AN AGILE DESIGN AGENCY TAILORED FOR GROWING
CPG & DTC BRANDS
Specializing in industries such as...
who want to...
who don't want to...
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get back 40 hours/month of their valuable time to focus on other areas of their business.
double their strategy backed design outputs with my proactive service plans.
save thousands of dollars with an affordable and flexible solution for the creative side of their business.
leverage the experience of a Creative Director with 8+ years that helped grow a start-up to a $40 million acquisition.
stand out from the competition and gain your customers trust.
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spend their valuable time on figuring out the creative side of their business from ideation to execution and all the project management in-between.
be reactionary and scramble on tight deadlines when they need design.
inherit the risk of bad full-time hires or lazy freelancers that just check the boxes and don't put out work you're proud of costing you more money in the long run.
guess work and rely on entry-level hires or over-seas freelancers with the keys of their brand aesthetics.
get lost in a sea of fly-by-night companies.
HEY, I'M MATT
"I founded Minerva Creative Co. based on 8 years of firsthand experience with the challenges business owners encounter in obtaining and implementing the creative they need. From grappling with the intricacies of good branding to navigating the complexities of preparing files for print, I've encountered a wide range of road blocks. My purpose is to provide service plans that solve the design side pain points for growing brands, freeing you from the depths of the creative process. My goal is to empower and support you to focus on your core strengths and passions – growing your business."
THE MINERVA WAY
Why should I choose Minerva Creative Co.
over other design subscription services or an in-house designer?
With an in-house designer you...
👎 have to completely marry them financially, usually with a yearly salary, benefits, program licensing, on top of spending time training them.
👎 get a one-person show, collaboration for fresh ideas is limited, potentially leading to creative fatigue and a lack of robust project management systems. This is because designers often solely focus on design without the infrastructure or support for comprehensive project execution.
👎 are still solely responsible for generating design requests and ensuring they're accurately articulated with the right terminology to reflect your vision. This takes time away from where your expertise should be focused also leaving frustrating communication gaps.
👎 receive designs REACTIVELY, placing the burden entirely on you. Without time to properly scope projects and assign requests, they won't be completed. Most entry-level designers aren't problem solvers. They are remedial task doers.
👎 for a comparable cost to Minerva Creative Co. per month would you would most likely get a limited skill, entry level designer. That doesn't have the knowledge or capabilities of executing all the facets of design a CPG or DTC Brand needs.
With other design services you...
👎 have to pay through the website before you start. Maximizing risk without establishing proper expectations and business fit.
👎 get assigned a "project manager" who solely focuses on managing tasks and checking boxes. They don't provide insights, feedback, or creative strategy aligned with your goals; their role is strictly operational.
👎 are still solely responsible for generating design requests and ensuring they're accurately articulated with the right terminology to reflect your vision. This takes time away from where your expertise should be focused also leaving frustrating communication gaps.
👎 still receive designs REACTIVELY, placing the burden entirely on you. Without time to properly scope projects and assign requests, they won't be completed. Services may advertise "unlimited designs," but in reality, thats B.S because you don't have "unlimited time" to make requests, and they typically handle requests one by one.
👎 risk being assigned a project manager or designer who lacks industry-specific experience and only possesses general design knowledge.
With Minerva Creative Co. you...
👍 reduce risk by scheduling a quick 30-minute discovery call to understand your needs before making any commitments. Explore the best plan for your business from our flexible and affordable Creative Command month-to-month service plans or available project plans under Brand Builder.
👍 get a dedicated Creative Director (that's me!) to collaborate closely with you. You can leverage my expertise to ensure that every design task aligns perfectly with your needs/goals.
👍 have access to a full library of templated, plug-and-play creative briefs for all your design requests, set up with best practices. Say goodbye to guesswork and unclear directions. With these resources, you won't miss a beat when it comes to scoping out your projects.
👍 receive designs PROACTIVELY, avoiding the need for constant direction and back-and-forth (that’s now on my plate). With just 4 hours of your time per month, we'll be ready to hit the ground running and deliver exactly what you need.
👍 get to work with someone who has a proven track record and niche expertise in your industry.
THE PROCESS
Learn. Strategize. Execute. Organize. Repeat.
01
Discovery Call
In this 30-minute call, I'll learn about you, your brand, and the current challenges you face on the creative side of your business. I'll then guide you towards the offering that best suits your needs. Once chosen and paid for I’ll send the on-boarding questionnaire pertaining to the offer you chose so I’m prepared for our onboarding call.
02
On-Boarding Call
On our 1-hour onboarding call, we'll dive into your questionnaire answers for alignment, walk through the client portal, and establish our first action items.
03
Weekly Meetings
Weekly up to 1-hour on-going meetings to discuss current creatives (30 mins) and future creatives (30 mins). Plus weekly recap emails.
04
Execution
Whether working with your internal design team or my team the creative process is the same. Ideation → Creative Brief → Design and Development → Review and Feedback → Finalization.
05
Asset Management
Once assets are finalized they will be organized in your dedicated DAM (digital asset management system). This portal feature helps businesses manage digital content efficiently, saving time, reducing errors, and maximizing the value of creative assets. It acts as a central hub for assets, for collaboration and quick access, leading to improved productivity and a smoother creative process.
Your Client Portal Experience
Awaits You!
Minerva Creative offers a comprehensive client portal, providing a streamlined and efficient experience for our clients throughout the entire creative process. Here's what you can expect from your dedicated client portal:
Project Management:
Easily track the progress of your projects from inception to completion through our systematic approach. Stay updated on project milestones, tasks, and deadlines to ensure timely delivery of all deliverables.
Asset Management:
Access your dedicated asset management folder, where all your project assets are securely stored and neatly organized. Quickly find and share assets whenever needed, saving you valuable time and effort.
Built-In Design Revision Tool:
Collaborate seamlessly with our team using the built-in revision tool within the portal. Leave comments, feedback, and notes directly on project cards to expedite the revision process and ensure alignment with your vision.
Integrated Chat Functionality:
Communicate effortlessly with our team directly within the portal.All chat threads are synchronized with your email, allowing for convenient communication via email while keeping everything centralized within the portal.
With our client portal, you have everything you need for the full Minerva Creative experience in one convenient location. Experience efficient project management, seamless communication, and easy access to your project assets, all tailored to enhance your creative journey with us.
SERVICE PLANS
CRAFTED
FOR YOU :)
I've crafted these service plans drawing from my 8+ years as an in-house Creative Director from a kitchen table start-up to $40 million exit. I’ve seen it all, the in-house fire drills and bottle necks to the expensive agency models that aren't giving you the bang for your buck. I get it. So in a world where time is precious and budgets are tight, these offers eliminate the time-intensive, unnecessary complexities that you can't afford in flexible service models to meet your creative needs or Brand Builder to get you started off the right way. Concentrate on your growth while I take charge of managing either your team or mine to bring to life the designs your brand truly deserves.
Creative
Partner
Retainer Service
Your affordable in-house
Creative Direction solution!
Is your creative team sitting idle waiting on you for assignments? Or you're just strapped for time on strategic ideation, project management and effective design aligned with business goals & need to desperately get the ball rolling. This program is all that and more!
Who's it for?
👍 Brand's needing a mentor and resource for an entry-level design hire(s) to bring the best out of them. 👍 Brand's needing to proactively have designs in the pipeline rather than reacting to design needs. 👍 Brand's needing Senior Creative Expertise in a flexible, affordable service model. 👍 Marketing Director's needing to take off the hat of being the Creative Director to focus on other areas.
What do you get?
✅ Weekly Strategy Calls: Valuable (up to) 1 hour calls to align on strategy, ideation, and insights that align the assigned designs to your business goals. ✅ Free Resources: Effective creative brief templates, brain storming work shop templates, websites for asset creation and more for you or your creative team to learn and leverage. ✅ Project Management: Full access to your own client portal managed by me where you will be able to see the progress of projects in real time. ✅ Asset Organization and Management in your client portal ✅ Communication: Access to dedicated chat within your portal that also seamless converts chats to email threads. ✅ Design: As many assets as your team can handle.
What do you avoid?
🚫 Guess-working on strategy 🚫 Money & time spent on trial and error 🚫 Stagnant or reactive design process 🚫 Unorganized assets 🚫 Design outputs that aren't effective towards your business goals
Renewal Options:
30 Days
90 Days
Most Popular
Creative
Command
Retainer Service
No designers? No problem! My team & I are your dedicated Creative Department.
Unlike other design services, you won't have to handle everything on your own, from coming up with assignments to dealing with back-and-forth. I got you covered as your Creative Director, supporting you with strategy, ideation, and project management. This way, you can focus on the business side, confidently running and gunning, while knowing that you're proactively getting the designs you need for success.
Who's it for?
👍 Brand's that are sick of doing the free-lancer dance spending time and money on designs that are 🗑 👍 Brand's needing to proactively have designs in the pipeline rather than reacting to design needs. 👍 Brand's needing Senior Creative Expertise in a flexible, affordable service model. 👍 Marketing Director's needing to take off the hat of being the Creative Director to focus on other areas.
What do you get?
✅ Weekly Strategy Calls: Valuable (up to) 1 hour calls to align on strategy, ideation, and insights that align the assigned designs to your business goals. ✅ Free Resources: Effective creative brief templates, brain storming work shop templates, websites for asset creation and more for you or your creative team to learn and leverage. ✅ Project Management: Full access to your own client portal managed by me where you will be able to see the progress of projects in real time. ✅ Asset Organization and Management in your client portal ✅ Communication: Access to dedicated chat within your portal that also seamless converts chats to email threads. ✅ Design: Choose between 8, 12 and 16 professionally designed assets per month. Prioritizing up to 4 assets per week. Scale up and down month to month as needed! Assets Include: 🖨 Print - Brochures - Sales Sheets - Magazine Ads - Promo Materials - Catalogs - POP materials - In-Store Materials - Packaging Design (Continued) 📱Digital - Product Mock-Ups - Email Design - Landing page design - Illustrations - Pitch & Sales Decks - Social Media Graphics - Digital Ads - Info Graphics - Motion Graphics
What do you avoid?
🚫 Guess-working on strategy 🚫 Money & time spent on trial and error 🚫 Stagnant or reactive design process 🚫 Unorganized assets 🚫 Design outputs that aren't effective towards your business goals
Renewal Options:
30 Days
90 Days
Brand
Builder
Project Service
94% of a brand's first impression is based off design. Make sure yours is done right!
If you're fully committed to making your brand pop and rise above the competition, or if you're worried that your current branding isn't cutting it, Brand Builder is crafted just for you. We kick off with a focused strategy to position your brand precisely, then dive into identity creation (including logos, colors, fonts, etc.), and wrap up with implementation through eye-catching packaging design and a sleek e-commerce website build. Brand Builder covers every consumer touchpoint, prepping you perfectly for a standout launch.
Who's it for?
👍 Brand's seeking the X-Factor to distinguish themselves from competitors right from the start, or those struggling to stand out amid a crowded market and aiming to rebuild consumer trust. 👍 Brand's needing consistency. By handling everything from strategy to implementation, Brand Builder ensures your brand communicates consistently, whether through your logo, packaging, or online presence, fostering a stronger connection with your audience. 👍 Brand's needing Senior Creative Expertise without the overhead of agency costs. 👍 Brand's looking to increase value. Strong branding can contribute to building brand equity, the added value brought to your products or services that allows you to charge more for your brand than what similar, unbranded products command. This perceived value is crucial for long-term growth and profitability.
What do you get?
✅ Brand Strategy : Brand strategy is the blue-print of your brand. It starts with research to understand the market, customer needs, and trends. Competitive analysis follows, identifying where rivals stand and uncovering opportunities. Finally, brand positioning crafts a unique space for the brand in the consumer's mind, distinguishing it from competitors. ✅ Brand Identity: Brand identity is the collective look and feel of a brand based on the strategy work. It ensures a unique, consistent appearance across all materials and touchpoints. Your Brand Identity will include: -Brand Positioning -Logo -Color Palette -Typography -Usage Guidelines -Branded Mockups -Design Application -Communication style & tone ✅ New Packaging Design: We the leverage your brand identity to create packaging design that resonates directly to your core customers. From the initial concept to strategic visual hierarchy, we ensure every element is thought out. This approach carries your packaging from design to press, marrying attractiveness with functionality to stand out on-shelf or on-line. ✅ Website Design: Lastly, we develop your e-commerce site, crafting every detail to ensure a seamless online shopping experience. From navigation to secure payment gateways, we prioritize functionality while maintaining the essence of your brand. With our expertise, your e-commerce site becomes the ultimate platform for driving sales and fostering customer loyalty. ✅ Launch Plan: Now that all consumer touchpoints of your brand are ready to be unveiled, I assist in devising a rollout plan. The smoothest transition involves shifting to Creative Command, ensuring ongoing design support for your brand on a month-to-month basis. This seamless approach guarantees continuity in maintaining and enhancing your brand's visual presence, creating consistent and impactful designs for your brand proactively.
What do you avoid?
🚫 Bad brand impression from consumers losing you trust and credibility 🚫 Guess-working on strategy 🚫 Money & time spent on trial and error 🚫 Expensive Agency Cost 🚫 Unorganized Assets 🚫 Design outputs that aren't effective towards your business goals
Want more detailed information about each Service Plan? Click to download this PDF of each Service Plan and it's breakdown of corresponding tiers
Are you an Advertising or Digital Marketing Agency looking for a Design Partner for multiple brands? Perfect! Select Enterprise Partner in the contact form below.
NUMBERS
DON'T LIE
At Minerva Creative Co., we're not just about aesthetics; we're about alleviating your business pain points and transforming them into growth opportunities. We know you as business owners want to see the numbers, so we pulled some for you.
FAQ'S
Why should I go with Minerva Creative Co. versus hiring internally?
✅ No time spent vetting 3,657 applications ✅ No hire remorse ✅ Flexible month to month contract ✅ Senior experience at a fractional cost ✅ Recieveing more value than just designs With that being said Minerva Creative Co. is tailored for growth and my goal is for you to grow. I want you to be able to hire internally if that's what you really desire! I want you to grow your company and immerse employees in your culture. My approach involves starting you off in a tier that aligns with your current needs, right NOW, for creative support to get you there. As you progress and your company expands, the ladder is designed to move backwards. Even as you build your internal team, you can continue to rely on us in the Creative Partner tier for ideation, strategy, project management, and ongoing support if necessary.
Does Minerva Creative Co. also do one-off projects?
Short answer, yes. But only FULL Brand Identities and Packaging Design that fall within a certain budget. If you'd like to inquire about either option please "Brand Builder" in the "I'm Inquiring about.." section of the contact form.
I see other services offering "UNLIMITED" design. Why don’t you?
When services tout "unlimited design," it often turns out to be just a buzzword. The reality is, no one has truly unlimited time. These services typically operate on a project-by-project basis, with each project taking anywhere from 3 to 4 days to complete. And that's assuming you even have enough time to assign projects consistently. Let's do the math: if we have 30 days in a month and each project takes 3-4 days, that's realistically around 10 projects per month if you're lucky enough to have a creative brief ready for each one. In my experience, I concurrently manage around 3-4 projects a week, providing strategy and direction, which results in up to 16 assets per month. So, while "unlimited design" sounds appealing, the practical limitations mean it's often far from unlimited in reality.
What’s the difference between Packaging Design (Continued) and New Packaging Design ?
Simply put, Packaging Design (Continued) is expanding your CURRENT packaging designs incase you add new products to your product lines. New Packaging Design is starting from scratch on your packaging designs. You might want to considering a New Packaging Design if your current designs are lacking the professionalism you need to be taken seriously.
What happens with my portal access if I miss a payment?
If you miss a monthly payment or decide to take a break your portal acess will be removed and your instance will be archived until you have submitted payment or are ready to un-pause and pick back up. Your portal instance will automatically archive after 3 days of a passed due installment unless notified and resolved ahead of time.
If a design request overlaps to the following month what happens?
If a design request is still on-going between two payment periods it will not count as an asset for the proceeding month. If a design request is still on-going between two payment periods and there is no renewal for the procceding month the assets(s) will still be delivered as they were previously paid for.
Do my project credits roll-over into the next month if not used?
They do not. The reason being, during weekly meetings, we collaborate and leverage my expertise to suggest projects and asset types necessary for your goals. This effectively lifts the burden off your shoulders when it comes to brainstorming ideas to maximize your projects per month. Together, we'll proactively maximize each month to ensure you always have new design assets at your fingertips.
Does Minerva Creative Co. provide copy writing for my designs?
Yes, we do. If you're able to provide your own copy, we offer thought expansions and suggestions based on the project's goals. As long as you can provide a solid baseline, we can build upon that foundation.
Does Minerva Creative Co. provide product photography?
Yes, we do, but it does come with an additional charge. If you're intersted in adding a product photoshoot to your service mention it on the discovery call and I'll detail with you how it works.
If you have any additional questions regarding the service tiers feel free to email info@minervacreative.co for more details.