My Process for Building Brands that Stand for Something
Whether I’m working with a heritage brand looking to reinvent itself or a startup launching into culture for the first time, this is the process I return to. It’s structured but flexible, grounded in research and intuition, strategy and storytelling. Each step builds toward helping brands find their edge, their people, and their place in the world.
phase 01: research and discovery
Before anything else, I listen.
• Brand Audit
I start with what exists: the brand story, mission, values, tone of voice, visual identity, website, packaging, and social presence.
Where do they sell? How? What’s the customer experience like, from online to retail to unboxing?
What does the brand say it is vs. what it shows it is?
• Business Model Mapping
Using a business model canvas, I break down how the brand makes money, who its key partners are, and what resources, channels, and cost structures shape the business.
• Internal Interviews (if applicable)
Founders, marketers, designers, customer service; I talk to the people behind the brand to understand what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s possible.
phase 02: contextual analysis
Zooming out to understand the world the brand is living in.
• Macro & Micro Trend Research
What cultural, technological, political, and environmental forces are shaping this industry?
What are consumers craving? Avoiding? What’s shifting in values, behaviors, and aesthetics?
• 50-Year Industry Timeline
I plot how the industry evolved, and where the brand was (or wasn’t) throughout those shifts.
This includes key moments, emergent competitors, and the rise/fall of relevant trends.
phase 03: competitive audit
Who else is out there, and how do we stand apart?
• Mapping Direct & Indirect Competitors
I lay out the landscape, categorizing brands by relevance, reach, and market share.
• SWOT Analysis
I pinpoint internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats, forming the basis of where the brand can grow.
• Chessboard Framework
This is where I get tactical. I map the brand’s current moves and positioning against its competitors, uncovering white space or overlooked narratives the brand can own.
phase 04: cultural insight and human motivators
Now, we go deeper.
• Human Motivators & Tensions
I identify what’s driving consumer behavior in this space: status, belonging, escapism, control, pleasure, etc.
I layer in current cultural tensions and contradictions that brands can respond to or resolve.
• Subculture Mapping
From niche communities to emerging movements, I identify the subcultures most aligned with the brand’s values and category. This helps us speak to audiences with them, not at them.
• Consumer Behavior Research
I analyze psychographics and behavioral patterns: What do they value? Where do they shop? What content do they consume? What’s missing from their experience?
• Interviews & Ethnography
Based on the identified subcultures and behaviors, I conduct qualitative interviews to gather deeper insights straight from the source.
phase 06: expression and application
Where it all starts to click.
• Positioning
A sharp articulation of what the brand stands for, who it’s for, and what makes it radically different.
• Brand Belief & Purpose
What does the brand believe about the world, and what is it here to change?
• Personality & Tone of Voice
I translate the brand’s attitude into language, tone, and core messaging principles.
• Strategic Narrative
The brand’s story, reframed for now, is rooted in truth but made relevant to today’s world.
phase 05: strategy development
Bringing strategy to life in ways people can feel.
• Naming & Tagline Development
Language that distills the brand’s soul in a few powerful words.
• Visual Identity Briefing
Colors, typography, art direction, and design systems based on strategy, not just aesthetics.
• Key Brand Touchpoints
From packaging to digital to merch to spatial, identifying where the brand shows up and how to create consistency without losing personality.
• Creative Collaborator Handoff
When needed, I collaborate with designers, writers, and producers to turn the strategy into something real. Beautiful. Impactful.
Every brand has its own arc. This process isn’t about forcing them into a box; it’s about revealing what’s already true and giving it shape, structure, and soul.
Let’s build brands that feel human. That stands for something. That matters.