This week, we’re tapping into the kind of inspiration that sharpens your eye and elevates your craft. From fresh ways to approach movement in design to insights that shift how you think about crowded categories, there’s plenty here to fuel your next great idea. Let’s get into it.

In this issue:

Ryan Antooa put together a curated a list of resources to learn motion design, so you don't have to.

1. Disney’s “Twelve Principles of Animation”
Disney’s Twelve Principles of Animation remain foundational for anyone learning motion design. These principles—such as follow‑through, anticipation, easing, and timing—establish the core behaviors that make motion feel natural, expressive, and intentional. Whether applied to character animation or minimalist kinetic type, these fundamentals strengthen every animation produced. ➡️ https://a.co/d/097aZPJc

2. School of Motion
School of Motion offers one of the most comprehensive learning ecosystems for motion designers at any stage. With structured courses, deep‑dive tutorials, and expert‑led training, it excels at teaching essential skills like match cuts, transitions, graph editor mastery, and overall motion theory. Its curriculum is known for bridging the gap between beginner understanding and production‑ready execution. ➡️ schoolofmotion.com

3. Holke79's Kinetic Type Series
Holke79’s Kinetic Type Series is a standout resource for designers specializing in kinetic typography. The series breaks down complex motion concepts into clear, visually engaging lessons that strengthen timing, rhythm, and fluidity in type‑driven animation. Holke79’s approach is highly regarded for making advanced transitions—like seamless match cuts—accessible and replicable. ➡️ https://www.holke79.com

4. Luftformat
Luftformat provides tutorials and resources tailored to designers exploring minimal, monochrome, and concept‑driven motion styles. With a focus on clean forms, restrained palettes, and intentional pacing, Luftformat helps motion designers refine their aesthetic sensibilities while adopting a more editorial, design‑focused approach to movement. ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@LUFTFORMAT

5. Ben Marriot
Ben Marriott has become a go‑to source for motion designers seeking high‑quality guidance in character animation and illustrative motion styles. His tutorials break down workflows in a way that's approachable yet thorough, helping designers understand how to bring expressive characters, playful sequences, and detailed visual narratives to life through animation. ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@BenMarriott

This week’s brand spotlight is on F Soda, Egypt’s first real fruit soda brand brought to life by Nazar Studio.

For decades, “fruit soda” in Egypt meant flavored soft drinks. Never truly fruit‑based, never truly exciting, and never positioned as something culturally cool. F Soda set out to rewrite that narrative. The goal: introduce fruit soda to a new generation through an identity that feels fresh, modern, and genuinely flavorful.

The team at Nazar Studio built the brand around a bold, contemporary visual language with a playful retro twist. A fruity, character‑packed logo leads the way, supported by grainy gradients, vibrant illustrations, and a bilingual system that speaks effortlessly to everyone. The result is a world that feels energetic, nostalgic, and unmistakably fun. Giving fruit soda the attitude, personality, and presence it’s always deserved.

More than a beverage, F Soda emerges as a cultural reintroduction. Reviving the real fruit soda category with confidence, craft, and a whole lot of flavor.

Brand Identity / Brand Strategy / Packaging Design / Illustration

"I love it when people say, "It's hard because it's a crowded market". Why? Because it's an opportunity to pick a fight and go against the cliches.

When you're designing for a crowded market, the insights and strategy are arguably the most critical part of the process. If the goal isn't to shout the same thing louder, then you first need to understand what everyone else is shouting.

Once you understand this, these become your category cliches. Think cereal bowls and child-friendly graphics on cereal boxes or transparent bottles in the olive oil category. Then think about brands like Surreal Cereal and Graza, which have done away with all that and gone against the grain where it makes sense."

Before we jump into our next challenge, a huge congratulations to our winners from the previous Design Brief Challenge: 1st — Md Omar Firoz, 2nd — Surabhi Saxena, 3rd — Bhavana Neti. Incredible work all around. 👏

Now for our next Design Brief Challenge! This time, we’re exploring Wildpress Coffee, a bold coffee brand shaped by flavor, craft, and character.

Business Name: Wildpress

Business Type: Coffee

Business Deliverables: Branding & Packaging

Meet Your Client: Wildpress Coffee is crafted for those who crave depth, not just caffeine. Each bean is intentionally sourced and roasted to highlight its natural character: rich, earthy, textured, and unapologetically wild. Wildpress blends quality and storytelling to create a sensory experience that feels adventurous yet grounded, inviting coffee lovers to explore flavor in its fullest form. It’s coffee with personality—bold, expressive, and made for the curious.

Instructions: Submit your designs in a post on LinkedIn by February 26, 2026 / 8 am PST to be considered for the poll after the deadline. Be sure to follow and tag Beautiful Branding and use the hashtags #beautifulbranding and #wildpressbrief in your posts.

Finished late? Don’t worry, you can still submit your designs to build your portfolio and showcase your talent. Make sure you tag us so we don’t miss it.

Win: Scene mockups from Creatoom

Deadline: February 26, 2026 / 8 am PST

Tag: Beautiful Branding #beautifulbranding #wildpressbrief

About the prize:
1st Place: Any 5 mockup scenes of choice
2nd Place: Any 3 mockup scenes of choice
3rd Place: Any 2 mockup scenes of choice

Our panel of judges will select four top entries, and then the community will have the opportunity to vote for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place.

Stay tuned for more updates and announcements. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Good luck to all participants!

That’s a wrap. Thanks for reading and for being part of the Beautiful Branding community! Your energy, curiosity, and creativity are what make this space worth building. Every share, submission, vote, and conversation helps shape where we take this newsletter next, and we’re grateful to have you here.

If something in today’s issue (whether it was the motion design resources, this week’s brand spotlight, or the new Wildpress brief) sparked an idea or shifted the way you think about your craft, hit reply and let us know. We love hearing what resonates and what you want to see more of.

Until next week!