09/02/2026
“Words make money.”
That’s the tagline of Wes Gay—one of the top StoryBrand guides in the world. Wes is a copywriter for founders who’d rather not sound like everyone else.
Wes went pretty far without much of a logo or visual identity to speak of, but when he wanted to take things to the next level he called Fruitful.
During his design discovery, one of the things I realized right away is that Wes is a man of taste. He admires vintage watches and cars. He enjoys classic fountain pens. He’s a southern men’s fashion aficionado. I began to draw inspiration from some of these sources – exploring classic monograms, etchings, and vintage color schemes.
Three special visuals that emerged from the logo sketches:
🖋️ A fountain pen nib
🐊 A Florida alligator
🔤 A Classic hand-lettered name & monogram
As a lover of fine writing instruments and a professional writer, the classic shape of a pen nib (with a hidden letter “W” for “Wes) became an instant hit for the main logo mark. The hand-drawn alligator illustration emerged as a supporting brand element—a nod to his Florida upbringing, and his southern gentleman charm. Many classic and luxury brands incorporate animal “mascot” motifs for brand recognition and this seemed to fit Wes’ vibe pretty well.
In the end, Wes received a full brand book with fonts, colors, a hand drawn logo mark (in many versions) and a supporting brand “mascot” alligator.
It’s fun to see Wes using this brand on his new website, and in all of his LinkedIn videos. Make sure you follow him and check out his awesome content. I was deeply honored to play an important role in Wes Gay’s visual brand identity!
www.wesgay.com
