This interview by Caspar van Loo was published in Hoofdzaken, the Hoofdpijnnet magazine for which we did the brand restyling with Loaded ink BNO in 2023 (the new branding will only really be public at the end of January 2024, more about this later). I decided to share the interview here because I hope it can help others. If you have any questions about chronic migraines, you can always email me, Mariko.
For designer Mariko Naber, migraine means: 'Doing a lot in little time'
Mariko Naber is a designer and concept developer. She did the restyling of the logo and corporate identity of Hoofdpijnnet. As a member of the 'target group' ('yes, I have migraines'), she loved working on the new look & feel of the association, which will be visible from mid-January.
With the sound of seagulls in the background, Mariko Naber (48) first talks about her migraine history from her workplace in Scheveningen. The brain disease developed during her adolescence, when she was about fifteen years old. Immediately code red. After the age of 30, the migraines, with twelve to fifteen attacks per month, were labeled 'chronic'. So no fun for her, living with migraines and medication. Adapting to the circumstances, the well-known story of people with migraine.
Mariko became a self-employed entrepreneur, which she considers a luxurious position, not to have a boss who has to call you when you have an attack. She gradually developed a way of working that suits her illness: doing a lot of things with little time. While she was initially chaotic, she became self-reliant and very organizational at a business level. An advantage with a disadvantage if you want to achieve something. She now runs the design and communications agency with her husband Mark Loaded ink .
Botox
To curb the migraine, Mariko, like almost all her fellow sufferers, tried everything that could be labeled 'alternative' or 'who knows, it might help', in addition to medication. Ultimately, she liked the ketogenic diet with few carbohydrates, lots of protein and meat best. Her complaints decreased considerably. Unfortunately for the Scheveningen woman, she only benefited from it for a year and a half. Later she tried CGRP inhibitors, but they did not help her reduce the seizures. Mariko is now back to Botox treatments (31 injections in the forehead, neck and shoulders per session). She has benefited greatly from this so far, although she does not want to celebrate too early.
'Weakness'
During the corona period, Mariko, as a member of Hoofdpijnnet, joined the online sessions for fellow sufferers that the association held via Zoom. She found it wonderful and valuable to share her experiences with migraines and to have contact with others who are in the same boat. By the way, Mariko had not recognized her migraines for a long time and kept them hidden. She absolutely did not want to admit this 'weakness'. Because Mariko also masters presentation techniques, she was at some point asked to lead the online follow-up sessions, to replace host Lonneke Scholten. She said yes, because her migraine complaints had been pushed into the background due to the keto diet at that time. Later, based on her involvement and qualities as a designer, she was contracted for the restyling of Hoofdpijnnet's corporate identity.
Warm place
The mission of Mariko and her husband's agency is: 'We believe in the power of good design and communication to connect an organization, company, brand, product, service or person with the desired audience.' A mission that fits nicely with the assignment of Hoofdpijnnet, which wants to be more recognizable and even more accessible to its supporters with the restyling. The designer says: 'Headpijnnet is entering a new phase. The association wants to offer people with headaches a warm place of recognition and recognition, in addition to help and advice. The basis of everything is self-reliance and that you can do more than you think. You try to give shape and color to it with the new corporate identity and the new logo. The element of pain has therefore been deliberately omitted from the previous logo. As an association you try to make that pain more bearable for your members. Now you subtly recognize a head in the logo that wants to make contact.'
Who is Mariko Naber?
She says she has an innate sensor for 'what is needed'. Her sketchbooks are full of ideas and concepts, which sometimes suddenly fall into place. Together with partner Mark, she runs branding agency Loaded ink BNO and, among other things Happlify . She wrote her first workbook Sell your stuff online in 2014 about setting up and making their (now sold) jewelry webshop Applepiepieces successful. The (Scheveningen) beach, zen, skating, surfing, nature and feel-good are recurring topics in everything Mariko does. She created the website Happlify to connect, surprise and, above all, make people happy. Mariko herself enjoys nice things, meatballs, chocolate mousse, family time, surfing, skating, piña coladas, Monty Python and a dip in the sea every Wednesday morning.
What is Headpijnnet?
Hoofdpijnnet is a Dutch patient association for people with various headache disorders, such as migraine and tension headache. Becoming a member provides access to valuable information, community support and involvement in advocacy and research funding. It is an essential resource for people with headache problems, offering understanding, support and hope. Are you or do you know someone with chronic headaches? Take a look at www.hoofdpijnnet.nl and become a member too!
