Since 2016, Motora has been developing branding projects to help small and medium-sized businesses reach a new level of growth.
The businesses that come to us often share common challenges:
Lack of clear positioning or brand personality;
Inconsistent brand application;
Communication that doesn’t effectively connect with the desired audience;
Logo and visual identity that don’t convey the desired level of professionalism;
The brand hasn’t kept up with the company’s growth;
Competitors are taking the lead in the race for attention and recognition (even if they don’t necessarily offer the best product or service).
Do you also feel like you have a great product or service but struggle to make that clear enough for customers to feel confident and close the deal with you?
In this article, you’ll learn about the four essential steps to successful branding, based on our own methodology: Pétala.
Pétala: The 4 Pillars of Branding
Pétala is Motora’s proprietary methodology. It’s the ideal solution for small and medium-sized businesses that want to grow and make their brands more valuable, thanks to its modular structure and its respect for each business’s unique growth pace.
Positioning Petal: where it all begins
Positioning is the strategic foundation of any brand. In this Petal, we dive into the business strategy and vision, analyze the market, explore audience behavior, and based on that, define the brand’s purpose, differentiators, and core message.
Real example: In the Memoê project, our clients came to us with the idea of positioning the brand as a company that would bring Brazilian coffee to the tables of Brazilians. However, during the research phase — which we call the Intelligence stage — we mapped out that many competitors had similar messaging and had entered the market earlier. In other words, with that positioning, Memoê risked becoming “just another coffee brand”, without an authentic differentiator (which usually leads to higher marketing expenses to drive sales).
This discovery led to the insight that guided all the deliverables in the Strategy stage: beyond coffee, Memoê delivers incredible stories to people. It invites them to explore the world, uncover curiosities, and push their own limits… “Memoê is the coffee that brings the world to you.” (This became the brand’s slogan.)
Structure Petal: organazing for growth
As a business begins to grow, it’s common for new products, services, and channels to emerge over the years. However, this often leads to confusion in communication and in how the company presents its solutions.
The Structure Petal exists precisely to bring clarity to this scenario through Brand Architecture and Naming.
Real example: When the agência eixos came to us, it was still called EPBR, and the name was becoming a barrier to its growth. The audience was confused about what the agency actually did, had trouble remembering or pronouncing the acronym correctly, and perceived the brand as cold, distant, and traditional. This perception was the exact opposite of what the founders wanted for the business.
In the Naming stage, we resolved this disconnect by keeping the familiarity of the letter “E” at the beginning of the new name and choosing a short, easy-to-remember word. Then, in the Brand Architecture stage, we organized the portfolio of editorial lines and initiatives, making it easier for the audience to understand and strengthening the connection with the parent brand, which boosted its recognition within the industry.
Expression Petal: life, voice, and color
With the strategy in place, it’s time to shape the brand’s look and feel. In the Expression Petal, we develop the visual and verbal identity, ensuring that everything built so far comes to life in a consistent and striking way.
Real example: The Tensoflex project shows how this stage transforms brand perception. The company, which specializes in tensile structures, needed a more sophisticated identity – one that could convey its pillars of innovation, lightness, and safety – and that’s exactly what we delivered.
The logo was subtly refined so the organization (with over 25 years of history) wouldn’t lose its recognition. A new, minimalist and refined visual identity was created alongside impactful phrases like “Light Up the Future,” which express the brand’s innovative DNA.
Relationship Petal: branding that builds connection
Finally, every brand needs to build meaningful bonds — whether with its audience or with the team behind the scenes. The Relationship Petal focuses precisely on putting branding into action to create real connection.
In the Experience stage, we map the customer journey, identifying moments of delight. In the Culture stage, we create a plan to boost internal engagement, turning employees into brand ambassadors. By combining these two approaches, we build a brand that lives, breathes, and truly connects.
Real example: With Almalea Sorvetes, we worked not only on Positioning and Expression, but also implemented the Relationship Petal with a focus on creating memorable experiences in their new physical store.
We proposed custom popsicle sticks, signature ice cream cones, a personalized “tasting board,” and even ice cream for pets. These elements quickly became strong brand identifiers and brought the slogan “healthy is having the power to choose” to life. These ideas were embraced in-store and warmly received by customers, who soon became brand fans.
The Pétala Methodology is flexible, modular, and tailor-made for small and medium-sized businesses that are ready to take a leap forward. Each of its four Petals (and eight stages) can be activated according to your business’s specific needs, in the order that makes the most sense for you.
So, if you’re ready to go further and want to understand which Petal is the best fit for your brand right now, just reach out and we’ll connect you with one of our specialists.
We’d love to grow this journey with you 💜🍌
Click here and find out which Petal is the most suitable for your business.
