FAQ
The questions we get on the first call.
Written the way we would answer them out loud. If yours is not here, ask it — we will add it.
Working together
How do projects usually start?
A 45-minute call with the people who would do the work — no account manager layer. If it looks like a fit, we write a scoped proposal within a week. If it does not, we say so on the call and usually suggest two other studios.
What size of company do you work with?
Anything from a nine-person importer to a group with a thousand staff. What matters more than size is whether there is someone empowered to make the decisions the work depends on.
Do you work with in-house teams?
Often, and it tends to produce the best results. We frequently design a system and support an internal team through the rollout rather than executing every application ourselves.
Where are you based, and does it matter?
Amsterdam, Lisbon and New York. Most projects run remotely with two or three on-site sessions at the moments that need a room — kickoff, the difficult decision, and the handover.
Scope and money
How do you charge?
Fixed scope and fixed fee for most identity and campaign work. Retained time for product engagements where the roadmap moves. A four-week audit is the cheapest way to start if you are not sure yet.
What does a project typically cost?
Most identity engagements land between €60k and €120k; campaigns and websites frequently sit lower; multi-discipline programmes higher. The Start a Project form has honest bands, and we will tell you on the first call if your budget and your ambition do not match.
What happens if the scope changes?
We flag it the week we notice, not in the final invoice. Small changes are absorbed. Anything material gets a written change note before work continues.
Do you do pitches?
Not unpaid speculative creative work. We will happily do a paid, scoped discovery engagement that both sides can walk away from.
The work itself
Who owns the output?
You do, in full, on final payment — including source files. Typeface licences are held in your name; we advise on selection and licensing but never sublicense through the studio.
Do you write production code?
For front-end work, frequently. We build static-first and keep interactivity isolated so the site stays fast and there is rarely anything exotic for your team to maintain.
Will our team be able to use the system without you?
That is the standard we design to. Rule sets, working templates and a handover session are scope from day one, not an afterthought. One of our identity systems has run through sixteen guest designers without us being involved.
Do you take on retainers?
Yes, for product and system work — a named team for a set number of days a month. We do not do open-ended 'brand guardianship' retainers; they tend to bill for supervision rather than work.
Still unclear about something? Ask us directly.
Start a project
Tell us what you are trying to make.
A 45-minute call with the people who would do the work. If we are not right for it, we will say so and suggest who is.