Branding in Focus: From Purpose to Visual Identity

On August 27, 2025, content experts from Estonian Business School, Jelena Zhovnikova and Julija Bulgakova, led an intensive branding seminar in Tallinn for participants of our training course.

The morning session, started by Jelena, explored the essence of a brand and the difference between a brand promise and a value proposition, linking these ideas to Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle. Participants examined the emotional, conceptual and visual layers of branding, and worked in groups to define their own brand promises, value propositions and the WHY, WHAT and HOW behind their projects. Many shared that the exercise helped them refine their ideas and clarify future directions.

After lunch, guest speaker Dan Mikkin, one of Estonia’s most experienced brand strategists and service designers, demonstrated the importance of empathy and “stepping into the customer’s shoes” when shaping a brand. Drawing on real client cases, he inspired participants to think critically about their own branding plans and answered questions specific to their business ideas. Young women had the chance to ask him specific questions about their own branding plans.

In the final session, Julija guided the group through the customer journey and the role of touchpoints. She introduced moodboards as a tool to translate brand values into visual identity, after which participants started creating their own drafts in a hands-on exercise.

The day combined theory with practice, giving participants fresh insights, practical tools and clear steps to strengthen their branding strategies.