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The People Behind Helder
We bring clarity to brands.
Our name, Helder, comes from Dutch and means clear. Clarity is at the heart of everything we do – in our process, our communication, our design and our mindset.
Independent Branding and Design Agency in Berlin
Helder was founded in Berlin in 2017 by Dr. Birgit Joest and Maurits den Held. Our interdisciplinary team combines brand strategy and design and has completed more than 100 branding projects for companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Helder primarily works with mid-sized companies, owner-managed businesses and scale-ups with around 20 employees or more – not with large corporate communications departments or early-stage start-ups. Our industry focus includes B2B SaaS, e-commerce, lifestyle, B2B and financial services.
As an owner-managed agency, our founders are personally involved in the strategic and creative work of every project. We deliberately limit the number of projects running at the same time. Helder is independent and has no external investors. Our team consists of five permanent team members, two freelance partners and a network of specialists. We work with clients in German and English.
The People at Helder
Interdisciplinary and international.
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Dr. Birgit Joest
Co-Founder, Strategy Director
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Maurits den Held
Co-Founder, Creative Director
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Marina Mengis
Head of Business Development
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Lea Hampel
Strategic Design
Unsere Werte
Woran wir unsere Arbeitsweise und Entscheidungen ausrichten.
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Give Meaning
We create brand identities that are consistently grounded in content and derived from strategy.
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Take Pride
We create brands that both our clients and we ourselves can be proud of.
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Be Helpful
We develop brand models and design systems that provide lasting value to our clients.
What We Don’t Do
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Work for Free
We do not provide creative concepts as part of unpaid pitches.
Just like our clients, we do not work for free. Once both sides have committed to a partnership, however, we are happy to go the extra mile. And we are always happy to have an initial, no-obligation conversation about what we could do for you. Talk to us. -
Unethical Projects
We do not work with clients whose values we do not share.
This includes companies or organisations that disregard human dignity and human rights, animal welfare or environmental protection – for example radical or unconstitutional organisations, intensive livestock farming businesses or fast-fashion companies. -
Treat People Unequally
We see ourselves as partners, not simply as service providers. Appreciation, respect and working as equals are prerequisites for a successful collaboration.
Naturally, the same applies to applicants and our employees, regardless of origin, nationality, age, gender, religion, sexual identity or disability.
Why We Share Our Methods
Our purpose is to bring people and branding together. That is why we share our knowledge with designers, brand strategists, brand builders and marketers.
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1 Framework
for decision-making, design, communication and brand management: the Brand Frame®.
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17 Branding Templates
with video explanations for use in briefings and workshops, available to download for free.
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2,800+ Newsletter Subscribers
Subscribe for useful branding content.
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40+ Branding Videos
covering methods, brand elements, how-tos, and branding dos and don’ts.
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67 Brand Wiki Pages
From unique selling propositions to target audiences: everything you need to know about branding.
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Strategy Training
Our Frame your Brand® process for developing the Brand Frame® – designed as a professional training programme for designers and agencies.
Press & Keynotes
Whether it is an interview, panel discussion or keynote: as experts in brand development, we are happy to share our insights on strategic branding, storytelling and brand integrity.
Our current press kit includes profile information, key topics and high-resolution images for publication.
Work With Us
You identify with our mindset and our work and would like to take ownership of your own projects? Then apply to join Helder.
Our Studio in Berlin
Helder GbR
Legiendamm 18–20
10179 Berlin
Phone: +49 30 403 664 76
Email: studio@helder.design
Generic design and messaging reduce the value of your brand.
We help you build the branding your brand deserves.
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Our Branding Is Strategically Grounded
Your strategy defines what your brand looks like – and why.
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Our Branding Creates Clarity
So your team, customers and partners understand what your brand stands for.
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Our Branding Is Thought Through
It is consistent, logical and modular, allowing you to apply it effectively across different media and touchpoints.
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Our Branding Differentiates
So your brand stands apart from the competition – and demonstrates confidence in both itself and its audience.
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Our Branding Is Recognisable
It is distinctive enough for people to recognise your brand even without seeing the logo.
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Our Branding Is Aesthetic
We use visual design elements in a way that is appropriate to your industry, your offering and its context.
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Our Branding Shows What You Stand For
So people can identify with your brand – customers, employees and partners alike.
Frequently Asked Questions About Helder
What is Helder?
Helder is a branding and design agency based in Berlin. We develop brands from brand strategy, naming and corporate design through to the roll-out across communications and websites.
Helder was founded in 2017 by Dr. Birgit Joest and Maurits den Held. Since then, we have completed more than 100 branding projects for companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with a particular focus on e-commerce, lifestyle, B2B, B2B SaaS and financial services.
Every project is built around the Brand Frame®, Helder’s proprietary brand model.
Who founded Helder?
Helder was founded in 2017 by Dr. Birgit Joest and Maurits den Held.
As Strategy Director, Dr. Birgit Joest is responsible for brand strategy and brings 20 years of branding experience as well as a PhD in Media Studies. As Creative Director, Maurits den Held is responsible for design.
Both founders are actively involved in the content and development of every project. At Helder, there is no separation between the pitch team and the project team.
How big is the Helder team?
Helder is an owner-managed boutique agency with a permanent core team of five people, two freelance partners and a network of specialists.
This size is deliberate: we limit the number of projects running at the same time so that the founders can remain closely involved in every project.
For our clients, this means having the same dedicated contacts throughout the entire project rather than working with changing teams.
Where is Helder based, and does the agency work outside Berlin?
Helder is based at Legiendamm 18–20 in Berlin-Mitte.
Brand workshops can take place at our Berlin studio, at the client’s offices or remotely. A large proportion of our projects are with companies outside Berlin, including businesses in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland.
Day-to-day collaboration takes place digitally, while our team travels for workshops and key project milestones.
What types of companies does Helder work with – and which ones does it not work with?
Helder primarily works with mid-sized companies, owner-managed businesses and scale-ups with around 20 employees or more.
Collaboration works particularly well when decision-making processes are short and company leadership is actively involved in the branding process.
Helder is generally not the right fit for corporate communications environments involving numerous decision-making bodies or for early-stage start-ups without market validation.
We also do not work with companies whose values we do not share, such as intensive livestock farming businesses, fast-fashion companies or radical organisations.
Who works on a project at Helder?
Every project is handled by a dedicated team that remains the same from beginning to end.
Our founders are actively involved in the project itself, not just in the initial meeting. Brand workshops are always facilitated by two strategists.
For our clients, this means that the people they meet in the first conversation are also the people who work on their project.
Why does Helder publish its methods?
Helder publishes its methods, templates and processes because brands do not fail because of the concept – they fail when the concept cannot be applied in everyday work.
A brand model only creates value when teams can use it independently.
That is why we make 17 branding templates, more than 40 videos and a 67-page Brand Wiki freely available and openly document our own process.
This reduces our clients’ dependence on the agency – and that is exactly the intention.
Does Helder work internationally?
Yes.
Helder supports international brands entering the DACH market, works with companies from Switzerland and Austria, and helps German brands integrate international acquisitions – including projects for Vetropack, ernoi, JTL and expomobilia.
Our project languages are German and English.
What is the Brand Frame®?
The Helder Brand Frame® is a proprietary brand model developed by Helder.
The Brand Frame® brings together the five central brand elements – competence, vision, mission, values and core – in a single framework and shows how they relate to one another.
This makes the Brand Frame® a user-friendly and practical tool for strategic brand management: without the complexity of an 80-page PDF, but with the necessary strategic depth.
Sounds right
Get in touch.
