Why We Returned to Branding (and Why It Changed Everything)

Halfway through this year, I realized something needed to change at Posta Studio. For the past stretch, we had been heavily focused on marketing services—social media, campaigns, digital strategies. It was fast, dynamic, and sometimes exciting. But it was also unstable. Retaining clients in marketing proved to be volatile: budgets shifted, goals were redefined overnight, and in many cases, clients simply disappeared between one month and the next.

Who’s speaking: Matías Lucero, Founder of Posta Studio

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Why the switch? The challenge with marketing retention

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Marketing services can deliver short-term wins, but they don’t always build long-term trust. Retention is tough when your value is measured only by metrics that fluctuate—algorithm changes, ad budgets, trends. If a campaign underperforms, a client may walk away, even if the bigger picture was working.

Studies on customer retention highlight this problem: keeping a client is far cheaper (and healthier) than constantly acquiring new ones. But in pure marketing, loyalty is fragile because it often lacks the deep foundation of brand identity.

Branding, on the other hand, creates consistency. It builds something emotional and long-lasting. A strong brand makes clients feel anchored—connected not just to results, but to meaning. That’s what we wanted to offer again.

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From logos to full branding

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When Posta started, many clients came asking for logos. And of course, we delivered. But the truth is: a logo alone is limited. It doesn’t always communicate the heart of a brand, and it doesn’t give clients the tools to grow consistently.

So, we shifted from offering “just a logo” to delivering full branding systems. That means: strategy, visual language, guidelines, and ongoing support.

Why this move makes sense for us now:

• It creates higher value for clients → and allows us to charge appropriately for that value.
  
  
• It strengthens relationships → clients stay longer because they’re not buying a one-off; they’re investing in a system.
  
  
• It positions Posta in a less “commodity-driven” market → we’re not competing with quick, cheap logos; we’re building long-term brands.

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Our branding process today

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Here’s how our process looks now, step by step:

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1. Analysis, Positioning & Strategy
   
   We start with discovery: learning who the client is, their story, market, and goals. We audit their current visuals and define positioning—what makes them unique, and how they want to be perceived.
   
   
2. Moodboards & Visual Direction
   
   We build visual inspiration boards: textures, palettes, typography, style cues. It’s not final design—it’s a conversation starter that ensures client and team are aligned on the creative direction.
   
   
3. Explorations & Concept Sketches
   
   Multiple concepts are sketched and explored. Each comes with reasoning: why this idea, why this shape, why this color fits the strategy.
   
   
4. Validation & Feedback
   
   We present, explain, and refine. This stage filters the strong ideas and adapts them to the client’s vision.
   
   
5. Final Logos & Identity System
   
   Once the direction is clear, we build a complete identity system: logo variations, iconography, type hierarchy, and scalable applications.
   
   
6. Brand Guidelines
   
   We deliver a guide that ensures consistency: rules for logo use, color palettes, typography, brand tone, and visual examples.
   
   
7. Implementation & Support
   
   Beyond delivering the guidelines, we help apply the brand to real contexts—digital platforms, print, packaging, social media.
   
   
8. Future-proofing
   
   We encourage clients to revisit their brand every few years, keeping it alive and relevant without losing its core.

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Why this approach works better

Benefits:

• Stronger, longer relationships with clients.
  
  
• Higher perceived value (and real value).
  
  
• Clear differentiation from “cheap logo design.”
  
  
• More consistent creative outcomes for us and for them.
  
  

Challenges:

• It requires more upfront strategy and education.
  
  
• Not every client understands the difference at first—we have to show it.
  
  
• The process takes time and effort, but it’s worth it.

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A real example

A recent client came to us asking only for a logo for their new food venture. But during discovery, we saw that their story, their use of local ingredients, and their vision deserved more. We proposed a full identity package: strategy, visuals, packaging, and social media branding.

At first, they hesitated—“can’t we just do the logo?” But once they saw how the brand came alive across packaging and communications, they understood. It wasn’t just a symbol—it was an ecosystem. That project turned into an ongoing partnership, not a one-off.

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This wasn’t about admitting that focusing on marketing was a mistake—it was about evolving. Marketing has its place, but branding is the anchor. It’s what creates loyalty, confidence, and consistency.

By returning to branding, we’re not just designing logos—we’re building systems that let clients grow. And for us as a studio, that means stronger relationships, better projects, and work that lasts.

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