a brand,” and I’m not going to pretend that I can distill the nuances of any archetypal system I haven’t mastered into one, either.
Think about sun sign astrology — we have all had (or been) that friend who got a little too into their sun sign and made it their entire personality, to the point that they started seeing the “flaws” of their sign as incurable ailments, and made it an excuse for their bad behavior because “that’s just how they are.”
They allow the limits to stifle their growth, instead of accepting the challenge to go deeper.
If you translate that beginner’s mistake into branding… not all Aries need a red brand. Not all Libras want their brand to look like a wedding cake. Not all Scorpios are goth.
If any of those assumptions made you die inside, I rest my case. If that were how I approached branding… that would result in A LOT of stereotyping, missed opportunities, and brands that make absolutely no sense for the full, ACTUAL person/business.
No one loves a personality assessment more than I do. (I have made my friends do an enneagram test during a party that ended with them collapsed in introspection before someone else redirected. I am FUN.)
But anytime you try to force yourself into a category, you are going to hit a wall eventually, and have to reconcile the pieces that don’t fit so neatly within it.
When you treat any systemic interpretation of YOU and your business and your life as an end-all be-all, it will NEVER get the full picture of what truly makes you (and your work) individual from everyone else.
YOU are limitless. You are more vast and mysterious than you can ever imagine.
If I were to slap the recommended colors for your Jungian archetype on your brand (which you are free to google) and stop there, it wouldn’t be you. You would look like every other Magician with a purple-gold brand out there.
If you’re expecting me to give you a black and red brand because you’re a Scorpio sun with a prominent Mars placement (I have neither btw) — that’s not what you’re going to get.
Imagine if ALL Scorpios had dark, murky brands. Imagine if ALL martial people used red. Imagine if you “couldn’t” use black or red if you didn’t have either of those placements!
If you are attached to certain aesthetic correspondences, I’m happy to factor them in. But I won't be stopping there.
It’s a great shortcut for anyone who is still getting to know their own business — a safe option is already prescribed and easy to lean on as you learn how to present yourself.
It’s perfect when you’re still finding yourself and your business, and aren’t clear on what differentiates you yet.
My genius, on the other had, is PRIORITIZING what makes you different.
I want my clients to DEFY the expectations of their industry, and challenge the idea of what a witch/astrologer/reader/practitioner in their field is "supposed" to look like.
If this resonates, and you’re ready to create a brand that honors ALL of you, there are two ways we can work together right now:
There are 2 slots left for the next round of brand kits in Jan 2024, with an extended payment plan of 3x $169 available through the end of October only. Note that after this round fills up, I will also be increasing the price slightly.
I am working on a ~vague and mysterious~ new offer, and am looking for beta testers to try it out before launching to the public! If you are interested in a much deeper exploration than a kit can offer, this is for you. Schedule a quick call and we’ll chat through the details!
