Great brands don’t start with a logo; they start with ideas—a blank page, a vision, and limitless potential. But how does one grasp these ideas, embed them with the company’s purpose, and translate that into its brand identity? For Renee Arabia, Partner and Creative Director at Cocomilk, building a brand takes more than just a good eye for design. It’s all about the art of communication, empathy, and a genuine curiosity for the world we live in.
Renee, who has been Cocomilk’s guiding light in developing numerous branding initiatives over the years, offers invaluable insights into effective and strategic storytelling. Now, she invites us behind the curtain to share her thoughts on a creative’s strengths and successful branding, as well as how she helps the Cocomilk team navigate the design process.
More Than an Artist
While having a knack for the arts is definitely a strong suit, it isn’t everything in the world of brand building. As I talked with Renee, I’ve come to recognize that it's more about viewing the world through a wider lens—beyond just the canvas and into a space the brand can live in.
How do you think your artistic background shaped your approach to brand building?
I was always the type-A child who wanted to be the best at everything and consume as much of the world as I could.
More than just artistic talent, I think dipping my toes in all sorts of things is why I’m able to understand and relate to a variety of clients. I’m able to see the bigger picture in how their brand will live and breathe.
This sentiment of exploration continues to ring true as I learn her perspective on what makes a creative team shine—not just through their art, but also through the relationships they develop.
And this desire to try new things—how do you think this helps creatives thrive in the industry?
The more experiences you have, the more people you encounter—all of that will enrich your work. You can always hear the tone of client meetings shift when a common non-work-related interest is mentioned. The room and the work just sparkle a bit brighter!
But truly, Renee doesn’t just talk the talk. From the versatility in her art and her various hobbies to her nurturing leadership style—developed alongside all the Cocomilk founders—which gives the team space to explore and grow our talents, Renee’s innate curiosity shines through everything that she does.
However, let’s not forget that inspo-worthy real-world experiences need the skills to back them up.
What else would you say defines a strong creative team—one that’s equipped to take on diverse projects confidently and consistently?
A strong creative team is one that balances creativity and logic.
When you’re in uncharted territory, logic can help you break everything down into pieces and steps you can easily digest. Logic, for me, informs confidence.
Behind the Brand
Effective branding isn’t all about making something pretty. However, pairing the talent for creating pleasing visuals with the understanding of thoughtful, intentional, and purposeful design? Now, that’s a winning combination.
How would you personally define successful brand building in today’s dynamic market? What core principles does the team focus on?
A brand identity is only as good as how well you know and understand your client.
The biggest mistake any designer or team could make is forgetting that, at the center of it all, is your client and their needs.
The first [principle] is to establish rapport and to gain their trust. It will always start with an inquiry, and it doesn’t matter how intimidating you think the client is! They need our help, so talk to them in a way they’ll understand. Guide them through the process, show them you care, and, more importantly, show them that you know what you’re talking about.
The second is to do your research! Get to know your client’s industry, put yourself in their shoes, and get to know their target market. It’s always important to set the stage with a solid brand strategy that can breathe life and purpose into your designs.
Lastly, perfect your handoff process. After all the hard work, you have to make sure your client not only has all they need but that they understand how to use everything you’ll be giving them. Sometimes a client needs a detailed guide, and sometimes even a tutorial session. It’s the one last step to make sure you’ve done everything you can to set your client up for success!
So, I know brand building must take a lot of back-and-forth, and I’m sure not all conversations are crystal clear. How do you approach vague client feedback, and how do you steer the team in the right direction?
When clients fail to give precise feedback, it’s usually for the same reasons they hire Cocomilk—we have more knowledge on design and creativity than they do. The first step is to discuss again with your client.
Sometimes, presenting the work again and adding more context is enough. Sometimes we have to guide them through the elements in each design and explain to them the choices we’ve made. Was this color too jarring? Did this font feel energetic enough?
The same goes with our team. We’ve had clients who could explain to us what they wanted to achieve, but couldn’t explain how it translated to the design. We always go back to our brand strategy and pick apart each design decision we’ve made. We put ourselves in the shoes of our clients, and think, “What is it they are seeing? How are they experiencing our work right now?”
Getting Personal
All work and no play? That’s not how we do it here at Cocomilk! So, of course, we had to jot down some off-the-cuff questions that will help you get to know Renee on a less serious note.
Everyone has their own way of refueling their creative juices. Is there anything in particular that you do to give yourself a mental boost?
I tend to take my designer hat off when I’m off hours or when I’m in a rut.
If you drop by randomly at my place, you’ll most likely find me watching Smosh, Good Mythical Morning, Mythical Kitchen, Sorted Food, and sometimes Legal Eagle. I love comedy, but I also really like discovering and learning about new and random things.
Off the top of your head! Answer this question: “If I weren’t doing what I do now, I’d probably be ____”
A baker or recipe developer!
Ooh, really? Exciting! Why those two?
I think I make good bread hahaha! But [I think it’s also because cooking and baking are so close to how I view design]. Like, there is a science, and there are standards for best practices. But [you can also] play around with it to make something new, or to tell a story.
For example, with baking, I learned to work with baker’s percentages. There’s a lot of math, weighing, and understanding potential chemical reactions. But then I also get to use my intuition and creativity to get an end result I like. Then I get to share it with my loved ones, and it just warms my heart when they like it too hahaha!
Honestly, I think chefs are artists and geniuses. They’re not so different from us creatives.
Lightning round! What’s the most random thing you’ve Googled recently?
Recipes for Vietnamese-style baguettes. Hot take, but Vietnamese baguettes are superior. It’s more airy and crispy rather than chewy and crusty. My fave is the vegetarian banh mi from Wabi Sabi Noodle House (either in Makati or Tomas Morato).
Want to learn more incredible insights from our founders? Read about Jan, our Creative Technology Director, in our Journal—and keep an eye out for our upcoming interview with Mia, Partner and Creative Director!