Smelly. Shiny. Glittery. I Wanted Them All

Joanne Moorhouse

⭐️ Helping purpose-driven professionals show up confidently online so they attract more aligned clients, without feeling salesy or stuck. Through strategic photography, brand coaching, and visual storytelling.

July 18, 2025

What My Sticker Collection Taught Me About Branding

When I was little, I had one very serious mission in life:

Collecting stickers.

Smelly ones 🍓 Shiny ones 💎 Puffy ones ☁️ Glittery ones ✨

It didn’t matter, I had to have them, and I even had sticker books for them as well!

Every shopping trip, every visit to the mall, every stationery aisle, I’d scour the racks for something new. And those endless Saturday afternoons? I wasn’t just tagging along; I was on a quest. The goal? Come home with something special for my collection.

It wasn’t about using the stickers either (I rarely did).

It was about finding the ones that stood out. The ones that felt a little extra.

The ones that made me pause and go: “Ooh, I NEED that.”

Because the best ones always went straight into my sticker books, so they would remain pristine.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly how your ideal audience feels when they connect with a brand that truly speaks to them.

Great brands are like great stickers:

• Visually engaging

• Packed with personality

• Impossible to ignore

• and totally unforgettable

The right branding doesn’t just look good. it gives people a reason to want to engage, to feel connected, and to keep coming back for more.

So here’s a question for you:

1. What makes your brand “collectible”?

2. What tiny detail (a sparkle, a scent, a sense of fun) makes people say “yes, please” and stick around?

If you’re not sure yet, don’t worry. That’s what I help with: finding that sweet spot of visual identity and messaging that makes your audience light up.

Let’s build something they want to collect → Book your brand session

Oh, and just for fun…

👉 Did you ever collect anything growing up?

Stickers, rocks, keyrings, Pokémon cards, Pogs… I’d genuinely love to know. Hit reply and tell me your go-to obsession.

Have a great rest of the month,

Joanne

P.S. I can still smell those smelly stickers as if it were only yesterday, and still get a tiny thrill walking into a stationery shop (hello W.H. Smith). Old habits never fade.

JMC (Joanne Moorhouse Creative) is your trusted partner for all your visual communications, marketing, and photography needs. Our mission is to help your company or practice stand out while simplifying your marketing efforts, giving you more time to focus on what you do best. Visit www.joannemoorhousecreative.com to learn more and get started.

Joanne Moorhouse is the Creative Director and Founder of JMC, and an award-winning visual communications specialist with over 15 years of experience in the veterinary and healthcare industries. She holds a degree in visual communications and has a lifetime of photography expertise. Joanne helps professionals elevate their brands through photography, design, branding, and strategic coaching. When she’s not working, she enjoys travelling, listening to 80s music, and supporting animal and mental health charities.

Our new virtual studio hours for 2025 are Monday through Friday, 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM GMT, with a Monday evening clinic from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM GMT. We also offer limited Saturday hours for those in our all-inclusive programs who may find weekday hours impossible due to the constraints of the practice. We're currently accepting applications for our BRAND NEW Brand Storyteller Visual Communications Coaching Program. Click HERE for more info.

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