How to Rebrand Your Products Using Aesthetics (Even If You’re Not Trendy)

So you just found out what goblincore is, huh? SAME. And listen, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been creating beautiful, functional, wildly inspired products for YEARS without worrying about whether your brand fit a “vibe.” But let me tell you – this whole aesthetic trend? It’s more than just cute outfits and dreamy Pinterest boards. It’s a secret marketing weapon… and once I finally opened that door, I saw the light (probably filtered through a vintage lace curtain or softly glowing mushroom lamp!)

If you have never heard of Aesthetics and Cores before and somehow wandered into this post, you need to go back and read the HUGE List of All the ‘Core’ Aesthetics For Marketing. This will give you kinds of “cores” and an overview of the different vibes!

Let me back up and tell you what finally pushed me over the edge. I have a friend – we’ll call her Becky (because she hates that, lol) – who has been talking to me about this stuff for YEARS. She’s a print-on-demand queen on Etsy, and she has this uncanny ability to create the exact right t-shirt for the exact right person. Fairycore plant witch? She’s got the design. Soft goth bookworm? Already in her shop. Coquette girlie who drinks iced coffee year-round? Please, Becky has a whole collection!

She has always been tapped into aesthetics and built her business around them, while I sat over here describing my products like, “good for the living room or bathroom or wherever…”

So yeah. Becky is 100% going to laugh that I’ve FINALLY jumped on the aesthetic bandwagon. But I’m here now, and I brought a blog post.

This one’s for all of us late bloomers who want to learn how to rebrand or refresh our creative products to align with the vibes our customers already LOVE.

Let’s do this!

1. Figure Out Who You’re Really Selling To (And What Vibe She Loves)

You don’t have to become the aesthetic—you just have to understand the person who lives in it. Is your ideal customer a cottagecore bookworm? A coastal grandma sipping white wine in linen pants? Or a Barbiecore babe planning her pink-themed bachelorette? Knowing her vibe helps you speak her language.

Hot tip: Pinterest is GOLD for this. Scroll what your dream customer is saving and notice patterns. What colors, textures, quotes, and fonts show up again and again? That’s her aesthetic playground.

2. Give Your Product Descriptions a Vibe Check

Okay, friend-to-friend: If you’re writing stuff like “Great for any room!” or “Perfect for anyone!”… it’s time for a makeover.

Instead, say:

• “This enchanted forest print brings cozy, fairycore energy to your reading nook.”
• “Add a touch of clean-girl minimalism to your morning routine with this neutral-toned glass tumbler.”

Those tiny tweaks help your ideal customer see herself using it, loving it, and buying it.

3. Use Aesthetic Keywords to Get Found Online

Etsy, Pinterest, your website SEO – they all love a good trend tag. Adding words like “grandmacore,” “light academia,” “that girl aesthetic,” or even just “cozy minimalist” to your listings and boards can make your products pop up when the right people are searching.

The nice thing about this is that when you have a “dark academia” board and put all things that are like on it, then Pinterest doesn’t have to take as long to guess what your pins are about! Just associating those words with your pin allows you to cover a wide range of characteristics in one fell swoop!

Even better? Aesthetic keywords are super low-competition compared to general terms like “printable art” or “home decor.”

4. Stage Your Photos to Match the Aesthetic

You don’t need a professional studio—just intention. If you’re selling something with a vintage or nostalgic feel, ditch the modern white backdrop and photograph it on a lace tablecloth with a stack of books and a cup of tea.

If it’s clean girl aesthetic? Go with crisp lighting, white or beige background, and minimal props. The goal: Let your photos whisper the aesthetic before someone even reads the title.

You will need to do some research to find out what the look is for your core. For example, as GenX I have an idea what I think Preppy means, but come to find out now it is more like our colorful 1980′s wear!

5. Create Bundles or Collections Around a Vibe

This is a fun one! Instead of organizing products by type (“journaling kits” or “prints”), try grouping them by vibe.

Like:

• “Forestcore Printable Pack”
• “Barbiecore Bachelorette Bundle”
• “Dark Academia Home Office Set”

This not only makes your shop feel super curated, but also helps people buy MORE because you’re selling a whole experience, not just a product.

6. Rename or Refresh Older Products with a Trendy Twist

Becky does this ALL. THE. TIME. Got a cute sun design from 2020? Rebrand it as part of your “light academia” or “mysticcore” drop.

Give your listings a glow-up by updating the title, tags, and mockups to match the aesthetic. It doesn’t change what the product is, but it changes how people connect with it.

Bonus tip… because Becky sells POD (Print On Demand) rather than one of a kind, she will make multiple listings of the same design styled to match the aesthetic of the different cores!

7. Create a Mood Board for Each Aesthetic You Want to Lean Into

Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be fancy. A Pinterest board or even a Canva collage works great.

Include colors, fonts, patterns, and sample product photos that match the aesthetic. This keeps your branding and creative decisions consistent (and keeps you from trying to cram a moody vampirecore quote onto a soft girl pastel background!)

8. Add Aesthetic Filters or Overlays to Your Social Graphics

Want your pins, reels, and product mockups to stand out? Add subtle visual cues that support the vibe.

For example:

• Grainy film filters for dark academia
• Soft glow and sparkles for fairycore
• Neutral gradients and serif fonts for clean girl

This creates a recognizable feeling even before someone reads the words!

9. Offer Custom or Limited-Edition Aesthetic-Themed Versions

You could take ONE design and release it in three aesthetic directions:

• Cottagecore version with floral backgrounds
• Gothic version with a moody font
• Clean girl version in muted blush + beige

Limited drops create urgency AND let your customers self-select their vibe. Plus, it’s a fun way to stretch your creativity!

10. Use Your Email List to Test Which Vibes Resonate Most

If you already have an audience, ask them! Create a poll: “Which aesthetic are you vibing with right now?” Or let them vote on your next collection theme.

You could even send sneak peeks of a new product styled in different aesthetics and track which gets the most clicks or saves. Data, but make it artsy!

This is my go to for launching new products or courses… I ask the peeps on my email list what they want and then make that! This cuts down on the time I spend making things no one wants to buy!

11. Pick 1–2 Core Aesthetics and OWN Them Like a Brand Boss

You don’t have to chase every trend. In fact, please don’t. Pick the ones that feel aligned and go all in.

Becky owns hers. Her audience knows what to expect, and she consistently shows up in that visual world. THAT builds trust, recognition, and a shop that just feels good to shop in!

And guess what? Now I’m finally doing the same.

Final Thoughts: Aesthetics Aren’t Fluffy—They’re Strategic

You don’t have to wear a puff-sleeve dress or read poetry in the rain to build an aesthetic-aligned brand. But you can use these powerful visual and emotional cues to meet your dream customer exactly where she is.

Start with one or two vibes. Play around. Test. Tweak. And most of all – have FUN with it!

This post is just the beginning, friend. And in case your brain’s already whirring with ideas, don’t forget to grab the FREE printable aesthetic guide to keep all the vibes straight and spark inspiration when you need it.

Here are some more great articles that you might love!

• 3 Advanced Pinterest Marketing Strategies For Bloggers
• 10 Ways To Make Money On Pinterest
• 17 Crafting Niches That Do Really Well on Etsy and Pinterest

Source: https://marketingartfully.com/how-to-rebrand-your-products-using-aesthetics-even-if-youre-not-trendy/