My parents were born and raised in Malta, specifically on the island of Gozo. I grew up hearing stories about a healer from Għarb, a village near where my mum grew up. Recently, out of sheer curiosity, I decided to learn more about him—Frenċ Ta L-Għarb—and who knew he’d be so inspiring.

Born in 1892, Frenċ understood something profound long before the wonders of modern medicine: healing comes not just from addressing what is visible, but from understanding what lies beneath. He believed in prevention, persistence, and unlocking the inherent potential within. His remedies didn’t simply treat symptoms; they empowered the body to heal itself.

We’ve all heard the iceberg analogy, which Frenċ’s biographer Joseph Bezzina references in his book. He writes, “The human person is something like an iceberg: one eighth is visible for all to see, but seven-eights is hidden beneath the surface.”

With the rapid changes in technology and the rise of AI bringing new challenges and opportunities, this philosophy resonates deeply with how we approach our work. Building and communicating a brand’s identity isn’t about surface-level fixes or one-time solutions. It’s about creating meaningful branding strategies and marketing communications that uncover deeper truths and forge lasting connections through:

Discovering the unseen: Uncovering the values, stories, and potential that lie beneath the surface of a business.

Empowering transformation: Crafting strategies and campaigns that stimulate growth, connection, and trust.

Focusing on prevention: Building strong, authentic brands that can weather challenges and adapt to change.

At HM, we embrace the power of what lies beneath by addressing the root causes, not just the symptoms. There is a harmony to be found between the seen and unseen—the conscious and the intuitive—and it’s this balance that guides how we approach every project. Miguel, our creative director, recently mixed a live set that embodies this idea perfectly! Soulful melodies, tropical rhythms, and urban grooves, blending R&B with afro/latin beats. It’s the kind of music that, much like our work, flows with purpose and energy, reflecting the momentum we carry into 2025. Listen here.

See you soon, and enjoy the mix!

Nancy.

Image: Cropped excerpt from page 11 of Frenċ Ta L-Għarb, a biography by Joseph Bezzina.

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Nancy Bugeja is a hands-on CEO, strategic designer, brand strategist and marketing professional for HM and editor-in-chief of Fluoro.