Startup branding
In short
In shortSplash Creative builds brand identities and websites for startups, scoped to the stage the company is at: a focused launch identity before product-market fit, or a full positioning and identity system once you've raised and the team is growing. Every engagement starts with a written positioning statement, the identity is designed on your real deck, site, and product, and the website is built in-house on WordPress or Shopify. A focused launch identity usually takes 4 to 6 weeks.
- Who it is for
- New companies preparing to launch, and startups whose original brand no longer fits the offer or audience
- What it covers
- Positioning, identity, and a launch website, with the identity applied to pitches, products, and campaigns
- Who does the work
- A senior team led by David Herskowitz, Founder and Creative Director
- How it is priced
- Brand identity from $15,000; brand and website from $30,000. Scope and fee confirmed in a written proposal
Our view
Most startup brands are built for the deck that raised the last round, not the market the company is walking into. Founders either overspend early on a brand system they'll outgrow, or ship a placeholder logo and spend two years explaining what the company does. You have seconds to tell someone what you sell. Clarity isn't boring, but confusion is expensive.
What we do instead
We scope the brand to your next milestone: a launch, a raise, or a hiring push. We lock positioning in writing first, because the brand is the story the product lives inside. Then we design the identity on the things you'll use next month, like the pitch deck, the homepage, the app icon, and the investor update. And we'll tell you what you don't need yet, including, sometimes, the app.
Where we've done it
MetaboliK Health had a rigorous GLP-1 program and nothing to show for it visually, so we built its identity and guidelines. Luminova Biotech needed complex research turned into an identity, site, and deck that investors could grasp quickly. CoverWhale needed a brand and website that read as fast and reliable to trucking buyers with no patience for friction, and Modality Advisors launched with identity, copy, and website from us.
What a startup brand needs, and when
- 01
A positioning statement
One page, in writing, that says who you're for, what you replace, and why you win. If your co-founders describe the company three different ways, this is where that ends.
- 02
A launch identity
Logo, color, type, and a starter guide, built to hold up from the first homepage to the Series A deck. Not a placeholder you'll pay to replace in eighteen months.
- 03
Pitch deck and investor materials
Your deck is often the first thing that carries the new brand, and the one investors study hardest. We design it to make the story easy to follow, not just to look expensive.
- 04
A website that ships with the brand
Designed and built in-house on WordPress or Shopify, in the same engagement as the identity. No handoff to a separate developer, no month where the brand exists everywhere except your site.
- 05
Naming, when you need it
Company and product names that can be owned in search and still make sense two products from now. We named Betterness, so we know how hard it is to find a word nobody else is using.
- 06
A system for the next stage
After the raise, the team grows and everyone starts making slides. Full guidelines and working templates keep twenty new hires from inventing twenty versions of your brand.
Startup brand work.
All work
The Oathe Group
Custom Site Design · Logo + Visual Identity
The Oathe Group
“We've loved the logo and branding David created for Ready to Pedal. It's been a wonderful foundation for us and exactly the starting point I needed to keep building and growing the business. As we've expanded, the branding has worked so well for us and reflects who we are and what we do.”
Built for teams like yours
- You raised a round and the brand still looks like the pre-seed deck.
- You're launching a product and need an identity and site that hold up in front of investors and buyers.
- The team has grown and nobody agrees on how the brand should look or sound.
- You can explain the product in a meeting, but your homepage can't.
- You want one team on the brand and the website, so nothing gets lost in a handoff.
- You want someone senior who will tell you what to skip at this stage.
Not a fit
We're not a fit if you need a logo by Friday for a pitch on Monday, or if you're still deciding what the company is. Positioning work needs something real to position.
How a startup brand project with us works
- 01
Positioning
Usually the first two weeks: a workshop with the founders, a look at the competitors you actually lose to, and a written positioning statement. You sign off on it before any design starts.
- 02
Identity
Logo, type, color, and the core system, shown on your deck, homepage, and product rather than a blank page. You see whether it works where it matters before you commit.
- 03
Website and launch materials
We design and build the site and the launch pieces from the same team that made the identity. The brand and the site go live together.
- 04
Handoff
Guidelines, working files, and templates for the decks and posts you make most. Your team can build the next investor update without calling us.
A focused launch system or a brand for the next stage?
Some teams need a focused launch system. Others have reached a point where the original brand no longer fits the offer or audience.
Focused launch system
- Usually right when
- The company is new and needs a clear introduction
- What it covers
- The decisions that are essential now, with the rest developed later
- The question it answers
- How do we introduce the company clearly?
Brand for the next stage
- Usually right when
- The original brand no longer fits the offer or audience
- What it covers
- Positioning, identity, and website considered together
- The question it answers
- How should the brand reflect where the business is now?
Questions, answered.
When should a startup invest in branding?
A brand identity starts at $15,000. Brand and website together start at $30,000. Right before a moment that puts you in front of new people: a launch, a fundraise, or a hiring push. Before product-market fit, a focused launch identity is usually enough. After a Series A, most teams need a full system that can grow with them.
How long does startup branding take?
A focused launch identity usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. A full strategy and identity engagement usually takes 8 to 12 weeks, and brand plus website together usually take 12 to 16 weeks. Tell us your launch or raise date and we'll say plainly whether it's realistic.
How much should a startup spend on branding?
Enough to match the stage you're at, and no more. What drives the fee is the depth of positioning work, whether you need naming, how many launch pieces we design, and whether the website is included. Scope, timing, and fee are agreed in a written proposal before kickoff, so share your budget and we'll tell you what it covers.
Should we brand before or after building the product?
Brand and product can move in parallel, but lock your core positioning before you invest heavily in either. The positioning tells the product team and the design team what they're building toward.
Do you work with startups outside New York?
Yes. We're based in Englewood, NJ, and work with clients worldwide. We meet New York City and tri-state teams in person for workshops and key milestones, and work with startups everywhere else remotely.
What should we ask a branding agency before hiring one?
Does the process start with strategy or jump straight to design? Who works on your project day to day? Can they show work for a company at your stage? What exactly will you receive? At Splash Creative, David Herskowitz is on every project from the first call to final delivery.
