Insights
Notes from the studio.
Things we've learned designing brands and products for hi-tech companies. Updated when we have something to say - not on a content calendar.
- Studio Operations3 min read
AI made the work faster - it didn't shrink the retainer
AI changed what can be delivered within a retainer, but it didn't reduce the need for context, judgment, consistency, and ongoing creative support.
- Brand Strategy6 min read
The trust tax - why security brands can't afford to look AI-generated
You sell trust for a living. In 2026, a brand that reads as synthetic quietly undermines the one thing your buyer showed up for - and the penalty is now measurable.
- Design Systems5 min read
Your design tokens are now the only thing standing between your brand and drift
When half your interface is generated by an AI working from your codebase, the 60-page brand PDF is irrelevant. Your tokens are the guardrail - or there is no guardrail.
- AI & Design5 min read
Anyone can generate a brand now - which is exactly why yours needs a point of view
The cost of a competent-looking brand fell to roughly zero this year. When everyone can generate the average, the only thing left worth paying for is the deviation from it.
- Brand Strategy6 min read
Three brand mistakes that make hi-tech companies look small
The same three identity problems show up at series-A and at series-D - and they all telegraph "we're new at this" to enterprise buyers.
- Design Systems5 min read
Design systems vs. brand guidelines - and why most teams need both
A brand guideline tells you what your logo looks like. A design system tells your engineers what a button looks like. They aren't the same artifact, and the cost of conflating them is real.
- Studio Operations4 min read
Why we shifted to retainer-only engagements (and what it took)
Two years ago we ran a healthy mix of one-off projects and monthly retainers. Today, almost all our work is retainer. The shift was deliberate - and the data behind it surprised us.