A rebrand without a rollout plan is just a really expensive logo.
Most brands nail the launch and fumble everything after. Here’s what actually needs to happen once the new brand is in your hands, and what too many agencies never tell you.
Swipe to see what a real handoff looks like. 👉
We understand that great packaging doesn’t just catch your eye, it carries a legacy. That was especially true with this particular brand. We had the honor of bringing Nearest Green’s legacy to life through the packaging design for @unclenearest ; America’s first women, black owned whiskey brand from Tennessee. A project rooted in history, intention, power and storytelling.
From the label to the details, every design choice was rooted in the history our world deserves to know. We loved this project.
HOT TAKE: Account Manager Edition! (Directly from one of our own great account managers)
Account Managers who prioritize being liked over being effective aren’t actually serving their clients, they’re just avoiding discomfort.
Real client value looks like:
1. Having the hard conversation when a strategy isn’t working.
2. Pushing back when a client’s instinct will hurt their results.
3. Driving renewals because the work earned it, not because the relationship is comfortable.
4. Showing up with data, not just good vibes.
The best AMs aren’t the ones clients want to grab coffee with. They’re the ones clients trust, because they’ve proven they’ll tell the truth even when it’s inconvenient.
Likability gets you in the door. Expertise, results, and ROI keep you there.
Your clients don’t need another yes person. They need someone who knows what they’re doing and isn’t afraid to show it.
Be the AM who’s respected, not just the one who’s liked.
White space isn’t empty. It’s doing some of the heaviest lifting in your design.
1. It creates breathing room.
2. It guides the eye.
3. It tells the viewer where to look and when to pause.
4. It’s the difference between a design that feels cluttered and one that feels intentional.
Brands that feel premium aren’t just using less because they have nothing to say. They’re using less because they understand that *space* is a design element. And it can commands attention just as much as color, type, or imagery. More isn’t always more.
The best designs aren’t the ones with the most. They’re the ones where nothing is accidental, including the space.
From mood board to final product. 💚
We love looking back once a project wraps, it’s a reminder of how much the early stages matter. At Clever, mood boards are where everything begins. They’re how we align with our clients and stay grounded throughout the entire design process. Looking back, you can see just how much it influenced the outcome.
Yesterday we unpacked what makes a strong icon, today we’re looking at some of the most *iconic* icons that live long after their brands phased them out.
Clippy 📎 is definitely a highlight for us. What’s an icon that still lives rent free in your mind?
We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what makes an icon actually work. Not just look good, but communicate instantly, clearly, without a single word.
Swipe to see some of the icon systems we’ve built for our clients, and the thinking behind them.
*Icons on the last page are all created by Clever for various projects 💚
Sometimes it takes a moment to step back and appreciate how far we’ve come, the brands we’ve had the honor of working alongside, and the people who trusted us with their vision.
Clever was never about telling brands what they need. It’s about showing up as a true partner, every step of the way.
To every brand that has chosen us as their creative ally, past, present, and future, thank you. We don’t take that lightly. 🙂💚
The real skill isn’t just craft, it’s reading the room. Knowing when a client is open to being guided and when they’ve already made up their mind and just need you to execute. Both are valid. Both require a completely different version of you.
Pushing back takes confidence. It means knowing your work well enough to defend it, understanding the strategy behind every decision, and being able to bring a client along with you rather than just telling them they’re wrong.
But letting go takes maturity. It means separating your ego from the outcome, recognizing that sometimes the relationship, the timeline, or the bigger picture matters more than winning the creative argument.
The designers who last aren’t just the talented ones. They’re the ones who figured out that wisdom and taste aren’t the same thing, and you need both as an Art Director. 💚
We have to talk about how @coachella has slowly stopped being a music festival, and instead becoming a space for brands to put on their own show.
The line up was stacked this year, and the brands didn’t just show up, they took over. @benefitcosmetics , @gap , @rhode , @aperolspritzofficial , @drink818 , @yslbeauty , and @pinterest brought the kind of experiences that make consumers excited to be part of the story.
Huge congratulations to the teams that helped pull these incredible activations to life. 💚✨
We’re not talking about sloppy. We’re talking about intentional rawness, the grain, the handwritten type, the uneven edges that make you stop and think a person made this.
In an increasingly AI driven market, the raw and handmade aesthetic has become one of the most powerful brand differentiators out there. Not because it looks cool, but because it makes you *feel* something. And feeling is what drives connection, loyalty, and trust.
We believe the key isn’t abandoning polish altogether. It’s knowing where humanity earns you more than perfection would.
That’s not a design trend. That’s strategy.
Design doesn’t need to require an endless list of expensive subscriptions. Sometimes there’s a lot of power, and potential, in the “simple” choices.
Would love to hear directly from designers: what softwares do you use the most? What free options do you find yourself utilizing? 💚
