What to look for in a design partner
How and why to hire a CPG branding agency.
If you run a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) business, you already know that products live and die by their branding. Great design is the difference between a customer picking up your product or moving on to the next thing on the shelf.
So: how do you bring your products to life? Chances are, if you’re a smaller company or don’t have your own in-house design team (...in this economy?), you’ll benefit from hiring a branding agency or design partner with expertise in all things CPG: packaging, labels, boxes, website, and every other surface that matters to you.
💡 What is branding? Honestly, great question. Read the guide to branding to demystify the buzziest of buzzwords.
Why hire an agency?
Your brand is the first thing that connects with your customers, and it’s how you make a great first, second, and hundredth impression whenever they see or pick up your product.
Whether you’re starting your first CPG business or considering a rebrand, who you hire to help you realize your brand and design vision is pretty important. A good design partner—whether a full-stack branding agency or design consultant—should demystify the creative process, align it with your goals, and deliver results that achieve those goals.
How do I find the right partner?
You can do this in three steps:
Vet
Vet
(and you’ll never believe this): Vet!
Read case studies. Browse client testimonials. Ask around.
It’s important to identify branding agencies that not only understand your niche, but have a proven track record of doing great work and being a great human being to work with. Whether you’re googling or asking for word-of-mouth recommendations, keep in mind that you’re choosing your partner-in-crime for a pivotal moment for your business. “You only launch once,” as they say. (At least until you need to rebrand.)
Our operating principles (ie, “we do things a little different around here”)
1. Find the people who have your back
I am, in fact, here to make friends. And make money for my friends.
Whether you’re choosing a partner for work, life, friendship, or a one-time project, I believe that trust, respect, empathy, and competence are the foundations of any good relationship.
In addition to being a full-stack branding and design agency for CPG businesses, I happen to be a CPG entrepreneur myself: meet Hazard’s Hop Water, my secret weapon for being a varsity-level empathizer with my clients.
“I couldn’t have been more happy to work with Michael. It’s been a stress relief to work with someone that totally understands us and listens. He’s worth every penny.”
2. Don’t waste anyone’s time or money
For CPG businesses who are looking to hire a branding agency (perhaps for the first time), I hear a common concern: “...will this suck up all my time and money?” For me, that answer is: not even close, buddy.
My process, pricing, and service packages are transparent by design so potential clients know exactly what they’ll get. Before committing to anything, I set up a chat to discuss your needs, goals, and deadlines. Remember, we’re here to make friends. This is a zero pressure conversation. If it’s the right fit, all good! And if it’s not, I’ll give some advice that you can take or leave and call it a day.
“Michael’s ability to make sense of vague, unsorted ideas and come back with exactly what was in your mind is not something every designer is capable of managing.”
💡 We believe in transparency in our pricing and our services
3. Get it done and do it well
How will you know when the project is done? Is there a clear list of deliverables? What constitutes “success”?
My 8-step process for building brands from idea to execution (based on experiences with clients from Airbnb to Ox Coffee and beyond) continues to be my guiding star for a smooth launch. It ensures that we’ve thought through the big picture, small picture, and everything in between to build a project plan that ensures we nail the strategy, execution, and launch, and then establish concrete methods to measure success.
Branding is a science as much as it is an art, and my job is to demystify the process and break it into clear steps to achieve your goals.
“Starting a new brand can be overwhelming. Michael was able to organize all our ideas into an easy-to-use system for us to utilize throughout our social media, website, and merch. It’s helped maintain the voice that all brands search for.”
Want to get started?
About Coppergate Design Company
Coppergate Design Co. is a branding and design agency for consumer packaged goods. I help small food and beverage businesses compete with big brands by designing world-class packaging, so your labels, boxes, website, and everything else look as cool as humanly possible and connect with your customers.
I'm here to help brands find their voice, and translate that voice to products that resonate with a passionate audience. Our clients are our partners in crime: I measure success by how our work together helps your company grow. Want to chat about your company, products, or goals? Drop a line to michael@coppergatedesign.com.
