Building Brands that Live and Breathe—Carolina Suárez Shares Her Guide for Great Design

Caro, it’s great to have you here. Let’s start with your background—who you are and what you do at 27zero.

I’m Carolina Suárez, a graphic designer by profession. This year marks eight years in my career. At 27zero, I’m the Art Director. My role is to bring ideas to life on screen, ensuring coherence across brands. I also create brand identities, with extensive experience in branding, logo design, and symbols. Additionally, I contribute significantly to editorial design, which is widely used across various fields and plays a key role in the agency's creative direction.

From what I see in your work—and in what we do daily—listening, understanding, and paying attention to detail are crucial, especially when working with clients. I’ve noticed you have a strong ability to capture these nuances, whether in brand development, profiling EdTech Mentor guests, or shaping business narratives. How do you approach this? How do you manage to truly engage and capture what’s happening? It seems like a certain sensitivity, but I’d love to hear how you see it.

I have what some might call a life flaw, but it’s also what has helped me in my career—I overthink. When I listen to a client in a meeting or read an article, I feel that everything is in the details. The way they express themselves, their reactions when we present a concept—those are my cues to determine if we’re on the right path.

At 27zero, our process ensures conceptualization leads to success, but I believe reading people is just as important. Some clients insist, “Please stick closely to the brand guidelines; otherwise, it won’t be approved.” That tells me they have a rigid structure. Others start a project discussion from a personal vision—"We come from this city, and we value local culture," for example.

When I listen, I analyze not just what they’re saying but how they say it, what they emphasize, and why. While others in the meeting focus on process and planning, I focus on why they want things in a certain order. Over time, I’ve worked with clients across industries, from books to branding. No matter the format, clients always have a vision of how they want their project to be seen, and my job is to capture that.

I’d reframe that—you’re not just overthinking, you’re genuinely interested in what you’re seeing. You’ve worked on various branding projects, from building brands from scratch, like Ayté, to extending the identity of large companies like Anthology or event brands. Now, let me ask a tough one—what, to you, is a brand, and what makes a brand strong?

I have two answers to that. When I build a brand from scratch, the brand manual—the brand book—is the rulebook. It needs to be coherent and structured.

For large brands like Anthology, which have not only massive but also deeply established identities, I take time to understand how they perceive their own brand. Sometimes, I look at a brand manual, and the company itself isn’t following its own rules—whether it’s typography, margins, or colors. That’s why I go beyond the brand book.

I research how they present themselves: What design choices do they make? What elements appear consistently, even if they’re not in the brand guide? For example, if their white papers always feature an illustration on the cover, that tells me they prioritize conceptual visuals over photography.

For me, branding isn’t just about rules—it’s about how a company actually expresses itself over time.

Let’s double-click on that. The brand book is like the theory—a political framework of how things should be. But in reality, brands evolve organically. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not. What you’re saying is that you don’t just look at the brand book—you analyze how the company and its people have adopted and evolved the brand to understand where it truly stands?

Exactly. A well-crafted brand should be timeless. What I’ve noticed with the brands we work with at 27zero is that they’ve been built exceptionally well. Whether or not I personally like their visual identity, they’re structured and well-thought-out. That’s why I go beyond the brand book—I look at how they present themselves on social media, on their website, and even on platforms they don’t use much, like Instagram. For example, why do they focus more on people in their Instagram posts? That insight helps me refine and tailor our approach.

Right, and behind all of that, there are real-world reasons, rooted in practicality rather than in the ideal defined by the brand book. That’s a great point.

One thing that sets 27zero apart is that we build brands with the client, not for them. Some companies hire agencies just to get a brand and a brand book handed to them. But we immerse ourselves in their world—what they want, why they want it—so we can create a brand identity that truly represents them and is functional.

That’s my role at 27zero—to absorb everything, to notice details others might overlook, and to bring those insights into our branding process. By the time we present something to a client, they see that we’ve done our homework.

Our clients don’t just get random creative work—they get brand solutions that are deeply informed by research and observation.

Exactly. Now, I want to shift to something I’ve noticed you have a deep passion for—typography. What draws you to it? But first, let’s define what it actually is.

Typography is a vast world. There’s type design, which is about creating entire font families, including styles and weights. That’s a highly technical field. Then there’s lettering, which is more about customized letter design—something I do a lot. And then there’s typography as a discipline, which is about how designers use type within a layout.

Typography shapes everything—it’s the backbone of design. For me, typography is the skeleton of graphic design. You can have a stunning visual, but if the typography isn’t executed well, you lose 30% of its impact. When I was in my first year of design school, I wasn’t sure if I really liked the field. But then I took my first typography course, and that’s when I realized—this is what I love about design.

I’ve seen firsthand how typography choices can completely transform a brand’s visual identity and communication. The differences in typeface selection alone can make a brand look amateurish or incredibly polished, conveying entirely different messages. It’s a sensitivity that not everyone has.

What’s funny is that when typography is done well, it’s almost invisible—it just feels right. But when it’s done poorly, it’s so noticeable that it disrupts everything.

Exactly! Typography can work beautifully on a single word, but the moment you place it in a sentence, a title, or on a poster, it might look completely different.

And across different channels—whether it’s on a website, LinkedIn, or any other platform—it will appear differently. I’ve always felt that typographers are among the best designers in the field. It’s an art.

Understanding why an N has a different optical size than other letters, why an O doesn’t always behave like an O—that’s complex work. I’ve dabbled in it myself, creating a few alphabets. But designing a full typeface, with all 200+ glyphs for different languages, is on another level.

My love for typography makes me hyper-aware of it when designing brands and logos. It’s something I always pay extra attention to.

And we’ve definitely seen that!

A great example is Legacy Conversations, the book we created. The name itself carried so much weight, and when we translated that visually, we landed on a handwritten style.

The typography wasn’t just a font—it was something entirely unique to Legacy, created from scratch to reflect the concept of legacy itself. That’s something I love about our work at 27zero—we don’t just pick typefaces; we create them when necessary.

That’s a great example—Legacy Conversations, which we did for Anthology. We’ve mentioned it several times in these interviews.

The typography used in the book—correct me if I’m wrong—was almost like the logo symbol itself, right?

I’d call it a signature, exactly.

A signature, right! Just by looking at it, you could feel the weight of history and significance behind it.

Yes, because the intention was to pay tribute to something meaningful.

Exactly. And if you were to put that into a creative brief—"I want to capture this essence in a few letters"—it might seem impossible. But that’s the power of typography in branding and design.

A typeface alone can communicate so much. Sure, additional design elements help, but a well-crafted typeface can carry an entire identity.

The first thing I analyze in any brand we work with is its typography.

For me, that’s step one. From there, so many things unfold. It influences brand consistency, visual identity, and even the editorial direction of the brand’s content.

Let’s shift gears a bit. Well, not really shift—let’s go back to branding.

You’ve worked on many of our Brand Essentials projects. Of course, it’s a team effort, but from a design perspective, why is Brand Essentials so important for a brand?

I wouldn’t just say it’s important—I’d say it’s essential.

It’s the foundation. You can have a great product, a brilliant marketing strategy, and an outstanding campaign, but if your visual branding isn’t strong, none of that will stick.

Branding is what makes a company recognizable.

Think about it—everyone interacts with brands daily, often subconsciously analyzing them. The same way people discuss the psychology of color ("Red makes you hungry"), branding works on a deeper level. If done right, it paves the way for every other marketing success.

It sets the stage for everything else to work.

Exactly! If a brand has a solid foundation, every campaign benefits.

It’s not just about marketing—it’s also about adaptability. A brand might start small, like a food delivery app, but what happens if it suddenly explodes in popularity? Does the branding scale well into new formats, like merchandise or physical spaces?

Good branding isn’t just visually appealing—it’s functional. It prepares a brand to grow.

So a brand needs to be ready for growth.

Yes! That’s how I approach it from an art direction perspective.

A design might look beautiful on screen, but will it work in print? Will it scale for a billboard? What about a tiny one-pager? If the answer is no, then it’s not truly functional branding.

That makes me think of another question before my next one.

Is there a big difference between B2B and B2C branding from a design perspective? What do you see as the key distinctions?

I think the main difference is in the messaging—what the brand wants to say.

But in terms of visual presence, branding should work regardless of industry or audience. Some brands are massive, while others are smaller, but all should have clear guidelines.

When a brand is well-defined—when the logo, typography, and visual system are consistent—it avoids audience confusion. A well-built brand will feel evergreen and timeless.

Branding is never truly "finished"—there’s always room for growth. A brand might start with a simple graphic style, but over time, it can evolve to include iconography, illustrations, or even motion design.

A brand without credibility is just noise. If a new brand launches without a solid identity, it’s harder for people to trust it. That’s why a strong brand launch is so crucial—it tells a story and establishes legitimacy.

One of the best examples of this is Student First. That brand is clean, coherent, and versatile.

You can put it anywhere, and it still works.

More than B2B or B2C, the real question is about consistency over time. Many people think that once they have a logo, they’ve "built a brand." But a brand isn’t just a logo—it’s how it lives and evolves across all touchpoints.

That’s one of the biggest misconceptions about branding—thinking it’s just the logo and some colors.

Shifting gears, I want to talk to you about misconceptions regarding branding. We’ve worked with many clients, and obviously, some understand branding better than others.

I believe that branding and marketing are equally important, but sometimes, I even think that branding is more crucial than marketing in today’s world.

So, I want to ask you: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you’ve encountered about branding? You already mentioned one—the idea that a brand is just its logo. But what else have you seen?

I think that’s the most common one these days.

You can tell when someone is going down the wrong path. They say, “I’m opening a coffee shop, so I’ll use a coffee cup as my logo.” Or a bakery—“Well, obviously, I need to put a loaf of bread.”

Or the AI companies that all use a little robot face!

Exactly!

The idea that a logo has to be literal is outdated. Sure, it has worked in the past, but only because brands have built strong identities beyond their logos.

Take Starbucks, for example. People questioned why their logo was a mermaid instead of a coffee cup. But the brand transcended that, proving that an identity is much more than an obvious symbol.

Another major misconception is inconsistency in typography. Many brands switch fonts constantly, lacking coherence. A well-built brand has recognition embedded in its typography, colors, and overall design system.

That’s a key point—people’s references and understanding of branding come from their own backgrounds and experiences.

We’ve seen this a lot, especially when working with brands in Latin America versus North America. Age, exposure to design, and even personal interest in visual aesthetics all influence how people perceive branding.

Some clients are highly design-sensitive, while others don’t care as much. That makes a huge difference in our work.

On that note—how do you stay up to date with design trends and cultural references?

I consume a lot of content related to our industry.

LinkedIn is my go-to platform because that’s where our clients are, and it keeps me updated. I read white papers—they’re concise and informative.

Whenever we start a new project, I research extensively:

• What are others doing?
• How are they visually presenting themselves?
• What’s trending in their industry?

I believe that if you work in a specific industry, you must stay immersed in it.

I’ve worked with clients from completely different industries, where there’s more creative freedom. But in EdTech, things are stricter—not in a limiting way, but in a way that requires impactful creativity within clear guidelines.

Yeah, EdTech as a niche has shared values and history, with everything revolving around institutions, universities, and schools.

Exactly.

Before 27zero, I worked in academic publishing, designing books for scholars. That background helped me understand how people in education think and how they perceive content.

It also shaped how I see editorial design—it doesn’t have to be boring just because it’s educational. I follow the Universidad de Caldas publishing house, for example, because they have incredible editorial work that challenges conventional academic design.

So, while I consume a lot of industry-related content, I also try to bring fresh perspectives to avoid the same old look.

And in branding, I’m constantly analyzing—taking photos, documenting interesting designs I see in the streets.

That makes sense.

Now, let’s talk about AI in design. Everyone uses AI now, including us, but we use it strategically—to iterate ideas faster, generate inspiration, and optimize workflows.

But specifically, based on your experience with Midjourney, why won’t someone without branding or design expertise get the same results as a professional?

When AI tools first gained popularity, people assumed, “I don’t need a designer anymore.” But we know that’s not the case. So, what’s your take?

When AI became a big thing in visual design, I was skeptical.

I thought, “I can just do it myself in the same amount of time.”

But the real value of AI is in how you use it.

For me, the biggest lesson has been learning to articulate what I want. Writing precise instructions is key.

Normally, my process starts with a sketch—I grab a notebook and start drawing. But using AI forces me to describe my vision in words, which is a completely different skill.

Right—designers naturally see their ideas, but translating those visuals into written prompts requires a different thought process.

Exactly! That’s why AI doesn’t replace designers.

People who don’t understand design won’t know how to prompt Midjourney correctly. They don’t have the trained eye to judge whether an AI-generated image works or if it aligns with brand identity.

An experienced designer knows:

• What style is needed
• Whether an image has coherence
• If it aligns with the brand’s aesthetics

What I love about Midjourney is that it allows us to explore multiple graphic styles in an hour.

Before AI, we had to spend time finding the right illustrator or designer for a specific style. Now, we can generate conceptual visuals quickly and refine them as needed.

That’s a huge shift!

But AI alone isn’t enough. The difference between a professional and a casual user is that a designer thinks in terms of functionality.

For example, when you create an illustration, you immediately consider:

• Where will the text go?
• Is there enough space for typography?
• Does the composition tell a story?

A non-designer might generate something visually appealing but impractical. That’s why AI can’t replace designers—it’s about function, not just aesthetics.

Exactly!

A great example is Charlie’s philosophy—he always says, “The image must work with the text.”

Sometimes, I generate an image and realize, “Wait, this doesn’t tell a story.” It looks nice, but it’s missing narrative intent.

That’s the gap between AI-generated visuals and professionally crafted designs.

AI is a tool, but human expertise gives it purpose.

That’s such a crucial distinction.

For instance, ChatGPT does something similar—it can generate ideas, but often repeats the same story over and over. Without human direction, the output lacks originality.

What you just said actually reminded me of something I saw yesterday in a DeepSeek explanation. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it, but it’s the new model developed by China, which is supposedly much more efficient in computational resources than OpenAI’s.

One of the reasons this model is considered superior, as I understand it, is because of thought processes. Unlike other models that require an enormous density of data in one place, this one can train a smaller model through structured reasoning—just like what you were describing.

But the parallel I’m drawing here, which I found really interesting in what you just said, is that using a tool like Midjourney is like having a team of designers. You might have the most incredible image in your head, but if you can’t communicate and articulate your vision to that team, they won’t be able to produce what you want or what is actually needed.

It’s the same with AI—if you lack conceptual clarity, if you can’t craft a precise brief, if you don’t know how to manage references and concepts, you won’t get the results you’re looking for.

So, with that in mind, I wanted to ask: What do you enjoy most about being an Art Director and about your role in general?

I think the most satisfying part of my job is when I go back to my notebook and see the original sketches—like for Ellucian’s event visuals or the Legacy logo. And then I look at the final result and think, Wow, we really brought this to life.

That’s something I really appreciate about this agency—it has allowed me to work on large-scale projects and see the tangible results.

Sometimes, in big projects, small design details might not seem significant to the client, but to me, they’re everything. It’s incredibly rewarding to materialize ideas. And I don’t just mean physical objects—I mean all the creative work we do.

For example, when I worked on the Ellucian video script, I remember thinking, How did I even come up with all of this? That project was a huge challenge, but I hold it close to my heart. Seeing my ideas come to life on a website or in a finished video—it’s something I truly love about my work.

That’s awesome. And what’s the hardest part of being an Art Director?

Coming up with crazy ideas and then realizing they’re not viable.

When I’m in the exploration phase, my mind can go wild, imagining incredible concepts—only to later realize they don’t work within the brand’s guidelines or the intended message.

That’s the hardest part—having to step back and rethink.

As an art director, you want to be decisive. You want to say, “This is the right direction. This will work.” But I’ve learned to step outside my own perspective and consider different viewpoints.

What does the client really need?
What’s actually going to work for them?

This happens a lot within the team too. For instance, you might have had the initial client meeting and gathered the insights. But then, someone else from the team might say, “Wait, I understood it differently.”

Navigating those different interpretations and refining the creative direction accordingly—that’s one of the biggest challenges. But once you lock in the right path, everything starts to flow.

Yeah, totally.

Alright, Caro, let’s talk about how you interact with the rest of the team.

How do you ensure that a client’s idea or concept doesn’t get distorted along the way? You know, like when things go through multiple layers—account management, creative teams, or even partners—and end up like a game of broken telephone?

How do you make sure you’re capturing everything accurately?

When I’m in meetings, I take in all the information firsthand, but the real key is staying involved throughout the process, whether it’s a small or large project.

For example, let’s say I design a visual—next, it might get turned into an animation. I stay involved in that transition too, ensuring that what I envisioned translates properly to motion. Animation is a whole different language, and interpretation can vary.

So, I insert myself into every stage. I check in with Julito, our animator, making sure he understands what I’m going for. As he works, we adjust and refine together.

I’m a big believer in going directly to the expert.

If something doesn’t feel right, I go back to the original goal: Where are we trying to go?

That’s been a constant in my work—I’ve been involved in everything from print production to video production to on-site filming. And because I immerse myself in different areas, I make sure our designs stay true to the intended vision.

My role is incredibly versatile, which is something I love.

It allows me to be involved in multiple aspects of the creative process.

Here at 27zero, we don’t just hand off a design and call it done. Instead, we say:
"Hey, I sent this over—let’s review it together. Does this make sense? Does it work?"

It’s never a one-and-done process.

If something can be improved, we tweak it. If there’s a better way to execute it, we explore that.

I’m deeply involved with the whole team at every stage, ensuring the creative direction stays aligned and nothing gets lost in translation.

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