How to Make Your Brand Remarkable (and Why ‘Nice’ Isn’t Enough)
What ‘Remarkable’ Really Means
Most brands are busy trying to look “clean” or “professional.” That’s fine. But fine is forgettable. If you want people to pick your product up off the shelf, remember your name, or talk about you later, you need to be remarkable. Pretty isn’t the same thing as memorable.
When You’re Too Close to See It
When I first shifted from running my own product line into graphic design and packaging design for other companies, one of my earliest jobs was with a Montreal-based paper goods and tabletop brand. They were already beautiful, well-respected, and selling everywhere. My job was to review their upcoming seasonal lines and point out what they were missing.
Here’s what I learned: being remarkable is hard when you’re living inside your own brand every day. They were so deep in their own color stories and product development that they couldn’t see they were overlooking entire style categories. I flagged what was missing, and eventually they hired me to design the new pieces. That experience made something clear: even the strongest teams can go brand-blind. It’s not a lack of talent. It’s that you’ve stared at your own stuff for so long you stop spotting the gaps that could set you apart.
Pretty Isn’t Memorable
Anyone can make a “nice” logo or pick a trendy color palette. The market is full of “nice.” What makes a buyer stop scrolling, reach for the box on the shelf, or recommend you to a friend is a remarkable detail. Something that sticks. Something that makes people talk about you.
What ‘Remarkable’ Really Means
Being remarkable isn’t about being louder, cheaper, or gimmicky. It’s about creating a brand with a point of view that people actually notice. That’s what strong branding and consistent packaging design do.
Remarkable brands:
Have a recognizable color, logo, or vessel that feels ownable.
Use packaging and product photography that carry a clear personality.
Tell a story worth remembering. Don’t just sell a thing.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Would someone describe my brand in one word that isn’t “cute” or “pretty”?
Does every touchpoint, my packaging, website, ads, social media, tell the same story?
If I swapped out my brand name and left the visuals, would anyone still recognize it as mine?
Is there one design element or brand detail that could be iconic, a vessel shape, a foil-stamped label, a signature color?
How to Get There
Cut the generic. Lose the Canva-template vibes (yup, said it).
Own one strong design element. It can be a color, a font pairing, or a packaging detail that belongs only to you.
Be consistent. Consistency isn’t boring. It’s what makes you recognizable.
Use storytelling. Good branding sells a feeling and a story, not just a product.
Get outside eyes. When you’re too close, a packaging and branding designer can spot the things you can’t.
Final Thought
If your brand feels “fine” but not unforgettable, you’re leaving money on the table. Remarkable isn’t luck; it’s the result of intentional choices that work together. I’ve spent over 15 years helping product-based (and service-based) businesses find the thing that makes them worth remarking on, and then building branding and packaging that show it off.
Ready to figure out what makes your brand worth talking about?
Contact me or try my free Mini Brand Audit to see where you stand right now.
