Straight answers about building a brand.
Plain-English guides on what branding costs, how to hire for it and how people actually notice and choose brands. Written by Tony Perez, a Philadelphia brand identity designer.
Cost & hiring
What branding costs, how to hire for it and what you should get for the money.
How Much Does Brand Identity Design Cost in Philadelphia? (2026 Guide)
What brand identity design costs for a Philadelphia small business in 2026, what drives the price and what Tony Does Design's packages include, from $2,500.
Read the article Cost & hiring · 3 min readFreelance Brand Designer vs. Agency: Which Fits a Small Business?
Should a small business hire a freelance brand designer, a small studio or an agency? The real differences in cost, speed and risk, and how to decide.
Read the article Cost & hiring · 4 min readHow to Hire a Brand Designer: 9 Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Nine questions to ask a brand designer before you hire them, what a good answer sounds like and the red flags that should make you walk away.
Read the article Cost & hiring · 4 min readWhat's Actually in a Brand Identity Package (and What Isn't)
What a brand identity package should include, from strategy and logo system to guidelines and files, what usually isn't included and the red flags to watch for.
Read the articleBrand psychology
How people actually notice, remember and choose brands, from a human factors point of view.
- In the worksThe Psychology of Memorable Brands: What Human Factors Research Says
- In the worksWhy Customers Decide to Trust a Brand in Seconds
- In the worksColor Psychology in Branding: What Holds Up and What's a Myth
Accessible design
Designing documents, sites and brands that work for everyone who has to use them.
- In the worksDesigning for 500,000 Readers: How We Redesigned PGW's Utility Bill
- In the worksADA-Friendly Design for Small Business Websites, in Plain English
- In the worksPrint vs. Screen: Designing One Document That Works for Everyone
Rebranding
When to change your brand, how much to change and how to do it without losing people.
- In the worksLogo vs. Brand Identity: What Your Business Actually Needs
- In the works7 Signs Your Business Has Outgrown Its Brand
- In the worksRebrand or Refresh? How to Decide Without Losing Customers
Industries & style
Retro branding, streetwear, service businesses and gyms, from projects I've actually worked on.
- In the worksRetro Branding: How to Use Nostalgia Without Looking Dated
- In the worksWhy Some Streetwear Graphics Sell for Years: Lessons from LVMNY
- In the worksBranding a Service Business: What a Florida Painting Company Taught Me
- In the worksBranding a Combat Sports Gym: What Fighters and Members Respond To
AI & design
How AI is changing the way design gets made, and why the thinking behind it matters more than ever.
- In the worksCan AI Design My Logo? An Honest Answer for Small Business Owners
- In the worksHow Designers Should Use AI, and Where They Shouldn't
Ask it on the phone.
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