Behind the Brand: The Making of Anna Bradshaw Content Co’s New Look

Guest post by Cember Studio

Hi there! We’re Cember Studio, an NC-based boutique brand and web design agency. Since 2018, we’ve served hundreds of creative entrepreneurs, startups, and lifestyle businesses with our adaptable style, personalized approach, and artful eye for branding.

When Anna reached out about a rebrand and custom website for her copywriting studio, she came in with a strong sense of style and a vision already forming in her head. Our role was to help her shape that vision into something cohesive and strategic. Something that could grow with her and connect with her audience on a deeper level.

What She Envisioned

Anna had such a clear tone for her rebrand from the very beginning (we wish all clients were like this!). She described something that felt. little like white t-shirts half-tucked into Levi’s, navy blazers, brown leather loafers, and the occasional little black dress. A little bit coastal, a little bit Chicago. Like Central Park Boathouse meets a hardworking Midwest agency with great taste and a little wit.

She put us up to the task of creating a brand that could hold all of that. Something smart and polished, with a nod to food culture and a clear sense of place.

Starting With the Senses

Before we touched anything visual, we worked through our signature sensory-focused strategy deep dive. With years of experience serving digital brands, this has become our favorite way to build emotional clarity and connection in ways many brand designers neglect. When you know what something feels like, it’s much easier to design what it looks like.

Here’s a small peek at how Anna Bradshaw Content Co. came to life through sensory descriptions:

• Feels like stepping into a charming, locally owned market where every detail is intentional and nothing feels mass-produced
• Looks like a navy blazer casually draped over a wooden chair, a leather tote nearby, notebooks left open mid-thought
• Smells like the warm, slightly musky scent of worn books mixed with soft leather and fresh espresso
• Sounds like heels tapping on marble floors, a low hum of conversation, and the hiss of a nearby espresso machine
• Tastes like buttery cherry pie and dark roast coffee with just enough cream to soften the edges

This foundation gave us the creative direction to build something layered, tactile, and true to who Anna is.

The Cherry on Top

One of our favorite pieces of the brand is the cherry icon. It pulls in just enough meaning without being too on-the-nose. For Anna, it’s a nod to her Midwestern roots (namely Door County’s iconic cherry season!), but it also connects to her work with food and beverage clients, bringing in a sense of familiarity and flavor.

The icon feels like something you’d find stamped on vintage food packaging or printed at the bottom of a well-designed menu. Clean, a little nostalgic, and easy to use across platforms.

The Color Story

Color played a major role in making the brand feel both grounded and memorable. Anna loves blue, and we used that as our starting point. We layered in multiple tones to build depth and flexibility.

To round out the palette, we added:

• Cherry red for warmth, energy, and visual contrast
• Emerald green for freshness and a hint of heritage
• Sunshine yellow for a hint of the unexpected
• Ivory and linen to soften everything and create balance

There’s a subtle Americana feeling to the palette. Not stars and stripes, but more like a vintage paperback, a navy pinstripe shirt, or the warm-toned menus of a timeless neighborhood diner. It nods to Anna’s Midwest upbringing while still feeling elevated and editorial.

The Website Strategy

Designing the site felt a lot like building a good recipe. We blended classic type styling with magazine-inspired layouts, adding texture like you’d add seasoning—sparingly, and in the right places. The final result is clean, focused, and easy to navigate, with just enough charm to feel personal. We wanted the site to have the feeling of a well-designed food label or a curated editorial spread. Type-driven, unfussy, and clear. With moments that feel crafted, not templated.

From a strategy standpoint, we focused on clarity and flow. Visitors are gently guided through her services and story, with clear calls to action and room for her personality to come through. It’s built to support her now and leave room for expansion down the road.

Final Thoughts

Anna brought incredible clarity and vision to this project. What we brought to the table was structure, strategy, and sensory depth. We helped her turn ideas into a brand that not only reflects her but invites the right people in.

If you’re sitting on a strong creative vision and want help bringing it into form, we’d love to collaborate. You can find us at cemberstudio.com