With Senior Project Manager Amy Jagaczewski and Project Manager Vanessa Cardillo
By Pete Nute
A logo is often one of the first things people think about when discussing a brand. But before colors are selected, typography is explored, or design concepts start taking shape, there is a bigger question to answer:
Who are you?
At Golden Egg Concepts, we have found that the strongest brand identities begin with conversation. We work with clients to clarify who they are, what they do, why they do it, and what makes them different. Those answers become the foundation for everything that follows, from logo design and websites to infographics, proposal templates, and broader brand experiences.
We sat down with Senior Project Manager Amy Jagaczewski and Project Manager Vanessa Cardillo to talk about why messaging should come before design and how the two work together.
Tell us about the connection between brand messaging and visual identity design. Why is messaging such an important bridge to the design process?
Amy: Sometimes clients come to us with what I’d call a collection of vibes. They have a lot of ideas, but not necessarily a clear way to articulate them.
They know what they like. They know what they don’t like. They have goals for the future. Maybe they have evolved over time. Maybe they provide several services or have grown beyond the identity they originally built for themselves.
That is where it helps to slow down and clarify the story before jumping into design. We take a step back and look at the organization as a whole. What are the differentiators? Why do you do what you do? What makes you special? What do you want to be known for? Once we can answer those questions, we are able to build a framework that clearly defines the brand and gives our creative team something meaningful to work from. That framework helps them translate the messaging into a visual identity that is rooted in strategy, not just preference.
Vanessa: That is where the visual side of the process becomes much more intentional. When the messaging is clearly defined first, we are not designing from scratch or relying only on personal preference. We have a strategic foundation to build from.
The same questions Amy asks during those early brand messaging conversations ultimately help guide the visual identity. A visual identity should communicate who an organization is, so understanding its values, personality, and positioning gives us direction before we ever begin designing.
We often start by reviewing the messaging framework and pulling out recurring themes, phrases, and ideas. From there, we build mood boards and begin exploring ways to represent those concepts visually. We are not trying to create something overly literal. Instead, we are looking for visual cues that reinforce the story the brand is trying to tell.
Without that foundation, visual identity development can become a much broader exercise. You are exploring countless directions because the identity itself has not been clearly defined. Once messaging becomes more concrete, design concepts become more aligned and more reflective of the client’s identity.
For example, if intention, precision, warmth, or innovation are central to how an organization works, those qualities should come through in the visual identity.
Amy: The impact can go well beyond logos. We have seen brand messaging work influence website navigation, page layouts, proposal templates, visual storytelling, and even custom graphics and infographics.
Sometimes an organization does not need a new logo at all. What they need is a clearer understanding of how to communicate their value and organize their story.
I have done messaging work with many different clients for many different purposes. I worked with a building envelope consultant on a messaging framework that helped him articulate the concept of a building’s hierarchy of needs, which could then be translated into an infographic as part of his visual identity.
Vanessa: That is why we view branding as an interconnected system. The messaging informs the logo. The logo informs the website. The website reinforces the messaging. Everything should work together. At the end of the day, we are trying to create an accurate visual representation of how a company articulates its services, values, and expertise. When messaging comes first, the design process becomes less about personal preference and more about creating a brand identity that is authentic and intentional, reflecting the personality and uniqueness of each organization.