Wednesday, 16 July 2025

🧠✨ Closure: The Design Trick Your Brain’s Been Falling For Since Forever

Powered by Twisted T – where less is more, and missing pieces are part of the plan.

Okay, let’s get real.

You ever spot a half-drawn shape, a broken line, or a logo that barely even shows up—and your brain just… knows what it is?

That’s closure, baby. Not the emotional kind (though we stan therapy), but the design kind—aka the secret sauce behind how you recognize things without even realizing you’re doing it.

🧩 The Gist of Closure

Here’s how it works:

👉 Your brain hates unfinished business.
So when it sees part of a shape, or a logo missing a chunk, it’s like:
"Don’t worry, I got this."
It auto-fills the blanks like a boss. That’s the Gestalt Principle of Closure in action.

💸 Brands Are Banking on This

Like, literally.

Companies have spent millions crafting logos and visuals that sneak into your subconscious.
They use just enough visual info for you to recognize it instantly—without spelling it out.
It’s sleek. It’s smart. It’s psychological warfare… but make it pretty.

You’ve seen it:
🔹 Apple’s iconic bite.
🔹 FedEx’s sneaky arrow.
🔹 The WWF panda that’s not even fully drawn.
Your brain sees it. Your loyalty feels it. That’s closure doing what it does best.

🎨 Why Twisted T Loves Closure

At Twisted T, we’re not here to overdesign.
We’re here to make visuals that make you feel clever just for looking at them.

Closure lets us:

🎯 Keep designs clean, bold, and scroll-stopping.
🎯 Let your brain do part of the work—because that’s what makes things stick.
🎯 Play with negative space like it’s our favorite toy.

You don’t need a full sketch when one smart line can say it all.

🖥️ It’s Not Just for Logos

In UI design, closure helps users know where to click, what belongs where, and how to move through a layout—even when things are minimal.
In storytelling, music, and branding? Same deal. Your mind wants to connect dots. Closure helps it do just that.

💡 So What’s the Takeaway?

The next time you look at a logo and feel a weird sense of recognition, just know:
👉 That’s not random.
👉 That’s design psychology.
👉 That’s millions of branding dollars playing 4D chess with your subconscious.

And at Twisted T, we’re fluent in that language.

Because great design doesn’t shout.
It whispers to your brain—and lets you fill in the blanks.

Monday, 14 July 2025

Be Better Than the Rest – Set Your Business Apart for the Right Reasons

In a world filled with noise, competition, and templated brands, one truth remains: standing out isn’t about being louder—it’s about being better.

Better at serving people.
Better at delivering value.
Better at building a brand people can actually trust.

Here’s how to raise the bar—and keep it there.

1. Customer Service is Your Secret Weapon

People don’t just buy products—they buy experiences. They remember how you made them feel.
In today’s world, trust is earned through authentic connection and personal service.
Customers are far more likely to support local businesses that feel friendly, helpful, and genuine, rather than faceless mega-stores that treat them like a number.

💡 No two clients are the same—treat each one as an individual, not a transaction.

2. Quality Always Wins

In Afrikaans, we say: “Goedkoop koop is duur koop.”
In other words: cheap now, expensive later.

Create products that are built to last.
Shortcuts may get you quick sales—but long-term trust? That’s earned with craftsmanship, care, and a commitment to excellence. Quality never goes out of style.

3. Let Your Advertising Speak the Truth

An unforgettable advertising campaign can launch your business into the spotlight—but only if it’s built on truth, clarity, and authenticity.

Don’t over-promise. Don’t try to be everything to everyone.
Focus on what you do best—and say it loud and proud.
🎯 Customers connect with real stories, not sales fluff.

4. Brand Like You Mean It

Your brand is more than a logo—it’s your business’s voice, face, and personality.

Make sure it's everywhere:

Branded emails
Social media handles
Company clothing
Product packaging
Show people who they’re doing business with—and why they can trust you.

✨ When your branding is consistent, your credibility grows.

5. Efficiency is a Form of Respect

Your brand deserves to be handled with care and professionalism.
So do your clients.
Respond on time. Deliver as promised. Make the experience smooth and seamless.

When you respect the process, your clients will respect your business.
Efficiency isn’t just logistics—it’s your reputation in motion.

6. Respect Your Competition

There’s no place in good business for pettiness or public shaming.
Your competitors are chasing their version of success—just like you.

Here’s the truth:
💪 You don’t need to tear others down to lift yourself up.

Outshine them with better service.
Outwork them by understanding your clients better.
Outlast them by building something worth coming back to.

Final Thought: Don’t Just Be Different. Be Better.

Better service.
Better branding.
Better attitude.
Better products.

That’s what truly sets you apart.

✍️ This article was written by Toni du Plooy
Owner & Designer at Twisted T Designs
Where branding meets purpose, and design becomes unforgettable.

Where It All Started — And Where I’m Headed

We all talk about our hopes and dreams.

Some of us chase them.
A few of us build them; brick by stubborn brick.

You already know I run a social media marketing agency.
What you may not know is… it’s a one-woman show.

I design. I create. I post. I plan.
From content calendars to Facebook reels, every pixel, caption, and colour choice is made by me—for the amazing clients who choose Twisted T Designs.

But today, I want to share where it all began—and where I dream to go.
And yes, it’s personal.

I didn’t start this business because it was easy. I started it because I was done.

Done being taken for granted.
Done doing the work and not getting paid.
Done pouring energy into someone else’s dream, only to walk away with empty pockets and empty promises.
Done designing ads for R100 and chasing payment like it was a luxury.

I was tired of putting in the effort and watching someone else reap the rewards.

So, I built something of my own.

Owning a business isn’t glamorous. It’s grit.

It’s long nights when everyone else is out.
It’s early mornings, tight budgets, and coffee by the gallon.
It’s saying “no” when you really want to say “yes.”
It’s learning to value your time, your craft, and your worth.

And no—it's not always easy.
But it's mine. And that makes it worth it.

What I Want Isn’t Flashy—It’s Fulfilling.

I don’t want a multi-million rand agency.
I don’t want to chase giant brands or sell out to quick wins.
I want to design.

Simple as that.

Give me logos that tell a story.
Give me ads that stop the scroll.
Give me content that makes people feel something.

I want to open my apps and see Twisted T Designs everywhere—on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube.
Not because I’m everywhere. But because my clients are.

This is where you come in.

To get there, I need you.
I need the brands that are brave enough to grow.
The business owners ready to be seen.
The companies who need real, authentic marketing that doesn’t cut corners.

Twisted T Designs is ready.
Let’s build something that deserves to be seen.

—
✍️ Toni du Plooy
Founder of Twisted T Designs | Your brand, boldly told.

Fonts Have Feelings Too: How to Match Font Personality to Your Brand

Fonts aren't just letters they’re tone, attitude, and vibes. Whether you're designing a logo, a social post, or a pitch deck, the font you choose tells a story before anyone reads a single word.

🔤 The Main Font Families:

1. Serif Fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Georgia)

📚 Personality: Traditional, trustworthy, academic, elegant.
🎯 Best for: High-end brands, law firms, print publications, classy blogs.
⚠️ Be careful: Can look dated if not used well in modern design.

2. Sans-Serif Fonts (e.g., Helvetica, Montserrat, Open Sans)

💻 Personality: Clean, modern, neutral, tech-forward.
🎯 Best for: Digital-first brands, tech companies, startups, casual elegance.
⚠️ Watch out for sameness—can feel generic without good pairing.

3. Script Fonts (e.g., Pacifico, Great Vibes)

✒️ Personality: Feminine, expressive, romantic, handwritten.
🎯 Best for: Wedding invites, boutique brands, feminine businesses, logos with personality.
⚠️ Use sparingly—bad readability = brand confusion.

4. Display Fonts (e.g., Lobster, Bebas Neue, ChunkFive)

🎪 Personality: Bold, loud, artsy, creative.
🎯 Best for: Headlines, promotions, event posters.
⚠️ Not suitable for long-form text or multiple uses.

Thursday, 10 July 2025

Why Your Business Can’t Afford to Ignore Social Media Anymore

By Toni du Plooy

Social media and messaging apps are no longer just places for sharing memes, gossip, or keeping up with friends.
Today, they’re where business happens.

From Facebook and Instagram to WhatsApp and YouTube, these platforms have become digital marketplaces, customer service desks, and brand-building arenas—all in one scroll.

🚀 The Power of Social Media in Numbers

Let’s talk scale:

📱 Over 1.2 billion monthly users are active on Facebook Messenger
💬 Over 2 billion messages are exchanged monthly between people and businesses on Messenger
📞 WhatsApp boasts 1.2 billion active users monthly
🎥 YouTube pulls in 1.5 billion monthly users

With numbers like these, it's clear: your customers are online.
They’re messaging, watching, reacting, and yes—shopping.

💡 Why This Matters for You as a Business Owner

Social media marketing isn’t just a trend. It’s a necessity.

People want to connect with brands where they already spend their time. In fact:

📩 46% of consumers prefer messaging apps over email to contact businesses
📞 49.4% say they’d rather message than call

That means your business has the chance to show up—right in their inbox, timeline, and feed.

🛠️ Social Media Marketing: What It Lets You Do

As a business owner, social media puts powerful tools directly in your hands:

👀 Observe your customers' interests in real-time
👍 Engage with their likes, dislikes, and feedback
🗣️ Start authentic conversations with potential clients
⏱️ Get instant responses to your content, offers, and promotions
🤝 Build relationships, not just sales

It’s not just marketing anymore—it’s community-building.

🎯 Social Media Is the Way Forward

Social media marketing has become one of the most efficient, cost-effective ways to:

Create brand awareness
Build trust and loyalty
Increase engagement
Drive conversions

And the best part? You don’t need a massive budget to compete—just consistency, clarity, and connection.

So, where do your customers hang out?
Probably right where you should be—scrolling their favourite apps, waiting for your brand to show up.

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Your Customers Are Already Online – Is Your Business?

Think about your last big purchase.

Did you walk into a store blindly?
Or did you scroll through Facebook, message a business on WhatsApp, watch a YouTube review, or peek at their Instagram page?

You're not alone—and neither are your customers.

👀 We Live in a Scrolling Society

People no longer just find businesses.
They discover them in between coffee breaks, during Netflix episodes, and right before bed.

Here’s what your potential customer is already doing:

Watching “How-To” videos on YouTube
Browsing product photos on Instagram
Sending DMs on Facebook Messenger
Getting real-time support on WhatsApp

They're making buying decisions long before they ever click “Add to Cart.” And they’re doing it online.

💬 People Don’t Want to Be Sold To — They Want to Connect

Today’s customer expects brands to:

Respond quickly
Speak in a relatable voice
Show real, human interaction
Offer easy access through messaging apps

In fact:

📲 Nearly 50% of people would rather message a business than call
💡 46% prefer chatting over emailing
🤳 And most expect you to be where they are—on social platforms

If your business isn’t present or responsive, someone else will be.

📉 What Happens If You’re Not on Social Media?

You may have great products.
Amazing service.
But if your ideal customer can’t see you online, they’ll assume one of two things:

You’re not professional
You don’t exist

Out of sight really is out of mind.

🚀 What Smart Brands Are Doing Right Now

They’re not just posting—they’re:

Starting conversations
Building trust
Making it easy for customers to reach them
Creating content that answers questions before they’re even asked
And showing up consistently in the spaces their audience already loves

🌟 So Ask Yourself: If Your Ideal Client Is Scrolling… Will They Find You?

Because the truth is—your audience isn’t waiting for a billboard or a flyer.

They’re waiting for a post, a reel, a quick message reply.
And if you’re not there?
Someone else will take that space.

🌀 Be the brand they remember.
Start showing up where it matters.

Social Media Marketing: The Modern Megaphone for Small Businesses

By Toni du Plooy

Let’s be honest most (almost all) small businesses don’t have the budget for 60-second TV commercials or full-page magazine ads. The Yellow Pages? A thing of the past. Even word-of-mouth, while still valuable, is no longer enough to keep your brand top of mind especially if your customers forget to share your name.

That’s where social media marketing steps in... its not just as a solution, but as a superpower for modern business growth.

💡 What Is Social Media Marketing, Anyway?

Simply put, it’s the most accessible and effective form of marketing for today’s small business owner. It’s about using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and even TikTok to build awareness, connect with your audience, and turn interest into income.

Social media has replaced the front page, the phone book, and even the product catalog.
Your digital presence is now your first impression and if you're not online, you might not exist in the eyes of your potential customers.

As Bill Gates famously said:

“If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business.”

👥 Who Does Social Media Marketing—and Why Does It Matter?

Social media marketers (like me!) aren’t just posting for the sake of it. We’re here to help your business grow strategically, one post at a time.

Every time someone sees your name, shares your content, or tags a friend in your post—you’re planting a seed. A connection. A potential sale. That’s not magic—it’s strategy.

📊 3 Key Goals of Social Media Marketing

At Twisted T, every campaign is crafted with intention. Here’s how we structure our approach:

1. Awareness

This is about visibility. The goal? Make people know you exist.
We run campaigns that focus on:

Brand awareness
Local reach
Name recognition

You want your audience to say, “Oh yes, I’ve seen them around.”

2. Consideration

Once they know you, it’s time to get them interested.
This phase includes:

Driving traffic to your website
Boosting post engagement
Promoting videos or products
Generating leads via forms and messages

Here, we help potential clients understand what makes you better—and why they should care.

3. Conversion

This is where curiosity turns into action.
We run ads that:

Encourage purchases from your online store
Retarget users who visited your site or interacted with your posts
Guide foot traffic to your physical location

It’s about results. Measurable, trackable, and meaningful.

🗺️ Think of It Like This…

Your website is your online storefront.
But without a map, how will anyone find it?

Social media marketing is your GPS—guiding potential clients right to your digital doorstep. The more visible your brand, the more traffic you drive, the more trust you build, and the more customers you gain.

🎯 Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Go Viral—You Just Have to Show Up Consistently

Whether you’re a hairdresser, a café owner, a fitness coach, or a boutique brand—social media gives you a direct line to the people who need what you offer.

You don’t need to shout the loudest. You just need to show up, stay present, and speak clearly.
And if you don’t have time for all that?

That’s where Twisted T Designs comes in.
We handle the posts, the campaigns, the hashtags, and the heart behind your brand—so you can focus on the business you love.

Let’s grow together. One post at a time.
📩 Message me to get started today.

Monday, 7 July 2025

🎨 Color Me Sold: What Your Brand's Palette Really Says

Spilled by Twisted T — where every hue has attitude.

Colors aren’t just pretty—they speak.
Loudly. Quietly. Subtly. Seductively.
And every smart brand out there knows: choosing the right color isn’t a vibe… it’s a strategy.

So let’s spill the (rainbow) tea on what colors really do—and why the big dogs use them to get inside your head (and your wallet).

🔴 Red: The Alpha Vibe

Red walks in and owns the room. It’s loud, it’s bold, it says “Look. At. Me.” That’s why it’s everywhere in marketing—from sales tags to fast food to urgent buttons.
Use with confidence. Use with caution. Too much and you’ll feel like you’re being screamed at.

🔵 Blue: The Trust Fund Baby

Cool. Calm. Collected.
Blue is the guy who brings a deck to a beach party and still gets invited back. People trust blue. Banks love it. Tech companies lean on it. Pair it with a warm accent and you’ve got instant “We got you” energy.

💖 Pink: The Pop Princess

Fun. Flirty. Full-on fabulous.
Pink plays to the youthful, feminine crowd—but don’t box it in. From bubblegum to neon magenta, pink is marketing sugar with a punch. Want to win hearts (and hearts on Instagram)? Pink’s your girl.

💛 Yellow: The Risky Business

Yellow is like caffeine in color form. Bright. Bold. Unapologetic.
Use it to grab attention and shout confidence—but careful: too much and it turns from sunshine to warning sign. Balance is key unless you’re selling construction equipment or energy drinks.

💚 Green: The Triple Threat

✔️ Nature.
✔️ Nurture.
✔️ Cha-ching.
Green’s got versatility down. It’s calm, fresh, earthy—and rich. Great for health brands, eco lines, or anyone who wants to whisper “luxury” while looking chill.

💜 Purple: The Regal Realness

Purple pulls up in velvet and doesn’t need to introduce itself. It’s luxury, mystique, and a little bit of drama all rolled into one.
Use it when you want to add elegance, prestige, or a wink of fantasy to your vibe.

🟡✨ Gold: The High Roller

Gold is where elegance meets flex.
Paired with green or purple? That’s royalty in logo form. It screams prestige, power, and old money—but in the best way. Just don’t go full bling unless you’re selling watches or private jets.

🟠 Orange: The Fun Hustler

Orange is energy in a hoodie. It’s friendly, modern, and just a little rebellious.
Use it to say “We’re cool, but we mean business.” Think of it as the Gen Z of brand colors—no chill, but all charm.

🤎 Brown: The Cozy Classic

Underrated? Totally.
Brown is warm, grounded, and quietly confident. It’s for brands that want to wrap you in a weighted blanket and hand you a cup of artisanal coffee. Rustic, reliable, relaxing.

⚫ Black: The Mood Swinger

Black is a shape-shifter.
It can go high fashion or minimalist tech, luxury or edgy underground. It’s the contrast king, and when used right? It’s dramatic AF. Every color pops harder when black is around.

🎯 Real Talk: Big Brands Already Know This

You think McDonald’s chose red and yellow because they like ketchup and mustard?
Nah, fam. They did it because those colors move product.

Colors aren’t random. They’re calculated.
So if you’re building a brand, crafting a post, or creating packaging—your palette is your power move.

At Twisted T, we don’t pick colors that look nice.
We pick colors that sell.

💥 Want help finding your brand's color personality?
Slide into our DMs. We’ll find your hue, your mood, and your visual voice.

Because great design doesn’t just catch the eye—
It sticks in your head (and your cart).

💡 Neon Lies and the Truth About Digital Color

Brought to you by Twisted T – where color is loud, and theory is sexy.

Let’s talk about the heartbreak no one warned you about:

✨ That electric blue you drooled over on your screen?
💔 It’s lying to you.

🎨 The Dirty Truth About Neon

You know that bold neon pink, the one that practically glows off your laptop screen? That juicy electric cyan that makes your Insta story look like it’s powered by lightning?

Yeah… those colors?
They don’t exist in the real world.
Not in ink. Not in paint. Not even with glitter and unicorn tears.

🚫 Why You Can’t Print “Glow”

Here’s the tea:

🖥 Screens = Light
Screens use RGB (Red, Green, Blue) – tiny beams of light that mix inside your eyeballs to create wild, vibrant colors. That’s how you get those juicy neons. They’re literally light magic.

🖨 Print = Pigment
Print uses CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) – physical pigments that reflect light. And pigments? They’ve got rules. Boundaries. Limitations. They can’t glow like digital colors do because they don’t have a built-in backlight screaming, “LOOK AT ME!”

🎯 Why This Matters for Your Brand

Let’s say you design your brand identity using that hyper-saturated hot pink from your Instagram filter. It looks killer online… but then you print it and it comes out looking like a tired strawberry.

Your brand just lost its pop.

That’s why digital vs. physical color palettes matter big time. You’ve gotta:

✔️ Pick RGB colors for web, video, social.
✔️ Convert (and test) CMYK versions for anything printed – packaging, business cards, merch, banners, tattoos (okay maybe not tattoos).
✔️ Use Pantone swatches if you’re really serious about color accuracy.

🧠 Color Theory Meets Real-World Drama

This is what we teach in design bootcamp at Twisted T:

✨ RGB gives you vibes.
✨ CMYK keeps you grounded.
✨ Knowing the difference keeps your brand from looking like a sad knockoff of itself.

You’ve gotta design with the medium in mind.
What slaps on a screen may flop on paper.

💸 Big Brands Know This

You think Coca-Cola, Netflix, or Barbie™ just wing it when it comes to color?

Nope.
They spend MILLIONS locking down their colors for every platform—web, print, TV, packaging, you name it.

They test, tweak, and tweak again.
And yes—they have different color values depending on where you're seeing it.

That neon-like glow? It’s curated AF.

🔥 Twisted T Takeaway

Designers: Don't fall for the neon lie.
Plan your color palette with purpose. Want glow? Go digital. Want consistency IRL? Learn your CMYK limits.

At Twisted T, we craft brand palettes that behave—no matter where they show up. Online. In print. On merch. On the moon (pending client approval).

Neon doesn’t print. But your brand? That should shine everywhere.

🎨 Mind the Gaps – Your Brain’s Secret Superpower! 🧠✨

by Twisted T

Ever looked at a logo and knew exactly what it was… even though half of it was missing? Yup that’s your brain pulling some serious visual ninja moves, courtesy of the Gestalt Principle of Closure.

"Companies have literally spent millions embedding these visuals into your subconscious—so you recognize them without even thinking."

At Twisted T, we’re a little obsessed with how the mind bends and snaps pieces together like some artsy puzzle master. So buckle up, because we’re diving headfirst into one of design’s coolest mind tricks.

🌀 What is Closure, Anyway?

Picture this: someone draws a circle using only dotted lines. Is it still a circle?
Your brain says “heck yes.” That’s closure, baby!

The Gestalt principle of closure is all about how our minds complete the picture, even when the picture is playing hard to get. It’s like your mental Photoshop, filling in the blanks before you even realize they’re there.

🧩 How Closure Plays the Game:

✨ Perception of Completeness:
When your eyes see fragments, your brain gets to work. "Looks like part of a square? Cool, I’ll just finish the job!"

✨ Filling in the Gaps:
Whether it’s missing lines, obscured edges, or invisible shapes—your noggin connects the dots like an intuitive detective.

🎯 Where It Shows Up (Everywhere):

🔹 Dotted Lines – We see the shape even when it’s not fully drawn. Your brain’s like, “No biggie, I got this.”

🔹 Logos – Ohhh yeah. Think FedEx, WWF, or even your fave indie brand (cough Twisted T cough) – we love playing with negative space to create shapes that make you do a double take.

🔹 Peekaboo Objects – Only seeing half a coffee mug behind a laptop? Your brain doesn’t panic—it finishes the shape and hands you a full mental mug.

🛠️ Closure in Action:

In Design:
At Twisted T, we use closure to create bold, punchy visuals. Why draw every little line when your viewer’s brain wants to play connect-the-dots? This trick keeps things minimal but magical.

In UI (User Interface):
Designers use closure to guide your eyeballs where they need to go. Buttons, content blocks, and call-to-actions can all be implied—not shouted. Smooth.

Beyond the Eyes:
Yep, closure isn’t just about sight. Your brain fills in meaning too—ever finished someone’s sentence in your head before they did? That’s closure sneaking into your thoughts like a ninja

💡 So Why Does This Matter?

Because knowing how people see helps you design smarter.
At Twisted T, we don’t just slap visuals on a screen—we create with psychology, sass, and a whole lotta style.

Whether you’re crafting a logo, building a brand, or just vibing with good design, closure is the unsung hero of visual magic.

Stay curious, stay creative, and don’t forget to let your audience’s brain do some of the work. They’re secretly loving it.

💥 Twisted T – Where gaps become genius.