Why rebrand? Why the name? What made you choose it? How did you do it?
If you've been following us on Instagram since the beginning, you know we used to operate under the name Thrifty Hippy Winnipeg.
Something in me told me it was time for a change. The more I read Thrifty Hippy Winnipeg at the top of my Instagram feed, the more I felt that it didn't fully encompass what I was trying to do. It didn't allow for growth and change.
To me, thrifting is not something to be ashamed of. I think its important for so many reasons, but that's another post. It took me a while to notice, but I eventually came to the conclusion that although Thrifty Hippy Winnipeg is catchy and clever, it put me in a very narrow box that I feel I couldn’t break out of. I wanted to draw the distinction that I don't just thrift, I curate high quality vintage pieces.
To be frank, most of my products aren't from the thrift store. I do lots of private picking, shop estate sales, and hunt Facebook marketplace in addition to thrifting. Thrift store prices are skyrocketing everywhere, which is making this job increasingly hard and more expensive to operate. Reselling is also a very saturated market and stores are typically not as full of options as they once were. I wanted to be more clear in my messaging about what I was selling and where it came from.
If you've been here a while, you've seen me do multiple collaborations with other businesses. Of note: Lavender Panda Co, Florest Natural Designs, Little Birdy Accessories, Daisy Wild Vintage, Plant Lab, Planet Pantry, and Mirmade. I have also tried my hand at my own handmade products, releasing several collections of handmade candles in vintage mugs & vessels.
This is where the new tagline comes in - Vintage and handmade...for the wild at heart. It's a callback to the brand itself, and clearly states what it is we sell. Because I don't just thrift, and I don't just sell secondhand. I sell vintage and handmade; some of which, is thrifted.
It took me months to come up with the name. I spent countless hours searching Pinterest for inspiration, talking to colleagues, family and friends, and stumbled upon a piece of Art with the words: Wanted & Wild. Adding Company at the end, felt like more of a professional entity and allowed me to encompass my array of offerings, and allow me to grow and change as needed.
Once I honed in on the name, I began a “rebranding” Pinterest board. I picked colour palettes, fonts, designs, sayings, and illustrations that inspired me. I spent time looking at design businesses and their branding. I learned from professionals in the industry from free resources they offered, as well as paid seminars on rebranding. I learned wtf Copywriting is and figured out my voice.
Do I wish I would have done this sooner? Kind of. But allowing myself almost 2 years in this business before rebranding gave me so much experience and teachable moments to know how to do it right.
I cannot stress enough how time consuming this all was. I ate, slept, and breathed this rebrand for months and months. Its all I thought or talked about.
I wish hiring a branding designer was financially feasible for me, but unfortunately it isn't at this point. I’m equal parts sad and happy I did it myself. On the one hand, it gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. I learned so much about branding, design, and copywriting. On the other hand, I could have saved myself so much stress and time had I hired someone to do it for me. Given that I’ve built this business from the ground up on my own though, it seemed only fitting to do the rebrand on my own too.
The design itself, I believe encompasses elements that inspire me, speak to my unique design style, and who I am as a business owner. I love simple "Picasso" style one-line drawings, and how they add an element of distinction to a space. I have painted several for my own home and once I learned how to execute it, I knew I had to incorporate it into my new branding. I wanted to create a piece of art that also doubled as a thank you card, without shoving my brand in your face and wasting a piece of paper. I think the individual elements of my branding are distinct enough to still make the customer think of my business, without having to plaster the business name over everything.
I also learned how invaluable it is to have different versions and sub-marks of your logo, for purposes such as your Instagram display photo, a banner for the website, and a background for a story.
Picking the right font and colours is also of utmost importance, and it helped immensely to have a Pinterest board filled with inspiration to help me choose.
So here we are, and here is where we're going: I want to work with local businesses whenever possible. I want to be a champion for my community. I aim to bring you the most wanted vintage pieces into my shop. This is how Wanted and Wild Co was born.
So, despite the name change and branding, not much will change for you as a consumer. I will still offer the same selection of vintage objects, furnishings, and apparel. I will still collaborate with other small businesses every chance I get, and I will still expand my own handmade offerings as I am able to.
Sales will now be exclusive to my website, with the chance of odd story sales here and there. Creating a collection of items before shipping out (to save on shipping costs) will still be an option, as well on demand shipping. Local pickups will carry on as usual and you may see us popup from time to time at markets and festivals - sign up for our email list for all the up to date info!
Thanks so much for being here, y'all. I'm excited about this new chapter and can't wait to connect with you soon!
Peace, love, and cacti,
Sierra