A graphic design collective's thoughts.

Whether you are walking down the snack aisle at the grocery store or ordering up lunch on DoorDash, you’re now faced with a whole new question: Is the picture of the food I'm buying real, or is it AI? Food brands, big and small, are jumping on the AI bandwagon, and as designers, we have feelings about it. For this post, we connected with an expert: our creative colleague, Carrington Crothers, of Prospect Street Studio. Carrington specializes in product photography and sh

Color is one of the first things people will notice about your brand. The colors used in your visual brand identity influence how people feel about your business, how well you’re recognized and remembered, and whether or not potential customers choose to book or buy. That's why, when it comes to choosing your brand colors, we go for purposeful over pretty. In this post, we’re taking you behind the scenes to show all of the strategy that goes into crafting your brand pale

Have you been thinking of using a tool like Canva AI, ChatGPT, Claude, or Adobe Express to make a logo for your small business? These logo creation tools have been piquing the interest of business owners who see them as a quick and cheap path to branding. We get the temptation. But your brand deserves better. As designers, we see alllll the ways that AI-generated logos can hurt your business. Table of Contents: Is an AI-generated logo enough to brand your smal

One of the most fun and eye-opening experiences awen&co had in 2025 was participating in Inspired Learning Day at Memorial Elementary School in Upton, MA. The annual event, organized by Librarian Karlyn Gale, encourages students to explore the world of entrepreneurship. The program begins with a visit from local business owners who talk about their work. Afterwards, each student is encouraged to dream up their own business idea and design their logo in Canva.

Did you know murals are so much more than just a way to beautify your offices or store? Mural design is a cost-effective, attainable way to make your small business or nonprofit memorable, tell your brand’s story, creatively market your business, and boost sales. At awen&co, we love designing and installing custom murals for clients across Central, Massachusetts, and the Northeast. In this post, we’re shining a spotlight on this transformational—but often overlooked—brandi

One stumble we see so many brands make is spending energy on their marketing before figuring out who they are as a brand. The best way to avoid this trap is to understand the difference between branding and marketing and how they work together. In this post, you'll get clear about branding and marketing and why you need both—in that order—to awaken the magic of your brand!

#1 Inconsistent Visuals: ☝️This one’s simple. Your brand should be instantly recognizable across all platforms. If your logo, colors, and typography are constantly changing or used inconsistently, it creates confusion and erodes trust. A strong brand relies on consistent visual elements that reinforce its identity.