You will get Senior Brand Audit + Strategy Memo for Founders & In-House Teams
Project details
Most brand problems are not design problems. They are decision problems that show up in the design.
I am a senior creative director with 15+ years across gaming, technology, and lifestyle. Former UI/UX lead at Telltale Games on the Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and Batman. Currently VP of Design & Creative at Sommsation and founder of Standard., a brand systems studio that has stress-tested a multi-phase brand operating system across sister portfolio companies.
This project is a senior outside read on your brand. I review what you have, identify what is working, what is leaking, and what to fix in what order. You receive a written strategy memo with prioritized recommendations you can hand to your designer, your agency, or your next hire.
Best fit: founders, early-stage marketing leads, and brand managers who suspect their brand is underperforming and want a senior diagnosis before they spend money on a fix. Not a logo redesign. The audit comes first so production money lands on the right problem.
I am a senior creative director with 15+ years across gaming, technology, and lifestyle. Former UI/UX lead at Telltale Games on the Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and Batman. Currently VP of Design & Creative at Sommsation and founder of Standard., a brand systems studio that has stress-tested a multi-phase brand operating system across sister portfolio companies.
This project is a senior outside read on your brand. I review what you have, identify what is working, what is leaking, and what to fix in what order. You receive a written strategy memo with prioritized recommendations you can hand to your designer, your agency, or your next hire.
Best fit: founders, early-stage marketing leads, and brand managers who suspect their brand is underperforming and want a senior diagnosis before they spend money on a fix. Not a logo redesign. The audit comes first so production money lands on the right problem.
Project Type
Email Automation, Marketing Automation, Marketing Strategy, Digital Marketing, OtherWhat's included
| Service Tiers |
Starter
$750
|
Standard
$2,500
|
Advanced
$6,500
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery Time | 7 days | 14 days | 21 days |
Number of Revisions | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Optional add-ons
You can add these on the next page.
Additional Revision
+$250
Additional 60-min strategy call
(+ 2 Days)
+$300Frequently asked questions
About Crystal
Fractional Creative Director | Brand, Product, AI Workflow Systems
Sacramento, United States - 10:52 pm local time
Fifteen years across gaming, technology, and lifestyle. Former UI/UX lead at Telltale Games on the award-winning Walking Dead and on Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and Batman. Currently VP of Design & Creative at Sommsation, where I built the brand and platform from zero and run an always-on Klaviyo program across overlapping campaign windows and multiple customer segments. Founder of Standard., a brand and creative operations studio that has built and stress-tested a multi-phase brand operating system across sister portfolio companies.
Here is what makes this profile different from most senior creative profiles you will compare it to.
**A framework for creative, design, and brand operations as operable infrastructure.** I have built a multi-phase creative system that sequences every layer of the work from foundation through scale: positioning, visual identity, voice, digital presence, MarTech, audience and channel strategy, launch, demand gen, investor readiness, and governance. Each phase has defined inputs, outputs, and costed deliverables, which means creative work can be planned, priced, sequenced, and handed off like any other business function. The system has been tested and implemented across sister portfolio companies at multiple growth stages, which is the stress test that proves it holds up outside a deck.
**AI integrated into the creative pipeline as infrastructure.** AI tools are not things I list as a skill line. They are stages in a pipeline I have designed, with defined hand-offs between generative output, human craft, and production QA. I have built workflows that compress production time without giving up quality, and I can tell you which tools earn their seat at the table and which do not, which matters because the toolset evolves constantly. The pipeline itself is portable, which is why the same one runs across sister portfolio companies simultaneously.
**Gaming and narrative product design.** I led UI/UX at Telltale Games on The Walking Dead, an award-winning game in its own right, alongside adaptations of major IP like Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and Batman. I know narrative-driven product design and I know how to run a creative team through a live production cycle without the wheels coming off.
**Full-spectrum design.** UI/UX, brand identity, motion, design systems, campaign creative, and investor-facing materials. Digital and physical. I move between strategy and execution depending on what the project actually needs that week.
**How I work on Upwork:**
I publish productized engagements through my Project Catalog because they let both of us know what we are buying and selling. Brand audits, design system reviews, Klaviyo lifecycle audits, and AI creative workflow audits, all delivered as written strategic memos with structured recommendations. If your project does not fit a catalog item, message me and I will scope a custom offer within 24 hours.
Hourly engagements are available for ongoing fractional creative direction work, typically 10-20 hours per week, on a 90-day minimum engagement. I am not the right hire for one-off logo design, single-page web builds, or rapid-turnaround campaign work. There are excellent people on this platform for that work, and I will refer you to one if you message me.
Best fit: founders, early-stage marketing leads, product VPs, and brand teams who already have or are about to build a creative team and want senior thinking on top.
Steps for completing your project
After purchasing the project, send requirements so Crystal can start the project.
Delivery time starts when Crystal receives requirements from you.
Crystal works on your project following the steps below.
Revisions may occur after the delivery date.
Kickoff (within 24 hours of order)
I review your requirements, confirm scope, and request any missing materials.
Discovery + audit phase (Depending on project tier)
I review your brand assets, website, social channels, and competitive context.