Mikey Cullen
Personal Brand Identity
Services
Brand identity
Brand guidelines
Logo design
Project Goal
The goal was to create a brand identity that reflects Mikey Cullen, a poet and songwriter deeply connected to history. Mikey envisioned a brand that honours his Irish heritage while capturing the emotions behind his writing. Inspired by his poetic passage, I aimed to symbolise his work. The logo blends rawness with refinement, reflecting Mikey’s artistry and storytelling, creating a timeless and deeply personal identity.
Strategy
Story integration
Flexible design
Illustration
Brand recall
Personality
Tools
Adobe suite
Mock up design
Animation
Brand strategy
Logo design
Client collaboration
Mikey Cullen
Mikey Cullen's work blends history, culture, and personal experiences into powerful messages that inspire reflection. With a passion for preserving tradition and forging a modern voice, Mikey aims to challenge perspectives and evoke emotion through his words. He strives to leave a lasting legacy, bridging the past and present.
01. Research and Discovery
Unearthing the roots
The process began with extensive research into Mikey’s vision, Irish heritage, and the historical elements he wanted to incorporate. I delved into the cultural significance of the Uncial font, its origins in Irish manuscripts, and symbols that would reflect his poetic passage. This phase helped shape the foundation of the brand’s identity, ensuring it stayed authentic and meaningful.
02. Sketch & development
Crafting the Vision
Armed with insights, I sketched initial ideas using pen and paper, exploring different ways to represent Mikey’s symbols—a bird, sword, pen, and candle. These sketches evolved through iterations on the iPad, refining the forms and layouts. Once the concepts were solidified, I transitioned to Adobe Illustrator to bring the ideas to life digitally, crafting a logo that encapsulates the rawness and refinement of his writing.
03. Finalisation
Finalise Colours and Typography
To complete the identity, I selected the Uncial font, deeply tied to Irish heritage and history. Its flowing, elegant form, originally designed for quill writing on parchment, connects Mikey’s identity to the rich tradition of Irish storytelling while feeling timeless and refined. For the colour palette, I chose hues inspired by Irish landscapes and heritage, evoking authenticity and depth. Together, the typography and colours create a cohesive and meaningful brand that embodies the essence of Mikey’s work—rooted in history, yet resonating with the present and future.
Showcasing the symbolism of the logo
The colours of Mikey's brand
The fonts used to carry Mikey's poetry
04. Reflection
What I learnt and what I would do differently
How can I improve this service?
What I learn't...
This project highlighted the importance of deep concept creation and interpreting abstract input. Instead of a traditional brief, Mikey provided a piece of poetry filled with symbolic imagery and emotion. My challenge was to transform those elements into a cohesive, scalable, and unique logo that truly represented him.
I learned how vital it is to step into the client’s perspective, and understand their emotions and character. This reinforced my appreciation for personal branding—capturing not only professional identity but also individuality and story. The process pushed me to think beyond aesthetics, creating something deeply personal and authentic.
Next time...
Next time, I’d develop a more structured approach for interpreting abstract client input, like poetry or creative works. While the outcome was successful, a clearer framework for translating abstract ideas into tangible design elements could save time in the early stages.
I’d also involve the client more during the concept creation phase. Additional collaborative sessions could refine the direction earlier and reduce the number of iterations.
Finally, I’d focus on testing the logo’s scalability throughout the process, ensuring it works seamlessly across all mediums and sizes. Balancing creativity with functionality.