A creative department. Without the hire.
A senior creative director who joins your company part-time and owns everything design and brand: creative direction, identity, visuals, tone of voice and the system your team builds with.
Your brand is being made by whoever’s free that day.
Nothing looks like one company.
The deck, the site, the ads and the product were all made by different people. Customers notice, even when they can’t say why.
Too big for freelancers. Too early for a CD.
A full-time creative director costs six figures and months to hire. Freelancers do tasks, but nobody owns the whole picture.
Every decision becomes a debate.
Without a clear direction and a system, each new page or campaign starts from zero and drags on for weeks.
Everything design and brand. One person accountable.
You get the thinking of a creative director and the output of a studio. Anything your business needs from a design and branding point of view is in scope.
Creative direction
- Brand strategy and positioning
- The creative idea behind everything
- Art direction for shoots, campaigns and launches
Brand identity
- Logo, wordmark and marks
- Naming and brand architecture
- Sub-brands and product identities
Visual identity
- Typography and colour
- Photography and illustration style
- Iconography, layout and motion
Tone of voice
- Brand story and messaging
- How you write, with real examples
- Taglines and key copy
Design system
- Components, tokens and templates
- Built for your team and your developers
- Guidelines people actually use
Website and assets
- Website design and revamp
- Pitch decks, social and campaigns
- Packaging, print and product UI
Diagnose. Build. Embed.
Diagnose.
- Full brand, website and design audit
- Conversations with founders, team and customers
- What the brand must do for the business, written down
Build.
- Creative direction and identity, rebuilt or refined
- Visual identity, tone of voice and design system
- Website and the assets the business runs on
Embed.
- Brand story workshop for the team
- Guidelines and templates handed over
- A plan for the next twelve months
Selected work
All case studies →Senior leadership. A fraction of the cost.
| Option | Typical cost | Time to start | Owns the whole brand | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time creative director | $150,000+ a year, plus a team | 3–6 months to hire | Yes | Permanent hire |
| Branding agency | $50,000–150,000 per rebrand | Weeks of pitching | Until handover | Project, then gone |
| Freelancers | Varies by task | Days | No | Task by task |
| Shapes fractional | $6,000 a month | This month | Yes | Three months, then rolling |
Typical ranges for the US and UK, 2026. Your quote may differ.
Simple pricing.
Three-month minimum, then month to month. A creative director inside your company, on your calls and in your channels.
- Everything in scope, as the business needs it
- Weekly check-ins and direct access
- Your team trained to carry the brand
Diagnose, build and embed as one fixed project over three months, with clear deliverables and dates.
- Full identity, voice and design system
- Website and key assets
- Guidelines and team workshop
Places are limited because I work with each company directly.
- You’re past launch and the brand hasn’t kept up
- You need senior creative leadership, not a full-time hire
- Your team makes things that don’t look like one company
- You’re about to raise, rebrand or enter a new market
- You just need your website redone (try the free website redo)
- You want ads or social media managed
- You’re not ready to let the brand change
What does “fractional” mean?
You get a senior creative director for part of the week instead of hiring one full-time. Same leadership and accountability, without the salary, the hiring process or the long-term commitment.
Who actually does the work?
I do. I lead the direction and design the core of the brand myself, and bring in trusted specialists (motion, illustration, development) when a project needs them. You always deal with me.
How much of your time do I get?
Enough to own your brand properly: weekly check-ins, direct access on your channels and the hours the work needs. We agree the rhythm on the intro call.
Do I own everything you make?
Yes. Every file, logo, template and guideline is yours to keep and use however you like.
Can we stop after three months?
Yes. The minimum is three months, then it rolls month to month. Most companies stay on to keep the brand consistent as they grow.
Do you work with teams outside London?
Yes. I work with companies across the US, Europe, Australia and Asia, remotely and in your time zone where it matters.
Look like one company.
Tell me about the company.
If it looks like a fit, I’ll send a time for a 30-minute intro call. If it doesn’t, I’ll tell you what I’d do instead.
Thank you. I’ll be in touch.
Expect a reply within two working days.