UPBrand

Over my career, I've earned a reputation as an internal brand "cheerleader"—diving deep into how things work behind the scenes, why they function that way, what that says about the brand and all the exciting ways it could evolve.

UPBrand has been no exception. Working behind the scenes often brings the most creativity and personal satisfaction. Timelines are looser, stakes are lower and there’s usually nothing holding the designer back. Usually. Having a solid collection of internal branding projects to tackle not only keeps skills sharp but also prepares a designer for the demands of high-stakes client work.

Below are a few of my favorite projects from my time as an Art Director at UPBrand. No matter the scale, I always aim to challenge myself with every task while enjoying the freedom to experiment and explore new ideas.

Client Showcase

After settling in at UPBrand, I noticed a glaring omission: while we had plenty of case studies, we lacked a showreel to highlight our client work. Unacceptable! I took the initiative to tackle the project independently—a classic "forgiveness, not permission" move.

I began by selecting graphics, clips, and photos that best represented our capabilities. To tie it all together, I sourced B-roll that reflected UPBrand’s culture, including nods to St. Louis, our annual Horse Hooky event, and inspiring rocket launch footage.

The final step was the fun part: experimenting with transitions in After Effects, blending sound effects, and creating custom logo animations. The result? UPBrand’s very first showreel.

GIF Headshots & Internal Graphics