One of the most exciting parts of building a new media venture is the discovery process of our brand identity, which we are in the midst of finalizing for Moonbeam.
It's more than just choosing colors and fonts—it's about distilling the essence of who we are and what we stand for into a visual language. And it distinguishes us in a crowded media landscape, forming the foundation of trust and connection to resonate with our audience and partners.
If you love the intersection of design and brand-story as much as we do, read further to learn about our branding process with the talented, multi-disciplinary designer and illustrator Abi Fox.
And then, cast your vote for your favorite logo in our poll below.
A Peek Behind the Curtain: Preliminary Vibes and Interview with Our Designer
Abi first spent some time getting to know us and our mission as a diverse children’s storytelling venture across publishing, film, tv and new media.
This process tied in with a Pinterest mood board that we all interacted with to start with representational, non-logo inspiration to conduct the ideation process.
Comprehensive Mood Board
We landed on some keywords to describe Moonbeam:
Sophisticated, Smart, Celestial Class, Dreamy, Nostalgic, Child-like Wonder
For more context, here is a brief summary of the interview with Abi:
Who are your stakeholders?
Literary clients, studios and other media partners to expand work, audience to tell stories
What does your “voice” sound like?
Bill Nye. Reading Rainbow. Mr. Rodgers. Sesame Street. Always moving towards a solution in messaging, with dignity and never condescension
How are you different from your competition?
Process/scope of sourcing/discovering artists, develop and grow artists professionally and personally, provide access to linear or nonlinear opportunities across mediums, amplification and ongoing support of artists, centering and prioritizing of underrepresented voices for diverse children’s storytelling
What is Moonbeam’s personality like?
The eternal optimist!
How do you make your clients feel? Why do they trust and choose you?
Moonbeam makes audiences feel seen and like they matter, because we care, we advocate, and we get it done
What are your brand crushes? Why?
PBS Kids for their execution not branding, Tower 28 and NASA for the branding, and Tinkercast for their use of their identity
From there, we identified potential elements and refined our mood board further.
Moonbeam Potential Elements
Initial Color Palette Exploration
Refined Mood Board
Then, we did a lightning round of feedback with Abi’s thumbnails and sketches.
These were rough ideas to look at composition and elements, with typography to also be explored further.
Still in black and white, the options were narrowed down further to FOUR concepts:
Now, we’ve evolved toward TWO final paths, along with alternates. You can help us decide which path to go down for the final stages.
PATH 1:
PATH 2:
ALTERNATES:
So, what do YOU think?
After all is complete in our brand identity process, we can't wait to unveil the final look and feel of Moonbeam as we continue the founding journey.
Of course, we expect flexibility to evolve visuals, tone and messaging without losing our core identity over time.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we bring our vision to life and inspire young minds around the world.
Thanks for reading,
Jesse & Rebecca
About Our Brand Identity Designer
Abi Fox is a multidisciplinary designer and illustrator based in South Louisiana. Inspired by a childhood filled with diverse art and media, she started as the shy kid creating stories in her sketchbook. What began as trading her drawings for collector's cards on the playground has become working with individuals and small businesses to bring their brands, stories, and ideas to life. With her experience in character design, book layout, and creative writing, she is currently focused on creating worlds that will inspire kids just like her. Off the clock, she can be found getting creative in the kitchen, sunbathing with her two cats, or (intentionally) getting lost in the woods. Always creating, feeling, and finding meaning, Abi loves to work with individuals and small businesses to bring their brands, stories, and ideas to life. If you're interested in working with her, you can contact her at hello@cactev.co or find her on Instagram @cactev.