Brand Blindness: When Fresh Ideas Go Into WTF territory
Even the smartest business owners can have a “yikes, what were we thinking?” moment.
A few years ago, one of my most talented clients brought me the most beautiful yellow and said, “How gorgeous would this be for a new product?”
It was beautiful. Bold. Unique.
But not for their brand.
They pushed back, and all I needed to say was: “Okay, line it up with five of your other products in that collection. You know what it looks like?”
A NYC taxi cab. 🚕
They laughed, a big laugh, and said, “OMG, got it. Yeah. No.” (And, after that, they couldn’t unsee the taxi cab).
That’s how fast a fresh idea can tip into WTF territory.
What is Brand Blindness?
When you’re in your brand every single day, it’s easy to get bored. You start craving something new. A color. A font. A style.
“Let’s mix it up!”
“Wouldn’t this be fun?”
The problem is, that’s when brand blindness creeps in. What feels exciting in the moment can undo years of consistency. It can also happen when a brand has been working on a launch for a very long time and is over getting all the details aligned, this can push you right off the rails before you even start!
It doesn’t mean you’re not smart or talented, it means you’re too close to see when a “fresh idea” is actually a brand detour straight into WTF territory.
Why Consistency Matters
Branding isn’t about pleasing yourself. It’s about building recognition, trust, and desire with your customers. Consistency is what makes your brand recognizable on a crowded shelf or in someone’s social feed.
One stray move; a random color, a different font, an off-tone photo, and suddenly your customers are wondering if you’re even the same company.
That moment of “wait… what?” is exactly what costs you credibility.
The Brand Security Guard Role
This is why I feel strongly about fighting for consistency and being the “brand security guard.”
My job isn’t just to make things look good, it’s to keep the brand from straying into WTF territory. That means protecting the story you’ve built, making sure every new idea fits inside it.
Sometimes that means saying: “Beautiful idea. Wrong brand.”
And sometimes it means saving a collection from looking like a NYC taxi drove through it.
How to Spot a WTF Move Before It Happens
Before you add a “fun new” idea to your brand, ask:
Does this feel like us, or just like something new, (because I’m jonesing for something new)?
Will it line up with everything else in the collection, feed, or site?
Would a customer recognize it as ours instantly, or second-guess?
If you hesitate, you’re probably about to stray.
Fresh vs. WTF
Feeling bored with your brand is normal. Every founder hits that wall. The key is knowing the difference:
Fresh = keeps your story alive.
WTF = breaks it.
And that’s the line a brand security guard makes sure you don’t cross.
Ready for Your Brand to Really Mean Something?
If you’re second-guessing your design or feeling bored with what you’ve built, my Mini Brand Audit is a quick way to check if your brand is as strong as it should be, before you make a change that takes you straight into… WTF territory.
