How Politics Is Shaping Your Marketing Strategy (Whether You Like It or Not)
If it feels like marketing your business in 2025 has become more unpredictable, you’re not imagining it. Politics isn’t just influencing your feed—it’s actively disrupting your marketing strategy. From unexpected tariffs to looming TikTok bans to election-year ad chaos, the line between business and government has never been blurrier.
And if you’re an entrepreneur, you’re not just watching it unfold. You’re feeling it in your invoices, inboxes, and insights.
Let’s break it down.
Politics, tariffs, & Entrepreneurship whiplash
The start of the year hit American, Canadian, Chinese, and Mexican business owners with a not-so-fun surprise: tariffs. Inside the Kiss My Aesthetic Facebook group, we saw firsthand how quickly fear set in:
Non-essential projects were paused or canceled overnight.
People who were hired on DEI initiatives were being questioned about their jobs.
Expenses for packaging and imported products ballooned.
Legal citizens and immigrants were being deported or disappeared overnight.
And across the board? More downtime. Less certainty. Shrinking profit margins.
This isn’t something we’re studying in history class; this is a real-time lesson in how fast political decisions can disrupt creative livelihoods.
TikTok: to ban or not to ban (that is the question)
Since it gained popularity during COVID-19 lockdowns, the threat of the U.S. government banning TikTok has been possible. While they state the reasoning is because of user data privacy concerns, the real threat for Americans is the human rights issues at stake if the app is banned.
This is the setup for infringing on American’s constitutional rights under the First Amendment. TikTok has become a vital platform for marginalized communities to express themselves and share their stories. It’s where activists inform people about what’s happening worldwide.
And it’s also where millions of American businesses market their brand and have it reach new audiences without dishing out thousands of dollars on ads.
This whole back and forth has only caused anxiety from the unknown. One minute, it’s getting banned. The next? Unbanned (for 75 days) with a slice of dystopic welcome back messages praising the exact person who initiated the ban in the first place.
The government's deadline for TikTok to be sold to an American company has recently been extended by another 75 days.
If trust is the currency of digital marketing, this cruel PR stunt has sent inflation soaring.
In the Beyond the TikTok Ban, Episode 155 of the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast with Amber Figlow and Ashli Pollard, we dissected the political theater, the power grab behind it, and most importantly—the lesson: do not build your empire on rented land. TikTok, Instagram, and X are tools. Not homes.
You need to diversify your strategy so you can still thrive regardless of the social marketing landscape at any given time. This is precisely what we work on with our social media clients: to remain flexible and resilient in the face of change. If you’re ready to adapt your social media strategy to one that is advantageous in the current political climate, check out our 2025 social media webinar and reference guide (typically exclusive for our social clients, so don’t miss out!).
Social media is political (even when you’re not)
In Episode 186 of the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast, Branding Lessons from Presidential Campaigns, I dove into the branding lessons we can learn from presidential campaigns.
Why? Because politics is branding.
🪧 This ethos is what inspired the No Kings Protest Poster Series (& corresponding merch designs) —a visual rebellion against apathy and a reminder that design is activism. Whether you’re a protestor or a business owner, you’re telling a story. You’re planting a flag.
Political Marketing Campaigns:
Use bold design systems tailored to specific demographics. All boiled down to communicating messages effectively to an audience—proving that the message will benefit them to the point where they become ambassadors of the message.
Use repetition, simplicity, and emotional triggers.
Go where their audience is: TikTok, podcasts, Instagram lives.
Create moments worth clipping, sharing, and talking about.
These are the cornerstones of smart and savvy branding.
The paid ad tsunami of Q4 2024 🌊
Q4 in 2024 saw an 84% increase in paid political content across social platforms. Yes, the same platforms you were sharing your product launch and brand awareness campaign. Yours and everyone else’s content was swimming upstream against million-dollar election ads, emotionally charged hot takes, and algorithmic chaos.
No wonder your reach tanked. No wonder your content flopped. It’s somewhat impossible to think you’d be able to float to the top of everyone’s feeds.
And that’s a critical point for marketers in 2025: you need a new game plan.
What innovative brands are doing now 🧠
For your brand to survive and thrive in this current political climate, you need to:
Diversify your content distribution. Think TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Reels and blog content. Podcasts and Pinterest. Relying on one platform amplifies your risk of losing your audience base if the app suddenly gets shut down.
Get vocal about your values. Neutrality doesn’t build customer trust. And in a sea of uncertainty, clarity wins. Wondering how this looks in practice? Check out the Instagram carousel we created on our core beliefs.
Start building circular ecosystems. Mention your podcast in your newsletter. Promote your newsletter on TikTok. Tease your blog in an Instagram Reel. Connect the dots so people know where to find you.
Market within your community. In Episode 198 of the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast, Marketing Without Social Media, I dive into the ways you can build your brand beyond social media. Think workshops, events and classes. Establish partnerships with aligned brands and host a cross-promotional event to widen your audience. Create an experiential event like how Falk Ruvin Gallagher hosts cooking classes for community members who have worked with their real estate services. Hosting events consistently is a fantastic way to generate buzz off-screen.
Aside from hosting, sponsorships are another great way to show off your brand values in the real world. Sponsor an event. Buy a billboard at your local community centre. The number of ways your brand can be relevant off-screen is truly endless.
Politics is now a marketing variable 🗳️
Gone are the days when you could ignore politics and still succeed in business. Being an entrepreneur or brand strategist in 2025 means that politics isn’t just on your radar—it’s in your revenue.
So here’s your reminder to:
Stay informed.
Speak up.
Adapt boldly.
Feeling the algorithm whiplash? Book a discovery call to work with us for a brag-worthy social media strategy.
Spring Branding Vibes: 5 Brag-worthy Brands that Bloomed 🌷
Spring. The season of soft launches, floral fonts, and fresh starts. At MKW Creative Co., we’re all about bold brands— and spring aesthetics prove that softness can still make a statement. Think pastel palettes and design that feels like a deep inhale of lavender-scented air.
So whether it’s bringing a product to life through bold packaging or reviving a brand with story-driven visuals, we’ve had the honor of helping some incredible businesses bloom.
We're spotlighting five of our favorite spring-feeling projects that embody the season’s energy: optimistic, refreshing, and buzzing.
Spring. The season of soft launches, floral fonts, and fresh starts. At MKW Creative Co., we’re all about bold brands— and spring aesthetics prove that softness can still make a statement. Think pastel palettes and design that feels like a deep inhale of lavender-scented air.
So whether it’s bringing a product to life through bold packaging or reviving a brand with story-driven visuals, we’ve had the honor of helping some incredible businesses bloom.
We're spotlighting five of our favorite spring-feeling projects that embody the season’s energy: optimistic, refreshing, and buzzing.
🌸 Dental Hygiene Nation – Garden Party Subscription Box
Vibe: Floral, fun, clinically fresh
Nothing says spring like a routine reset. This is what inspired the design behind Dental Hygiene Nation’s Dental Garden Party Collection. Every quarter we team up with Dental Hygiene Nation to design their subscription boxes (including fan-favorites like Pearly Whites Ranch and Chateau Dentaire), and for Spring 2025, our team brought the life of the (garden) party. From merch sourcing to design, we created a box design that quickly became an all-time favorite.
As founder Caitlyn Cochran put it in the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast ep. 057 Client Case Study: Dental Hygiene Nation, their subscription boxes are designed to feel like “a story time moment”—and this one is giving a sunny day at the office seeing your favorite clients and sipping on a slightly sweetened iced matcha.
📦 Peek inside the box → Dental Hygiene Nation Spring Box 2025
P.S. Did you know that we designed all of Dental Hygiene Nation’s branding back in 2021? Check out their full service brand design project.
“I love working with MKW Creative Co.! They are very organized and excited about new ideas and on trend campaigns. They are truly an asset to my business and so thankful to have found them!”
🍋 Avenue 8 Cocktails – Branding & Packaging
Vibe: Unmatched, sparkling joy, effortlessly elevated
Born out of a frustration with the male-dominated ready-to-drink cocktail space, Avenue 8 is Tiffany Jones’ bold antidote to tasteless, poor quality canned cocktails. With a background in residential interiors, Tiffany brought her discerning design eye to the table, and together we created a brand identity and award-winning packaging that earned us a Silver Medal in Packaging Design through the American Craft Spirits Association. We can confidently say that this looks (and tastes) like nothing else on the shelf.
By balancing the sophisticated logo with a juicy, punchy color palette, we designed a brand identity that is both inviting and elevated.
🎧 Listen to Tiffany’s founder story → Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast Episode 208: Client Case Study: Avenue 8 Cocktails
🍸 Explore the brand →Avenue 8
“Michelle and her team created a brand I could have never dreamed of! I did not know what the vision should be creatively and they patiently worked with me to evolve all the ideas into the perfect execution. I would give the entire team the highest accolades and recommend them to anyone looking to build a beautiful brand.”
🎾 Lily Par San Diego – Merch, Branding & Social
Vibe: Sporty-chic, coastal, blooming with preppy polish
Founder Kendall Kinsman created the boutique she wished existed when she re-entered the golf world in her 20s. Together, we crafted a brand that’s as chic as your favorite courtside 'fit with logo, merch, and social content that play off nostalgic prep with modern California cool. Think whiskey sours, pleated skorts, and the satisfaction of a well-played match point.
🎾 Listen to Kendall’s story → Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast Episode 183: Client Case Study: Lily Par
🌼 Follow on IG → @lilyparsd
“Michelle and the entire MKW Creative team are a dream to work with. Not only did they bring my brand to life, they also take an extensive amount of time explaining the importance and process of branding. I engaged MKW Creative because I was struggling to capture my vision. Michelle’s creativity and expertise elevated my brand beyond my imagination. The team is incredibly thoughtful and I highly recommend their branding services.”
🌼 Bloom RDH – Branding, Merch & Website
Vibe: Soft, empowering, made-for-community
Helping hygienists bloom into confident professionals? Say no more. Founder Kim Augustus planted her brand around empowering new dental grads through mentorship and education. We developed a visual identity that mixes softness and strength: a balance of bubbly optimism and rooted expertise. The result? A brand that feels warm, encouraging, and ready to blossom with her audience.
🎧 Hear Kim’s full journey → Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast Episode 193: Client Case Study: Bloom RDH
💻 Check out Bloom RDH → bloomrdh.com
“I can’t say enough about the amazing team at MKW Creative Co.! I knew I needed a stronger brand to represent my business, but I wasn’t quite sure what that looked like or had the time to dive into it. After seeing Michelle’s previous designs, I knew I wanted to work with her—and I’m so glad I did!
She took my vague ideas and transformed them into something fun and exactly what I envisioned. Not only did she update my branding, but she’s also handling everything that goes along with it! The entire process has been seamless, and the final results have exceeded my expectations!!
If you’re looking for a creative partner who truly understands your vision, look no further than MKW Creative Co. Highly recommend!”
🧺 Peach Grove House – Branding & Social
Vibe: Upstate New York meets modern charm, slow-living chic
Peach Grove House is a boutique luxury vacation rental and events venue for the modern traveler seeking charm, character, and a little countryside magic. Nestled in a lovingly restored 1800s Greek Revival estate in Upstate New York, this elegant vacation getaway blends historic charm with refined comfort.
We created a brand identity with elevated seasonal softness to complement the property's unique personality. From social templates to signage and branded merch, the visuals are inspired by fruit stands and, of course, peaches. Whether you're planning a private celebration or just scrolling their dreamy feed, Peach Grove House offers a slice of timeless tranquility—perfect for weddings, retreats, and slow sunny Sunday mornings.
🎧Learn all about Peach Grove House → Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast Episode 101 Hemsley Ventures with Ashley Brinton
🍑 Visit them online → peachgrovehouse.co
🌿 Follow on IG → @peachgrovehouse
“We love working with Michelle. She is so amazing and beyond talented. We love how easy it is to work with her and her team and we also love how she gets exactly what we want and makes our vision come to life! We have used her for three projects now and we can’t wait to use her for many more to come!”
Spring has sprung 💐
From delicate pastel palettes to community-rooted storytelling, these brands channel the spirit of spring. A season of renewal, rebirth, and the kind of thoughtful design that feels equal parts intentional and inviting.
When your brand embraces a spring aesthetic, you communicate a fresh perspective and optimism. A delicate power that welcomes people in and makes them feel like anything is possible.
Ready for a brag-worthy brand rebirth? Let’s work together!
How to Gracefully Quit a Client before they Quit You
Vulnerability SZN over here at MKW Creative Co. Throwing in the towel, sending the white flag, or squealing “uncle” are all ways to Q U I T a project that is just a poor fit for your biz. In this blog, I am outlining how to identify when a project is going south, how to approach quitting the project with your client, and how to end things gracefully so you, the freelancer, come out unscathed.
It’s the situation you dread the most… You get excited about a project, feel like it’s a great fit, and slowly the whole cookie starts to crumble. Eventually, you’re left with a big ol’ mess of crumbs and it’s time to decide if you’re going to spend the time trying to mash pieces together to put the cookie back together again, or decide if it’s time to wipe the plate clean and move on.
Writing this blog today because this just happened to me.
With 5 years of brand design under my belt, I’ve got a pretty good feeling when I talk to a prospective client whether or not we will work well together. However, sometimes there are projects that start optimistically, and end up not working out.
In this blog, I am outlining how to identify when a project is going south, how to approach quitting the project with your client, and how to end things gracefully so you, the freelancer, come out unscathed.
Identify Red Flags
This can be easier said than done, but nonetheless is an important part of the process. I have a running list of red flags (that change often) that I keep close to the vest when speaking with a potential new client. My new project process goes a little like this…
If I get contacted for a new project via email or social media, I will direct them to my contact form. In my contact form, I have some pretty specific questions about the business/business owner regarding their brand. These questions include: mission statement, vision statement, ideal client avatar. If these three fields are left blank then it is a note to me that this person may not be completely dialed in on their business.
After I receive the contact form, I respond back to said client and send them a link to book a video call (via Calendly + Google Calendar). This is another quick test — how are they with technology. My ideal client knows their way around Google Drive, so making sure they know how to login, get set up on, and SHOW UP for a video chat is a major test.
During the video call, I also try and get a sense for what they know about branding. I ALWAYS give them the chance to talk first, and crosscheck their answers against these red flag Qs:
🚩 Do they struggle to talk confidently and consistently about their business idea?
🚩Do they say their ideal client is ‘everyone’?
🚩Can they accurately describe the aesthetic they’re after?
🚩Do they have a realistic budget and timeline?
Know when things are Getting Rocky
Say one slips through the cracks… Now you’re in the thick of it, so how can you tell when things are starting to get rocky? Here are the warning signs that you may not be the best fit:
🚩 Feedback is slow - when I notice that a client takes a long time to respond to an outstanding message this is usually a sign that they aren’t sure what they want, or are unclear on their business mission or goals
🚩 Feedback is contradictory - On this project specifically, we worked together on a brand design questionnaire where we came up with brand adjectives. When the first draft feedback came back, I was a little shocked to hear that the client was looking for something completely different than what she outlined in the questionnaire. This is a great time to have the questionnaire to circle back to.
🚩 You’re backsliding - if you’ve already locked in steps 1, 2 and 3 of your process and the client wants to go back to 1 when you should be on 4, you’ve got a problem
⚠️ BIG WARNING: Micromanagement
I notice that clients who micromanage do so because they don’t trust my expert opinion. Famous micromanagement statements are:
“Can you just try______?”
“Can I just see what it looks like if you ______”
“I saw this online, can you copy that?” (uhhh no way jose)
It is my goal to present the BEST POSSIBLE solutions to my clients at every point in the process because I am a professional. Someone who wants to do your job for you doesn’t trust your expert opinion.
The Graceful Exit
If you get the sense that a project should be over, give yourself the opportunity to quit that client before they quit you. I know personally that I tie up a lot of my self-worth in my work (my love language is words of affirmation, through and through). Being in a creative field on the one hand can be so exciting and rewarding, and on the other can be totally crushing when things don’t work out. When you sense that a project is NOT going to work out, here’s how you can make a graceful exit.
✔️ Point out the friction - identify where the pain points are and offer a solution to talk things out
✔️ Remind them of the terms of your contract, why those terms exist, and why they hired you in the first place - sometimes a gentle nudge to why you started the project is a good reminder
✔️ Give them the out - explain what it looks like to quit the process at the current stopping point and what you can do make the ending easy on them. Will you issue a refund? Provide them with files? Connect them with another professional? Do what is right here, without selling your soul, and your conscience will thank you for it.
✔️Sign off Politely - end things positively! Try your hardest to bite your tongue, and keep emotions out of it.
Brush yourself off, get back in the saddle
Best thing to do when you’re down and out on a project is to channel your energy back into what you ARE good at. For me, that was taking the time to write this blog for all of you. Channeling the feelings of less-than-ness into creativity helps you to get back on the horse and ride off into the sunset.
Just a reminder that no matter where you are in your business, there are STILL projects that don’t go according to plan. Learn the lessons that you can, reconnect with the clients and projects that you DID succeed at/with, and then move on. Now, it’s your turn:
🤔When things don’t go according to plan, how do you get back in the groove?
🤔What can you learn about projects that don’t end up the way you wanted?
🤔 How can you ensure your client stays happy even when you’ve stopped a project?
🤔As a creative, what are your tips for checking your ego at the door?
Sound off in the comments or participate in the discussion over in my facebook group, Kiss my Aesthetic!
7 Books that Changed my Small Biz (for the better)
Being a small biz owner is no joke, and statistically, the majority of Small Businesses will fail within the first 5 years. As I approach my own five year mark (full of failures, lessons, big oopses, by the way) I wanted to take the time to share the business books I have read that really changed not only the way I thought about my small business, but changed the way I thought about myself as a business owner. Here’s a breakdown of my top faves!
Being a small biz owner is no joke, and statistically, the majority of Small Businesses will fail within the first 5 years. As I approach my own five year mark (full of failures, lessons, big oopses, by the way) I wanted to take the time to share the business books I have read that really changed not only the way I thought about my small business, but changed the way I thought about myself as a business owner. Here’s a breakdown of my top faves!
Might as well start off with what might be the obvious choice here. These two books by Jen Sincero are great because you can literally read them in an afternoon. Jen’s writing style is friendly, approachable, and sometimes a nice kick in the …ass regarding treating yourself and your money with the respect they deserve. I love that she encourages ‘abundance’ mindset over ‘depravity’ mindset in not just financial facets of our lives, but in happiness, too. I think that these books helped me to consider how what I tell myself paves the path for what materializes.
3. The Power of Habit: Why we do What we Do in Life and Business
I love this book by Charles Duhigg because it looks into the science of our habits and how habits become so ingrained that we forget that we are doing them. He breaks down in great detail about how our ‘keystone habits’ can trigger larger life changes so that we can change the habits that we feel stuck in.
The habits I am looking to break are my ‘unproductive’ habits… mindlessly scrolling instagram, falling into Pinterest rabbit holes, or spending too too long looking at a project without getting up, moving around, taking a break, and giving my brains and eyeballs a break. I like having this book on habits nearby to remind me that these ‘habits’ are all programmable in our own brains, and that we have the power to do something different about them.
This book is an absolute classic. I love the old-timey sounding punctuation that Napoleon Hill uses throughout that makes it feel like a very enthusiastic college lecture.
My biggest takeaway from this one is the anecdote he tells in the beginning about his son who was born without the ability to heal. Instead of taking pity on his son, or treating his affliction like he was less than everyone else, Hill instead raised his son with the idea that he was more special than everyone else. Hill says he '“wished his son to hear, so he did” which is part confidence, part manifestation, and part stopping at nothing to find solutions… All of which are super powerful lessons in mindset and business. I think this book is a great read for anyone who needs a little oomph in their goal setting, financially and otherwise.
5. Contagious: Why Things Catch On
The internet says there is no one else more well versed in why things go viral than Jonah Berger. When I read this book (back in 2015 by now, but literally picking it up again to re-read tonight) I remember enjoying how Berger explains exclusivity, social currency and social proof. For example, he talks about how airlines game-ified the points system, making their different membership levels into status symbols (I totally fall for bougie ‘insiders-only’ stuff like this and you probably do too).
Berger’s book made be think about how I can create these moments in the brands that I create for my clients. How can we add that extra level of detail, that extra hint or sprinkle that only the BEST of the BEST of that brand’s clients know about and appreciate? Like Disney’s hidden Mickey phenomenon… ideas that spread through word of mouth have much longer and stronger business legs in the long run.
6. Big Magic
Elizabeth Gilbert is a great read if you’re down for a little kooky woo-woo in your life. I for sure dabble in woo-woo-ness so this book was another quick and easy read for me.
Although a lot of her book felt a little predictable, the one that stuck with me is her explanation of how ideas exist in the universe in search of a host, and that it is possible to sit on an idea for too long, and that that idea might just move on to the next host (which explains the phenomenon of seeing the infomercial for the exact invention you wanted to create, but never did). I like this theory because it encourages us to act on our ideas as they come to us, to brainstorm on them, flesh them out, then decide if they are meant to be, or meant to move on. I have ideas like this anywhere between 5-20x a day. I get so many ideas that I will write them in the steam on the shower doors, only committing them to paper or laptop if I am still thinking about them by the time I get out of the shower. I love that Glibert brings the idea, of ideas, and illustrates them as being energetic bodies instead of random synapse firings.
7. The Art of Thinking Clearly
This last one came recommended by a good friend of mine who I think is particularly intelligent. :) The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli is not so much a business book as it is a life book. The best part about this one is that each little story is only a few pages, and leaves you with a good idea of why our brains work the way that they do, and what our inherent biases are towards others, towards our situation, towards ourselves, and towards the world as a whole.
The small anecdotes make this a great travel or beach read, because you can easily share the stories like “Why You Shouldn’t be Friends with Supermodels” and “Why you see Shapes in Clouds.” There are soooo many good nuggets in here that make you think “yeah, well duh” in a way that you wouldn’t have been able to put into words yourself, which I think is why I like it so much.
Which ones am I missing? Let me know in the comments, shoot me a DM or send a carrier pigeon!
