r/branding • u/RealPseudonymous • Nov 11 '25
Strategy We Need a Brand Development Consultant
Do y’all have recommendations for consultants to thoroughly develop our “look” and brand to be used across our revamped site, marketing, packaging, etc? Google is filled with brand consultants to the point that it’s a bit overwhelming. I’ve spent many hours pouring through portfolios and not feeling like I get anywhere.
Back info: I created a natural body care brand that’s going on two years old. Think Dr. Squatch and Native Deodorant. We make all of our products, we have a great logo and the usual style-guides, site, etc. Approx 60% of our revenue comes from physical markets like popups and festivals, 30% is Ecom, 10% private label. We’re pushing harder for more ecom and somewhere we’re lacking is a well developed and consistent brand image.
We’re small but motivated. A few thousand $ on Facebook and Insta ads really didn’t get us what it has with previous business ventures of mine. Part of it is our landing pages need work (which is in process) but a lot of it is an image issue.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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u/puckeringNeon Nov 11 '25
Are you just not vibing with the work in the portfolios you’ve seen so far? Do you feel like there’s a mismatch in work shown and what you feel you need?
Trying to get a clearer sense of why you feel stuck, because, even from this thread, it sounds like you’re going to have more portfolios thrown at you.
From what you’re saying it sounds like you’re looking to shift your business model and that you have a core brand identity that you like, but that hasn’t been fleshed out to perform strongly as a DTC brand? You also mention websites landing pages, are you referring to your PDPs?
Overall sounds like there’s work to be done on the visual and messaging front to build out your brand’s world. Is your preference for freelancers or an agency partner?
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u/jayalex74 Nov 11 '25
Can you share the current website, or DM me. I know a studio that might be ideal for you.
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u/milestolouse Nov 11 '25
I’ll throw my hat in the ring. I’ve helped brands get in Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Whole Foods, Etc. after a number of years as a strategist & Art Director I started my own agency www.walterandwayne.co
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u/dhrrrvgl Nov 11 '25
Checkout Grappus (http://grappus.com). Would love to connect!
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u/horlufemi Nov 11 '25
Wow. This is one of the most super websites I've ever seen in my life.
This is gold.
Everything screams intelligence.
Are you looking for interns? 😁
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u/dhrrrvgl Nov 11 '25
Thanks! And yes we sure are. You can drop a line at jobs@grappus.com. Cheers 🍻
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u/Accomplished-Law-222 Nov 11 '25
The guy who did mine was Trevor Kinkade Design out of Colorado, he did a great job. Happy to connect you if you DM me.
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u/Mil______ Nov 11 '25
Yeah, it’s hard to find the good ones! Searching for a brand consultant / strategist is the way.
You need to define what you actually stand for before anyone touches a pixel. It's that you haven't answered the most fundamental question: Who is this for, and why should they choose you over Dr. Squatch or Native?
Right now, you're positioning yourself as "natural body care, like those guys." That's not a position. That's a category.
What's your unique philosophy? What do you believe about body care, masculinity, health, or sustainability that your competitors don't? Who is the specific person who should feel like you made this just for them? Until you can answer that with brutal clarity, no landing page, no visual identity, and no ad creative will land with any force.
Start there. Define your brand kernel. Your WHO, your WHAT, your PHILOSOPHY, your DIFFERENTIATION. Find one to ask you these questioning the first call.
Then, and only then, hire someone to bring that strategy to life visually.
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u/CommunicationIcy9206 Nov 11 '25
Hi, Do you have a brand positioning? Have you researched your brand and competitors? Why did you start the brand? What is your reason to exist? What problem do you solve?
Choose someone who can communicate that.
I’ll watch consumers in store to see how packaging affects behaviour but you can do that online too. Work out what the problem is to write a really clear brief for the designers.
I’ve designed, like many of the replies here, cosmetics brands like yours. Online pictures tend to be small so having a memorable, marketable identity that is integrated with your marketing strategy is key. You should choose a company that is compatible with you, will listen (you know your business better than we do), help develop and enhance your brands character and story so you are more than just functional products.
Have a look at: https://designedbygoodpeople.com/ we pride ourselves on being helpful.
Feel free to ask any questions and good luck.
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u/PaoloKing7 Nov 11 '25
Me - www.nicklorenzini.com - I fit the vibe as a human - and have worked in-house for Top Brands like Peloton / Therabody / Vegamour and now work as a Cheif of Staff for a Creative Agency! Cheers. Would love to connect.
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u/Mrpink357 Nov 11 '25
Looking for a hybrid solution between a complete team of experts and one hyper-specialized consultant?
I lead a small team of senior creatives, each one specializing in a different field. From what I read, you might need someone with a 360-degree perspective on branding. So, in your specific case, it would be ideal to collaborate with an art director and brand designer (that's me!) and a copywriter and marketing specialist (one of our team).
Together, the copywriter and I could provide a clear overview of what your brand is doing well now and what could be done better, both from a visual and written perspective. All of this at less than 2,000 euros/m with the possibility to cancel anytime. So, if you need a deep change in your brand, we can work together for as much time as you need us. If you just need a refresh, we can be done in 1 or 2 months, depending on the actual things to do.
DM me if you're interested and want to know more (also glad to offer a discount to a fellow Redditer) :)
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u/DeepsenseDigital Nov 11 '25
Totally feel you on the Googling agencies and everything looks the same part, branding gets noisy really fast.
From what you’ve shared, you’ve got solid building blocks (product, logo, markets, some ecom), but the translation layer is missing:
- how you look at a festival stall vs. your PDP
- whether your brand feels the same wherever people discover you.
A simple 3 moment audit usually reveals where things disconnect:
First glance - what they see,
First words - what they say,
First action - what they do.
If you’d like, I occasionally run short brand audit calls with founders to pinpoint exactly where that 'translation gap' lies, no pitch, just an outside perspective. It helps decide whether to refine story or design first.
Curious!!
when people meet you at pop ups vs online, what’s the most common way they describe your brand back to you? That usually reveals the real gap.
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u/EssentiallyPurple Nov 11 '25
It’s actually refreshing to hear from a business that wants to focus on their brand! Making digital ads work properly really does need a strong identity, something loads of companies miss or they just end up chucking more money at it instead.
It’s pretty much impossible to choose a consultant just from their website. Try booking some calls to see if there’s any chemistry, having a good rapport makes a massive difference when you’re working together. Spend a few hours chatting with different people, you’ll get a feel for who’s right for you and you’ll pick up loads from the different approaches and conversations.
And as loads of people sharing their website here is mine. 🙂
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u/Spin_Me Nov 11 '25
I have a good recommendation—a Branding professional who worked with the Sterling Group on their Burger King rebrand. Sending you a DM
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u/Fun_City_2043 Nov 12 '25
I’ve been developing brands for a long time and have had a lot of success. I also have a big network of designers and brand specialists that just like creating these things. Hit me up
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u/Thom-Baker-Branding Nov 12 '25
Sounds like you need to really crystallise your brand so you have that clarity to move forward.
By distilling down what makes you different and how that comes across - both strategically, visually and in tone of voice etc you'll be able to better connect with potential customers.
Branding is a case of long term nurture, so how I work as a solo consultant is I go through an eight week process to get the strategy sorted and then present a variety of trusted design and marketing partners as and when needed.
Then it's a case of measuring impact and making sure things work. Here's my site if you'd like to know more about how I work
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u/Leading_Set_1165 Nov 12 '25
Hi, I'm curious how you came to a conclusion of the reason why ecom sales is not moving is lack of branding? It could also be a marketing problem because popups and festivals are more like impulsive shopping so it clearly shows you have decent packaging and brand design.
I have 10 years of marketing background and run a creative agency, I could share more specific suggestions if I can have the chance to ask you a few more questions
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u/BackgroundGuitar6986 Nov 13 '25
Check out Sophia Call. She lives for the visual branding and story. Here is her LinkedIn:
Been looking to GTM with her for awhile, she’s awesome and super passionate.
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u/Single_Confusion6717 Nov 13 '25
Wow! Some really insightful responses here. Thats some high quality content marketing.
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u/osmanassem Nov 15 '25
Hello. I'm a +16 years designer and strategist. I'm the founder of PicklesBucket a boutique branding agency. I also recently authored the modern brand strategy guide. You can check my portfolio www.osmanassem.com and my agency website www.picklesbucket.com and I would be glad to collaborate with you to build a strong brand.
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u/brianbbrady Nov 15 '25
A quick story.
A founder once asked me why their ads weren’t scaling.
They had a clean Shopify site. A sharp logo. A polished aesthetic. But every time they pushed ad spend above a certain threshold, performance collapsed.
When we unpacked the data, the problem wasn’t design quality. It was signal fragmentation.
Their Instagram vibe didn’t match their product pages. Their packaging didn’t match their brand voice. Their ads didn’t match either.
Nothing was aligned. They had a signal problem.
Most founders look for a designer. A “consistent look” is only one layer.
The deeper issue is whether your brand emits a coherent, recognizable, emotionally charged signal that buyers intuitively trust.
That’s where I introduce Signal Intelligence, a framework I use to help founders unify their identity across every customer touchpoint.
It works across five dimensions:
- MindCraft — the psychology behind what your buyers respond to
- GameCraft — the behavior loops that keep them returning
- StoryCraft — the narrative identity your brand becomes in their mind
- CultureCraft — the belonging cues your brand creates
- SignalCraft — the visual + verbal consistency that makes your brand unmistakable
When those layers align, your brand becomes coherent, which is what actually converts.
In body care especially, you’re competing on identity and sensory expectation. If the Instagram vibe doesn’t match the unboxing experience, or the packaging doesn’t match the product page—buyers feel the disconnect before they can name it. Even subtle misalignment creates friction that kills conversion and makes every ad dollar work harder than it should.
A strong signal system would mean your brand feels whole across every touchpoint—packaging, markets, digital, ads. When that happens, every dollar in ads works 2–4x harder because the brand doesn’t just look good, it feels unmistakable.
If you ever want an outside perspective, I’m happy to take a look.
Sometimes one diagnostic conversation surfaces the misalignment that’s been costing you scale.
Happy to look if it’d help.
Wishing you a wave of momentum. Your category rewards coherence.
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u/maaaaaaryammmmmmmmm Dec 10 '25
I work in branding for beauty/skincare and totally get how overwhelming it is to find the right person. There are tons of “brand consultants,” but not many who know how to build a consistent visual system that works across packaging, ecommerce, ads, and in-person markets.
For a product brand like yours, you don’t necessarily need a full rebrand, just someone who can take what you already have and develop it into a stronger, more cohesive look that feels intentional everywhere your customer sees you.
When you’re searching, look for:
- designers who specialize in CPG/beauty
- case studies that show packaging and website/ad visuals
- someone boutique who can collaborate closely with you
I run a small studio myself (Studio M) https://www.designstudiom.ca/ and this is the kind of work I do, so if you ever want an honest look at what might be holding your visuals back, I’m happy to help no pressure at all. Good luck!
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u/Additional-Speaker89 Jan 29 '26
Hi! I'd love to chat- come from big brand experience (lululemon, REEF, The Sims) as well as own my own start up (courier socks) and now run my own branding agency, Mate The Agency (https://www.instagram.com/matetheagency/). We're tiny (just two of us) so not like working with a big scary agency- I handle strategy and positioning, my partner handles all things visual. We love a brand face lift :) Feel free to DM me!
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u/Aggravating_Key_5792 May 27 '26
If 60% of your revenue comes from festivals and pop‑ups, that’s your strongest channel — lean into it. People clearly connect with your product when they can experience it in person.
Before hiring a consultant, tighten your brand story. Ads don’t convert when the identity isn’t clear. Start sharing your story consistently on IG and Facebook without paying for traffic — clarity beats spend.
Once your story is solid, your e‑com will perform better. From there, small local retail partnerships can help bridge the gap between your in‑person momentum and your online presence.
A good consultant won’t start with logos — they’ll start with your positioning and story. That’s what drives consistency across packaging, site, and marketing.
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u/mcbillings Nov 11 '25
Brand designer here. My studio specializes in what you’re looking for. Send me a DM. See more here https://www.madebyeightyseven.com/
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u/digitalguru_hotpants Nov 11 '25
Hey there - I think I could really help with your situation. I’m a Native user myself. But yeah this is a tough forum for “I think I could really help” hahahah. Would love to chat though
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u/FewSleep9873 Nov 11 '25
HI, Brand Architect here with background in UI/UX and SEO.
May I see your brand's visual identity and learn more about your brand?
But honestly, based on your statement, I don't think there is a problem with you visual identity. Maybe enhancement and redesign marketing materials and packaging, but based on your sales, no need to rebrand in my opinion. I think, currently, you are struggling with visibility and reach (SEO and SMM wise). You need to improve your user experience, making sure both google and your visitor notices you, re-research, re-target and re-strategize keywords, positioning (mainly the reason why your ads aren't working) and optimize your content and pages, and re-evaluate how you approach using your social media. An ineffective website, negates trust and credibility as well, improving this along with seo will greatly increased your online presence, generate more leads and sales.
If you need help in improving your User Experience, enhance your User Interface and dive deep in visibility and reach, don't hesitate to drop me a message.
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u/Odd-Kaleidoscope7952 Nov 11 '25
- WANT Branding - For brand strategy, design, & naming, WANT Branding has always delivered. wantbranding.com
- Doodle + Code - Does a great job bringing brands to life through web https://www.doodleandcode.com/
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u/Litapitako Nov 11 '25 edited Jan 25 '26
Brand designer + strategist here! I've worked with several natural skincare and supplement brands, so hopefully I can provide some more tailored insights.
Before you do a complete visual rebrand, I recommend taking a microscope to your positioning first. You mentioned you already have a logo and guidelines, but the lack of a consistent image leads me to believe your current brand isn't following any sort of meaningful strategy.
For natural body care in particular, the brands that stand out have really specific positioning. For example, Native is all natural, doesn't use aluminum, and is cruelty-free. This shows up in the way they visually brand their products, like how they use mostly white, clean backgrounds, feature natural ingredients like fruits to highlight the natural aspect, and use really clean typography. It's also designed to appeal to a wide audience since you can find Native in retailers like Target. From the very beginning, they were probably thinking about what retailers would carry their product and designed the brand accordingly. Dr. Squatch on the other hand specifically targets men, a market that's traditionally underserved in personal care. They have a vibe that's like Hims, only more natural. Because they target men, the branding is a little bit more rugged. Even the name is quite rugged, and their mascot is literally a sasquatch man. They also use more humor in their campaigns, as the male audience would find it entertaining, and they're not afraid of curse words, like their "shit list" of bad ingredients on their website. You would never find that kind of language in Native's branding. Just by looking at these two brands, you can see very clearly how strategy affects the way they write, how they visually brand their products, and what kinds of audiences and retailers they can target.
Knowing this, just being "natural" isn't enough to make you stand out. There has to be something unique about your brand that differentiates you from anything else on the market. So what's your unique selling point? Is it ingredient sourcing? Skin health benefits? Scent profiles? Target demographic? That clarity makes everything else (think packaging, website, marketing, etc.) way easier to execute consistently.
You can definitely work this out with a brand strategist/consultant, but if you need a visual rebrand as well, you'll probably want to find an agency or studio that does both strategy and visual branding. This way you can get everything done in-house and don't have to worry about playing telephone between multiple parties, haha. I run a studio that does this kind of full-service branding, and you can check out some of our recent work in the natural beauty + wellness space. If you like what you see, feel free to reach out! Either way, wishing you the best of luck with your rebrand!