Have your feelings changed about Twitter, now that it’s X? 

In July 2023, under new ownership, the little blue bird became a stark, minimalist “X”. 

Overnight, this bold visual shift signalled a break from the familiar and left us questioning what the social media network had become. While followers left in their millions, major media outlets abandoned the platform. 

Flips like this (remember when The Gap changed its logo for a fleeting moment?) tell us that a clear, consistent brand image gains trust and credibility at a glance. And that long and hard-earned marketing muscle is worth protecting. 

In our She Built This series, three Aussie founders explain how, through their branding and products, they’ve built businesses with strong visual identities. They also share how they’ve safeguarded the designs that define their offering and draw a dedicated crowd. 

Little Harvesters founder Janae Henkel and her children, Harvey and Noa.

Adults only

Janae Henkel’s baby purée doesn’t look like every other pouch on the shelf. 

“I wanted something that was marketed to parents, not to babies,” says the founder of Little Harvesters – a mother of two, herself. “Parents are the ones choosing the product – parents are the ones who will make that decision … so I wanted something that would speak to me.”  

Little Harvesters’ sleek, simple and distinctly non-primary-coloured branding and packaging set it apart from the rest. 

“We just have the ingredients [written] on the front of the pouch and nothing else other than the logo,” says Janae. And, like her brand name, that simple, standout logo is protected with a trade mark. 

“It did take some time for [IP Australia] to make sure there were no similar brands – but no issues came back,” she says. “The process was so straightforward and I was able to do it all online myself.”

Veena’s work in the lab is commercialised at an industrial scale.

Trash to treasure

Professor Veena Sahajwalla AO is building products that challenge our perception of rubbish. “People assume that if it’s waste, it won’t be good,” says the inventor of Green Steel, made from used tyres and plastics.

“Overcoming those challenges is part of the fun.”

Veena is now focused on her latest innovation, Green Ceramics. Made from remnants of clothing and broken glass generally considered too dirty for recyclers, her green ceramic tiles are beautiful – worthy of kitchen benches, tabletops, floors and furnishings.

“It’s not just about the science and the tech,” says Veena. “It’s that the ultimate users – the architects and people in the building sector – come in and they love it.”

While Green Ceramics is commercialised, Veena and her co-creators are putting patents in place to protect the technology and methods behind it – ensuring they have full control over the look, feel, quality and sustainability of their tiles. 

“People love the product,” says Veena. “And it’s very nice that you get that kind of reaction, because you can sit back and go, ‘Oh, that’s lovely!’” 

Clothing The Gaps’ flagship store is located in Brunswick, Victoria.

Flying the flag

In June 2019, Indigenous-owned fashion brand, certified social enterprise and B Corp Clothing The Gaps received a cease and desist letter from WAM Clothing – a non-Indigenous company with exclusive rights to reproduce the Aboriginal flag on clothing.

In response, Laura Thompson (Gunditjmara) and Sarah Sheridan launched their Free the Flag campaign – which gained huge support and, eventually, succeeded in making the Aboriginal flag available to all to use.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Laura got creative. Their lawyers taught them that, when deciding if a product infringes copyright, perception matters: “If people look at the artwork or design and it reminds them of the Aboriginal flag, that’s the key [determinant],” says Laura.

The legal lines were blurry, but they found ways to keep their message alive. They also trade marked a circle-shaped brand logo featuring the Aboriginal flag colours – a lasting symbol of their community and vision.

In January 2022, the federal government secured the copyright to the Aboriginal flag, making it freely available for public use.

“It was strange timing,” says Laura. “January 25th, just before Australia Day, and at this point, we were also campaigning ‘Not a Date to Celebrate’ around January 26.

“Having said that, it felt like a weight had been lifted off our shoulders. We’d achieved what we wanted to achieve.”

These founders have learned that brand image isn’t just about looks – it’s about legacy. It’s how people experience your business, remember it and pass it on. 

By protecting your creations, you can keep telling and sharing your story, your way.