Book Call
Our modular branding process
- Kickoff
- Analysis
- Workshop
- Brand Strategy
- Brand Naming
- Feedback
- Legal review
- Design Audit
- 2 brand design concepts
- Feedback
- Design System
- Brand Guidelines
- Touchpoint development
- Brand Launch
Kickoff
In a personal meeting, the project team introduces itself and you get to know the timeline and milestones.
Result
- Definition of contact person(s)
- Definition of responsibilities
- Individual project plan
Responsibility
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Client
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Strategist
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Designer / Creative Director
Analysis
We review your strategy and brand presence in terms of target audience, competition, business goals and positioning.
Result
- Analysis presentation as a PDF document incl. evaluation of brand presence and competitive analysis
- Interview documentation
- 3 personas
Responsibility
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Strategist
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Creative Director
Workshop
Using co-creative methods, we develop the foundations of your brand identity in a one-day workshop.
Result
- Documentation of the workshop results in text and images.
Responsibility
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Client
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Strategist
Brand Strategy
Based on the workshop results, we develop a brand vision and translate it into a Brand Frame®.
Result
- Strategy presentation as a PDF document incl. rationale
Your individual Brand Frame®
Responsibility
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Client
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Strategist
Brand Naming
Based on the Brand Frame®, we develop naming proposals that reflect the brand identity.
Result
- 4 name proposals as a PDF document incl. rationale
- Research into available URLs
Responsibility
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Creative Director
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Strategist
Feedback
Feedback and selection of 2 favorites by decision-makers.
Result
- Consolidated feedback / decision in writing or in a personal call.
Responsibility
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Client
Legal review
A law firm conducts a similarity search, which forms the basis for selecting the final name.
Result
- Similarity search
- Evaluation of results
Responsibility
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Client
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Law firm
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Creative Director
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Strategist
Design Audit
Visual analysis of your own brand design and that of three competitors.
Result
- Analysis presentation as a PDF document.
Responsibility
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Client
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Creative Director
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Designer
2 brand design concepts
Development of 2 design concepts including logo, colors, typography, key visual, visual style, icons and layout system.
Result
- Design presentation as a PDF document incl. rationale and exemplary visualization using 3–5 examples (e.g. landing page, social media post).
Responsibility
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Creative Director
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Designer
Feedback
Feedback and selection of one concept by decision-makers.
Result
- Consolidated feedback in writing or in a personal call.
Responsibility
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Creative Director
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Designer
Design System
Finalization of the design system based on feedback and creation of design assets.
Result
- Presentation of the final design system as a PDF document
- Delivery of assets: logo, key visuals, color codes
Responsibility
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Creative Director
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Designer
Brand Guidelines
Documentation of the design system including guidelines, do’s and don’ts, and exemplary applications.
Result
- Documentation as a PDF and Figma document
- Briefing of the relevant teams
Responsibility
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Client
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Creative Director
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Designer
Touchpoint development
The brand design is applied across relevant touchpoints to ensure a consistent and engaging brand presence.
Result
- Templates as Figma, InDesign or PPT files
Responsibility
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Client
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Creative Director
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Designer
Brand Launch
You launch a brand that makes a difference.
Result
- With strategy and design, you have a brand that shows what you truly stand for.
Responsibility
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Client
FAQ
Everything you need to know about the branding process
Everything you need to know about the branding process
How much does branding cost?
For professional branding including brand strategy and design, you should expect a budget starting at €35,000. The cost of brand development depends on the scope and complexity of the respective project.
Are there any additional costs?
Imagery, icon sets and fonts that are not developed in-house usually need to be licensed.
A single font style costs around €30 to €300 – and several styles are usually required. Developing a custom typeface starts at €10,000.
Stock photography typically ranges from around €10 to €500, while icon sets cost approximately €100.
For trademark registrations, additional fees apply for the legal review by a law firm as well as registration in the trademark register. Depending on the scope, you should expect costs between €400 and €10,000.
How long does a branding project take?
The time required for a branding project varies depending on the scope and the company’s internal structures for feedback and approvals.
For holistic brand development including strategy, brand workshop and brand design, you should expect 12–15 weeks. Developing a brand name extends the process by approximately 4 weeks.
How much work is required from us as the client?
The workload for clients is easy to plan and mainly consists of active participation in the workshop (1 day), presentations and feedback rounds. We take care of the content preparation and development.
Who is the branding process suitable for?
The process is optimized for SMEs, scale-ups and start-ups that value strategic branding and an iterative, collaborative process.
What team set-up supports the process?
Every project is supported by a team of branding specialists as well as a senior lead from strategy and/or design. In addition, there is a dedicated point of contact for project management.
Do we get several design options to choose from?
Yes. In the first design presentation, we present two design routes, one of which is further developed and finalized based on your feedback.
What happens if we don’t like the design?
We develop the brand design iteratively. Based on the strategy, we present 2 design routes. You provide feedback, which we use to further develop one route. This route is then finalized based on your input.
As a rule, two revision rounds are included. For more information, take a look at our feedback video.
Can we commission only part of the project (e.g. strategy only or design only)?
Yes. The process and services are modular, making it clear which services are required at each stage. We are happy to advise you on which modules will help you achieve your goals.
Which modules do you need when developing a new brand as a start-up?
Budgets can be limited, especially for young companies. Many start-ups therefore focus on brand design and guidelines. At a certain stage of maturity, however, strategic branding becomes necessary to create long-term impact. We therefore recommend investing in a brand workshop including Brand Frame®, brand design and storytelling.
Does a creative pitch make sense for a branding project?
No. Good design is strategic work. It is developed in dialogue with the client. In a pitch, agencies have to make assumptions – and guess what you might like. This often leads to disappointment.
Our tip: Invest in a strategic brand workshop instead and spend a day working on your topic with a selected agency.
When does a brand workshop make sense?
In a brand workshop, the identity and positioning of the brand are defined together. The workshop therefore forms the foundation for developing the brand strategy, brand design and messaging.
A brand workshop makes sense whenever the brand has blind spots, lacks clarity or shows inconsistencies – both in terms of content and visual identity.
How do I brief an agency properly?
Our branding is always strategically grounded. That is why it is essential for us to understand the current status quo. Which strategic brand elements are already in place, which are missing and which no longer reflect the company today? We want to understand what goals the brand is pursuing and where support is needed with communication and visual challenges. You can find more information and a briefing template here.
Can you also design and develop our website?
Yes, we design and develop corporate websites using the CMS WordPress or a headless CMS such as DatoCMS.
Do you also provide long-term support?
Yes. We implement the new brand within the company through concepts that get your team excited about the brand and empower them to act as brand ambassadors. Beyond that, we also support you with the long-term implementation of your brand to ensure it remains consistent and effective.
What are the payment terms?
1/3 of the total amount is due upon commissioning. The second third is invoiced once 50% of the work has been completed, and the final third upon project completion.
How we work
Transparency instead of a black box.
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Optimized for scale-ups & SMEs
Agile, lean, direct and reliable: processes tailored to owner-managed companies
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Transparent proven process
Iterative, forward-looking development instead of a black box and unexpected surprises
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All branding services from a single source
Seamless branding with long-term support through a retainer option or coaching
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Branding enabler
Long-term enablement through an ecosystem of Brand Frame®, videos, templates and community
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100+ successful projects
Through quality assurance: consulting, concept development and execution by experienced branding experts
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Best-in-class reviews
100% of our clients
would recommend us without hesitation
Client feedback
What our clients say
From Webshop to Interior Brand.
“Through Helder’s branding process, we evolved from a webshop into an interior brand. The new sub-brands and brand design resonate perfectly with our target audiences. With the strategic brand framework, our teams can create content that’s always on brand. This has helped us build an even deeper emotional connection with our customers.”
Monika Adler
CEO
Modern Design Agency for the Digital Age
“We chose Helder because we appreciated their strategic, results-oriented approach. This proved true throughout the collaboration – a modern design agency for the digital age.”
Christoph Brack
Head of Marketing and Communications
Now we have a brand that exceeds our expectations.
“The expertise and communication with this company are truly impressive, and we would recommend Helder without hesitation. We felt perfectly supported at all times and will continue working together even after the project is complete. Now we have a brand that exceeds our expectations – thank you!”
Gained an understanding of who we are and where we want to go
“The collaboration was characterized by calm, care and a clear view from the outside. Through constructive challenging, we not only sharpened our brand mission statement, but also gained a deeper understanding of who we are and where we want to go. A valuable process that allows us to move forward with clarity and self-confidence.”
Thomas Theurillat
GRÜNDER
VOOR Is Not Just a Brand – It's Our Identity
“With Helder, we didn’t just do a rebranding – we developed VOOR from the ground up together with Birgit and Maurits.
The result excites us. VOOR is not just a brand – it’s our drive, our identity. We live the result.
Thank you, Birgit, Maurits, and the entire Helder team!”
Ronny Wangelin
Co-Founder
"Together with Helder, we successfully developed a new name and brand identity that resonates even more strongly with our target audience."
Björn Wisnewski
Founder
“Helder does a great job. Their uncomplicated manner makes every job with them fun!”
Niclas Breit
Head of Marketing Salesfive
“Helder has been instrumental in helping us build the branding of our company SANE Standard. Our collaboration was very constructive and they really understood our needs.”
From Six Data and Analytics Consulting Firms to a Data Powerhouse
“The branding process with Helder enabled us to transform from six individual, highly successful data and analytics consulting firms into a single data powerhouse. You can feel it – and you can see it.”
Thomas Schräer
Founder
Strategie, die zusammenhält
Unsere Marke war dem Wachstum nicht mehr gewachsen – Kommunikation und Außenauftritt wirkten uneinheitlich. Mit Helder haben wir ein solides Markenfundament geschaffen, das unsere Werte und Identität glaubwürdig nach außen trägt. Der strategische Ansatz hat uns überzeugt. Heute spüren wir den Wandel: einheitlicher Auftritt, klares Messaging, motiviertes Team. Der Brand Guide ist unser Kompass – er spart Zeit, gibt Richtung und schafft Klarheit.
Katrin Müller-Bentrop
Strategisches Marketing
Helder has been strengthening the ASC & MSC brands for two years with naming and design
„For two years in a row, Helder’s naming and design perfectly translated the themes of sustainability and responsibility into the ASC & MSC brand awareness campaign. This has significantly increased consumer:in confidence in our seals and brand awareness.“
Manuel maillard
Marketing Manager
The brand workshop still forms the basis of our communication strategy today.
“The brand workshop still forms the basis of our communication strategy today. It has made the brand management of Weingut Prinz Salm much easier for us because we now have a clear basis for decision-making.”
Felix Prinz zu Salm
Owner
“Helder has the ability to capture the essence of the company's idea and translate it into words. We have benefited from this for our own brand as well as our clients.”
Clemens Reisbeck
Head of Communications
"Together with Helder, we developed a narrative that makes complex services and products understandable, accessible, and desirable."
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Nathalie Thomsen
Marketing Manager
"With Helder, we didn’t just develop a brand – we created a mindset. Together, we built a value-driven strategy and a brand design that I can identify with 100%."
Nina Hansen
Founder
„An excellent choice for branding. Very tight design agency, understood my brand, addressed my ideas and exceeded my expectations in the implementation. Thank you and always happy to return!“
Jean-Baptiste Abel
Lawyer
Three steps to a brand that makes a difference.
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Book a brand workshop
In our brand workshop, you define your brand’s values, competencies, ambition and mission.
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Develop your branding
We translate your brand strategy into a Brand Frame®, brand design and brand story.
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Differentiate through your brand
You launch a brand that makes a difference – for customers, partners and talent.
Our process for strategy, naming and brand design
From the strategic foundation and new brand name to brand design and launch, we develop your brand step by step. The entire process takes around 19 weeks and combines analysis, collaborative workshops, strategic development, naming, design and implementation.
1. Kick-off | Week 1
In a personal meeting, you get to know the project team. Together, we discuss the project process, timing and key milestones. We also define contact persons and responsibilities.
Deliverable: Defined contact persons and responsibilities as well as an individual project plan.
2. Analysis | Week 1 to 3
We analyze your existing brand strategy and brand presence in terms of target audiences, competition, business goals and positioning. Interviews and personas add relevant perspectives on your brand to the analysis.
Deliverable: Analysis presentation as a PDF including an evaluation of your brand presence and competitive analysis, interview documentation and three personas.
3. Brand workshop | Week 4
In a one-day workshop, we use co-creative methods to develop the foundations of your brand identity together. The results form the strategic basis for the further development of your brand.
Deliverable: Documentation of the workshop results in text and images.
4. Brand strategy | Week 5 to 6
Based on the workshop results, we develop your brand vision and translate the key strategic elements into the Helder Brand Frame®.
Deliverable: Strategy presentation as a PDF including the strategic rationale as well as your individual Brand Frame®.
5. Brand naming | Week 7 to 8
Based on the Brand Frame®, we develop name proposals that reflect your brand identity and align with your strategic positioning. At the same time, we research the availability of relevant URLs.
Deliverable: Four name proposals as a PDF including the rationale as well as research into available URLs.
6. Naming feedback | Week 9
The decision-makers provide feedback on the name proposals and select two favorites for further review.
Deliverable: Consolidated feedback and documented decision, in writing or in a personal call.
7. Legal review | Week 10
A specialized law firm conducts a similarity search for the two preferred names. Based on the results, we evaluate the options and create the basis for the final naming decision.
Deliverable: Similarity search and evaluation of the results.
8. Design audit | Week 11
We analyze the existing brand design as well as the brand presence of three relevant competitors. This allows us to identify visual potential, opportunities for differentiation and requirements for the future brand identity.
Deliverable: Design audit as a PDF presentation.
9. Two brand design concepts | Week 12 to 13
Based on the brand strategy and design audit, we develop two different visual routes for the future brand design. Both concepts are strategically grounded and brought to life through concrete applications.
Deliverable: Design presentation as a PDF including the rationale as well as exemplary visualization using three to five applications, such as a landing page or social media post.
10. Brand design feedback | Week 14
The decision-makers provide consolidated feedback on the two design routes and select one concept, which is then further developed.
Deliverable: Consolidated feedback and documented decision, in writing or in a personal call.
11. Design system | Week 15
We finalize the selected design route based on the feedback and develop it into a consistent design system. At the same time, we create the key design assets for further application.
Deliverable: Presentation of the final design system as a PDF as well as delivery of the key assets such as logo, key visuals and color codes.
12. Brand guidelines | Week 15 to 16
The design system is documented in brand guidelines. These define design principles, guidelines, do’s and don’ts, and exemplary applications. We also brief the relevant teams for further implementation.
Deliverable: Brand guidelines as a PDF and Figma document as well as briefing of the relevant teams.
13. Touchpoint development | Week 17 to 18
We apply the brand design across the touchpoints relevant to your brand. This creates a consistent and engaging brand presence across all applications.
Deliverable: Developed templates and applications as Figma, InDesign or PowerPoint files.
14. Brand launch | Week 19
You launch a brand that clearly shows what your company stands for. Strategy, name and design work together to create a clear foundation for future brand management.
Result: A strategically grounded and visually consistent brand that provides internal direction and is clearly positioned externally.
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