Bret Hansen
Creative director, design leader, brand expert
Head of brand design at a hypergrowth startup
Toptal
As head of brand design, I built a high-performing in-house creative team, oversaw the revamp of Toptal’s brand, including a new logo and comprehensive visual system, and helped elevate Toptal’s reputation from a promising startup to an industry leader.
A new look for a beloved Brooklyn bakery
Baked
Baked is a beloved bakery in Brooklyn started by two friends in the advertising business. When Baked earned a spot on Oprah’s list of favorite things, interest in the bakery skyrocketed. The owners needed to bring their makeshift brand identity to the next level. A new logo, website and packaging elevated the brand and positioned Baked as a modern classic
Leading the marketing design team at a respected news organization
The Wall Street Journal
As Global Creative Director at WSJ, I led the in-house creative team delivering high-impact marketing campaigns and digital experiences. Key initiatives included launching an innovative sales enablement app, modernizing The Journal’s media kit, and directing WSJ’s annual NewsFronts presentations to media buyers.
Leading a comprehensive brand refresh for a global tech giant
SAP
As a creative director at Siegel+Gale, I led the evolution of SAP’s visual identity system. The engagement encompassed a deep analysis of SAP’s then current visual system followed by a strategic re-imagining of the brand. The final visual language builds on the brand’s primary color, SAP Gold, as a symbol of light and energy. More practically, the system includes a modular illustration system, enhanced photography and friendlier typography—all of which energize the brand and position SAP as a relentless innovator. The system received honors from the 2017 Clio Awards.
A precise new look for a Swiss pharma brand
Novartis
When Novartis wanted to refresh its visual identity, the company engaged Siegel+Gale. As the creative director, I worked closely with Novartis executives to understand their objectives and then led the S+G design team in developing a visual system that echoed the brand’s Swiss roots. The system needed to be flexible enough to handle everything from simple powerpoint presentations to complex way-finding systems—and it had to leverage the brand’s considerable brand equity while also pointing to the future.
Italian Modernism
Ciao Gloria
The owner of Brooklyn coffee shop, Ciaó Gloria, wanted a visual theme inspired by 1960s Italy. In reference to the ornate tile work found in the villas along the Amalfi Coast, we developed a system of geometric shapes based on the letters in the word ciaó. The shapes are used throughout the brand system to complement the custom drawn logo and infuse the shop’s interior with a ‘mod’ mood.
Baa, baa, black sheep
Condé Nast
Every year Details refreshes its brand platform with a new message and a new campaign. The Black Sheep is a multi-channel program that packages the Details reader as a style influencer – a guy who starts rather than follows fashion trends. Loaded with bad-boy connotations, the black sheep concept inspired a brand book, typographic logo, website, poster blast, video and more; and ultimately helped Details win advertisers hungry to reach the influential in-crowd.
Infusing Southern charm into a bank’s visual identity
Synovus Bank
As a creative director at Siegel+Gale, my team redesigned the visual identity for Synovus, a regional bank serving communities throughout the South. Synovus wanted an updated look that signaled innovation while conveying the welcoming hospitality the bank was known for. A new, hand-drawn logo, warm color palette, friendly typography and images of life in the South position Synovus as a trusted friend.