Home
About
Capabilities
Projects
Start a project

Brand Strategy

Brand strategy defines your positioning and message before any design work starts, so every decision after has something to stand on.

Seven people sitting around a conference table in a meeting room, reading and writing on papers with laptops, mugs, and stationery on the table, and notes posted on the glass wall behind.
( The Problem )

Your work is strong, your portfolio proves it. But when a client, recruit, or referral partner encounters your firm for the first time, can they immediately tell what makes you different from the firm down the street? For most AEC firms, no. Not because the work isn't there, because the strategy to communicate it never got built.

( The Solution )

Brand strategy is the thinking that drives everything else: who your firm is, who it's best positioned to serve, and how to communicate that clearly. The output isn't a deck that gets filed away, it's a working document your team uses for hiring, proposals, and marketing decisions going forward.

( Who it's For )

Your work has evolved, but your brand still reflects who you were five years ago.

You're entering a new market and need a clear positioning story.

You're entering a new market and need a clear positioning story.

Your firm is navigating a leadership transition or ownership change.

Your firm is navigating a leadership transition or ownership change.

You're growing and want to attract a better caliber of client or talent

You're growing and want to attract a better caliber of client or talent.

You've invested in design before and it didn't land the way you hoped.

You've invested in design before and it didn't land the way you hoped.

You struggle to articulate what makes your firm different from competitors

You struggle to articulate what makes your firm different from competitors.

Your current brand no longer reflects the caliber of your work or the direction of your firm.

( Why it Matters )

Building a brand identity or website without strategy is like designing a building without a program. It might look good but won't function the way the firm needs it to. Strategy makes sure every visual and verbal decision that follows is deliberate and pointed the right direction.

01
Discovery

Conversations with principals, project leads, sometimes clients. How your firm talks about itself, how competitors position, where the gaps are.

02
Analysis

A competitive landscape review and an honest audit of what's working and what isn't.

03
Strategy Development

Target audience, differentiation, core message, brand voice, the narrative that ties it together.

04
Delivery and Alignment

Presented to leadership, walked through, aligned before anything moves to design.

( What You Get )

Most brand strategy engagements include a positioning statement and competitive differentiation. Defined target audiences. Core messaging framework and key proof points. Brand voice guidelines and language direction. Visual direction recommendations for identity and design. A roadmap for brand, strategic website design & development, and marketing implementation. Each engagement is customized to your firms needs and goals.

Select Projects

Featured

Work

Brand Strategy

See all Projects
An established architecture firm was ready to evolve beyond a generic identity and position itself around a distinctive design philosophy. Through Brand Strategy, Architecture Firm Branding, and a refined visual identity, we helped Andrew L. Scheidt establish a brand that attracts higher-value residential clients and supports the firm's long-term growth.
Andrew L. Scheidt, Architect
An established architecture firm was ready to evolve beyond a generic identity.
A Portland-based urban design initiative needed a brand and website to support the second iteration of its micro-park system. Through Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, and Website Design, we helped position Stay on the Grass as a leader in urban greening and community-driven placemaking.
Stay on the Grass
Branding for a leader in urban greening and community-driven placemaking.
( FAQ )
Do I need brand strategy, or can I just get a new logo and website?

If your positioning is already clear and your team's aligned on who you serve, a focused identity or website project can move forward efficiently. If you're navigating a transition, new markets, or struggling to articulate what makes you different, strategy should come first.

How long does it take?

Four to six weeks from kickoff to delivery, depending on team size and how quickly we can schedule working sessions.

What's the difference between brand strategy and brand identity?

Strategy is the thinking: what your firm stands for and how to communicate it. Identity is the expression of that thinking: logo, colors, typography, visual language. Strategy tells you what to say. Identity determines how it looks. Both matter, and the order matters too.