You don’t have to sell luxury products to look like a premium brand. Looking more expensive has nothing to do with pretending to be something you’re not. It’s about showing up in a way that feels clear, intentional, and confident.
People judge your brand in seconds. If it looks cheap or thrown together, they’ll assume your product or service is the same. On the flip side, if your brand looks polished and high-quality, they’ll automatically believe it’s worth more—even before they know what you offer.
So how do you make your brand look more expensive without spending a fortune? Let’s talk about it.
First, simplify your look. This is one of the biggest secrets. Expensive brands are rarely loud or chaotic. They’re usually clean, quiet, and minimal. Think about brands like Apple or Aesop. There’s lots of space. Fewer colors. Simple fonts. And nothing extra. To do this with your brand, choose one or two primary colors, one accent color, and stick to it. Use consistent fonts. Don’t overcomplicate things.
Next, upgrade your typography. This one might surprise you, but fonts do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to perception. Premium brands tend to use classic, timeless fonts that feel balanced and well-spaced. Avoid novelty fonts or anything that feels dated. A sleek serif or modern sans serif can instantly elevate your entire brand. Even changing your website’s body text to something cleaner can make a big difference.
Pay attention to your imagery. Whether you’re posting on Instagram, designing a homepage, or creating a flyer, the quality of your visuals matters. Use high-quality photos. Stick to a consistent editing style. Avoid cluttered backgrounds. Even if you’re not hiring a professional photographer, make sure the lighting is good and the composition feels intentional.
Make use of whitespace. It’s the breathing room around your content. Cheap brands try to cram too much into one space. Premium brands know when to let things sit on their own. Give your logo space. Let headlines breathe. Use wider margins. This one shift alone can make your brand feel more calm and confident.
Consistency is everything. This is the one thing that makes even a basic brand feel more expensive. If your Instagram looks totally different from your website, and your email signature uses different fonts than your flyers, people will feel that disconnect. Even if they don’t realize it, it makes your brand feel less trustworthy. Create a simple set of brand rules and follow them. Same colors, same fonts, same tone, everywhere you show up.
Your tone of voice matters too. Premium brands don’t try too hard. They’re confident, clear, and calm. That doesn’t mean you have to sound stuffy or formal. You can still be casual and fun. But be intentional. Know how you speak and stick with it across your captions, emails, website copy, and even product descriptions.
Packaging is a major part of this if you sell physical products. Clean, minimal packaging with clear labels and high-quality materials always feels more premium. You don’t have to use gold foil or velvet boxes. Just focus on balance, clarity, and good design. A matte finish or natural texture can elevate even the simplest product.
One of the most important things to remember is that looking more expensive is really about feeling more intentional. If it looks like you’ve thought about every detail, people will trust that your product or service is worth their time and money. That’s what premium branding does. It builds trust before a word is spoken.
At Why Workshop, we help brands find their own version of premium. Sometimes that means simplifying a busy visual identity. Other times it means rebuilding from the ground up. Either way, we focus on clarity, consistency, and confidence. Because those are the things that make a brand feel like it’s worth more.
If you want your brand to feel more polished, more elevated, and more aligned with the value you bring, we’d love to help. You can start with a free brand audit and we’ll take a look at what’s working, what’s holding you back, and how to level up the look and feel of your brand without losing what makes it yours.
