BRANDING & DESIGN
Give your vision a distinct expression.
The strongest brands do more than look beautiful. They give form to an idea, communicate what makes it meaningful, and create a visual language people can recognize, remember, and connect with.
For more than 20 years, I have helped founders, leaders, and organizations translate ambitious ideas into distinctive brands that reflect who they are, where they are going, and why their work matters. From strategy and identity through digital experiences, packaging, campaigns, and ongoing creative direction, I bring the pieces together into a cohesive expression designed to grow with you.
FULL-SERVICE BRAND PARTNER
From strategy to expression.
You may come to me thinking you need a logo, website, packaging, or rebrand. More often, what we uncover is the larger brand, story, and system needed to support where you are actually going.
Every engagement is tailored to what you are building and where you are in its evolution. Some clients come to me at the very beginning. Others have an established business that has outgrown the brand around it. Before we begin designing, we establish the foundation: who you are here to serve, what you stand for, what makes your position distinct, and how your personality and point of view should come through.
Grounded in a lifelong engagement with art and visual culture, including a B.A. in Art History from UCLA, my approach brings together strategic thinking, creative direction, and a deep understanding of how meaning is communicated through visual language. From there, we determine what is needed, build the right sequence, and develop each layer into a cohesive whole.
The result is not simply a collection of assets. It is a brand with the clarity, character, and creative system to express your vision consistently across every place it appears.
01
Brand Strategy
The strategic foundation for everything that follows. Through collaborative strategy sessions and workshops, we clarify your audience, purpose, positioning, personality, key messages, and the larger opportunity for the brand.
May include brand strategy, positioning, audience development, competitive perspective, brand personality, naming, messaging, and strategic roadmaps.
02
Brand Identity
A distinctive visual identity that translates your strategy into a recognizable expression.
May include naming, logo systems, typography, color, graphic language, custom patterns, iconography, imagery direction, and comprehensive brand guidelines designed to keep the expression consistent as you grow.
03
Print + Editorial
Thoughtfully designed print and editorial materials that extend the brand through longer-form storytelling, information, and presentation.
May include books, impact reports, annual reports, brochures, publications, editorial layouts, event collateral, presentation materials, and other printed brand communications.
04
Packaging Design
Distinctive packaging that carries the brand into the physical world and creates a cohesive experience from shelf to unboxing.
May include product packaging, labels, boxes, retail systems, gifting, inserts, secondary packaging, and other branded applications designed to support both function and recognition.
05
Digital Design
Digital experiences that bring the brand to life clearly, intuitively, and cohesively.
May include website strategy and design, WordPress and Shopify experiences, landing pages, email design, digital campaigns, social media systems, and other branded digital touchpoints.
06
Art & Creative Direction
A broader creative vision that ensures every expression of the brand feels connected.
May include campaign concepts, photography direction, visual storytelling, mood and reference development, art direction, shoot planning and styling, launch creative, and collaboration with photographers, developers, writers, and other creative partners.
07
Brand Activation
The tools and experiences that help you introduce, communicate, and grow the brand in the world.
May include presentations, pitch decks, sales materials, media kits, launch campaigns, event and trade-show environments, partnership materials, branded experiences, and other strategic marketing assets.
08
Ongoing Creative Partner
A brand is never finished the day it launches. Many clients continue working with me after our initial engagement because I understand the strategy behind the brand as deeply as the visual system itself. Through ongoing creative direction and retainer partnerships, I help protect that foundation while evolving the expression across new products, initiatives, campaigns, partnerships, and opportunities.
This allows the brand to grow without losing the clarity and character that made it distinctive in the first place.
kind words
FROM LEADERS & FOUNDERS
Dr. Andrea Matsumura, Sleep Physician
“Working with Erika is unlike any branding experience I’ve had before - she doesn’t just design a beautiful brand, she uncovers who you actually are and builds everything from there. Through her method, I clarified my long-term vision, identified my ideal audience, and finally felt like my brand tells the true story of my work. After more than thirty years of knowing her, I can say without hesitation: she has a rare gift for helping women discover what they didn’t even know they had in them.”
Dr. Nancy Yen Shipley, Form & Function Orthopedics
"Erika took my dream and helped me turn in into reality! I could not have launched my brand without her. Everything from logo, brand voice, fonts, website design were all done in a collaborative, patient and supporting way. Erika knew how much presenting my brand to the world meant to me and it showed. I am forever grateful for having been introduced to her!"
Andrea Tello, Founder, mi|tu corazón
"Erika has an amazing ability to see the truth of who you are and reflect it back with clarity and real purpose. She helped me articulate and bring to life not just my business, but my values, philosophy, and the WHY behind the work. I couldn’t be more grateful for her guidance and presence in this process. What a gift, she is absolutely the best!"
Dr. Masi Reynolds, Masi Clinic
"As a one-person marketing team in a start-up, Erika is not only a sophisticated brand, graphic, and UX designer, but she’s also my sidekick marketing strategist, brainstorm partner, and social media adviser. She brings creativity, insight, and a positive outlook to every project, and her ability to translate ideas into compelling visuals is unmatched. On top of all that, she’s such a thoughtful, lovely person to work with. I'm so lucky to have her on my side!"
Leah Morgan, Head of Marketing, Qvin
"I was recommended to Erika by a friend who had consulted with her and said she was 'simply the best', without a doubt no truer words have ever been spoken. Erika invests far more time into the why, who and how of what makes YOU you than anyone else in her business sector. There were so many moments over our 6 months working together that I was moved beyond words at her ability to see me and my vision and bring it to life through design. Without a doubt, Erika is the asset of a lifetime to build a company, a brand and a business to span lifetimes."
Jessica Gylsen, The Dazzling Concierge
"Choosing to work with Erika was the best business decision I could have made. She was able to bring my vision to life. Her eye for detail is nothing but impeccable. Thank you, Erika for feeling like my business partner throughout the entire process of my project. I HIGHLY recommend Erika Brechtel for all your branding needs."
Liz Hall, Eeze Natural Health & Travel-eeze
"From day one, Erika demonstrated professional unparalleled dedication and creativity in crafting a unique brand identity for my business. She truly understood my vision and goals, leveraging her 20+ years of expertise to develop a brand guide that resonates with my target audience. I couldn't be happier with the results and highly recommend her services to anyone looking to establish a strong and memorable brand presence from your website to social media to business cards and more… Erika, thank you for making SMK & Co’s brand exactly what envisioned."
Sheena Keo, SMK & Co.
"I’ve admired Erika and her work for YEARS and am now lucky enough to know her personally and work with her professionally. She is one of the most talented, creative, inspiring, and hard-working women."
Kat Tanita, With Love From Kat
"I’ve worked with Erika for over 10 years with three different companies and across 9 brands. She has an amazing intuitive understanding of how to design for different customer segments and across different industries that is really hard to find in other designers and brand consultants. She’s a joy to work with."
Tiffany Wong, Million Dollar Baby
"Erika helped me determine my WHY, worked with me to develop a cohesive plan, got me to focus on my ideal customer; my vision grew from there and she created a design that was perfect for me and aligned with my goals."
Monica Shulman, Artist
"Erika works truly like a partner in the process of strategically thinking about a brand and its vision. When I work with her I feel like I am in the presence of a caring professor in marketing walking me through every step. I am always blown away by her wisdom, expertise, and genuine care for me to succeed as a woman business leader which is why I do sincerely see her as a partner. She is also so professional and reliable, which goes a long way for me! Erika is my go-to person for every project or idea I have had since 2009, there's no one like her!"
Jennet Chow, Jellypop Shoes & Evolution Design Lab
"Erika’s extremely organized and meticulous approach to learning about us and our brand on a small to large scale has been a wonderful and organic experience. She really took the time to understand who we are on a personal and brand level. She never rushed the process but provided guidance, support and clarity when we needed it the most. We couldn’t be happier!"
Seda Bilginer & Amanda Sichon, Esas Beauty
"Working with Erika was an absolutely transformative experience, both personally and professionally. She took me through everything from getting clear on my brand mission, to identifying my brand personality and legacy. I learned a wide wealth of knowledge that has completely transformed how I view my business and has invigorated my passion and commitment to my greater WHY. Thank you Erika from the bottom of my heart!"
Alessandra Salituri, Citizen Atelier
“If you own a brand or are in charge of branding for a particular company, run don’t walk to Erika Brechtel. Nobody translates the look and feel of a brand digitally, better or more beautifully than she can."
Marisa Perry, Marisa Perry Atelier NYC