Guides
Foundational knowledge for anyone building, managing, or evaluating a consumer brand.
Long-form, evergreen guides covering the core disciplines of brand design — identity systems, rebranding, packaging, studio selection, and the relationship between strategy and execution. Written for founders, CMOs, and creative directors who treat brand as a business asset.
How to Choose a Branding Agency: A Founder's Checklist
A twelve-question checklist for founders choosing a branding agency — ordered by what actually predicts durable work, not by portfolio warmth.
Designer's Toolkit #2: Optical Kerning for Display Type
A step-by-step method for optically kerning display type — the HnH technique, problem pairs, and tool-specific tips for Figma, Illustrator, and CSS.
Designer's Toolkit #3: Structuring Brand Guidelines Clients Actually Use
95% of companies have brand guidelines. Only 25% enforce them. The problem isn't content — it's structure. A practical framework for building brand guidelines that clients actually read and follow.
What Makes a Great Brand Identity
A brand identity is more than a logo. It is the complete system of strategic decisions, visual elements, and verbal cues that make a brand recognizable, credible, and emotionally resonant.
The Anatomy of a Successful Rebrand
A rebrand is one of the highest-stakes decisions a company can make. Done well, it unlocks growth. Done poorly, it destroys equity. Here is how to tell the difference — and how to get it right.
Packaging Design Principles That Sell
Packaging is the last three feet of marketing. It is where brand strategy meets physical reality, and where design decisions directly impact whether a product gets picked up or passed over.
How to Choose a Brand Design Studio
Choosing a brand design studio is one of the most consequential decisions a founder or CMO will make. The right partnership produces an identity that compounds in value for years. The wrong one wastes months and money.
Brand Identity vs Brand Strategy: What's the Difference
Brand identity and brand strategy get used interchangeably, but they are different things that serve different purposes. Understanding the distinction is essential for anyone building or managing a brand.