In March, MFX Partners formally underwent a brand identity change, becoming Machteld Faas Xander.

The response from many of you was intrigue, delight and astonishment. While others stared at us bewildered and asked, “How the heck do you pronounce that?”, which we promptly handled with a handy pronunciation key.

You might think that because we’re a creativity firm that’s helped rebrand numerous companies and their products, rebranding ourselves would have been easy. And even though we have a creative process for this type of thing, it took a lot of brainstorming, head scratching and late nights to find a brand identity that meant more than just a name on our office door.

But the larger question remains, were we successful?

You already know that we made the name Machteld Faas Xander up, but we didn’t just pull it out of a hat. Our 12 month rebranding process went something like this:

1. Firstly, we wanted to maintain the equity we had in the name MFX for the past 10 years. From a customer relations, marketing, SEO point of view, etc, this is priceless.

2. Secondly, we also wanted names you wouldn’t normally hear on the street and associate with feelings and emotions, as with common names like “Mike” or “Jen”. Because we’re different; we deserved different (this is where we got really creative) we used very distinct names that allow us to assign whatever values and stories we want.

3. Lastly, our new identity had to embody the “passionate creative people” that are part of our world; the values of our owners and founders, John and Rebecca Short; and, by god, it had to make a lasting impression. And yes, we still have people looking at us in slight disbelief when we tell them where we work, but there is no finer way to spark up a conversation.

In the end, we can stand confidently beside Machteld Faas and Xander as archetypes that embody our values as a company. And as we grow, archetypes are the best way to communicate these values clearly to staff and customers. MFX exemplifies Machteld, the Creator archetype who encourages creative expression from everyone, throughout the organization; Faas, our Explorer archetype, infuses his fierce independence and drive for learning and working into our culture; and finally, from Xander, the Magician archetype, we’re ever-reminded that the best way to inspire people is by showing them.

In the end, we’ve come full circle. We used our own process to develop a brand that not only helps us think better, but also shows us that when we come together in a fun, positive, open environment—we can accomplish anything—and that is the type of success we can be proud of.