Big ideas deserve
better branding

Big ideas deserve better branding

We're James and Vicki. Co-founders of A Tribe Called West, a husband and wife studio that builds brand identities for founder-led CPG brands. Strategy first, design second. Both of us, start to finish.

Between us, we've spent over 30 years working on brands you know - Google, KFC, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Ben & Jerry's. Big budgets, big agencies, big teams.

We left all that because we wanted to work with founders. People building something real, with a product they believe in and a brand that maybe hasn't caught up yet. That's who we built A Tribe Called West for.

When you work with us, you get both of us, from the first strategy session to the final handover. Two senior creatives, fully invested in your brand.

Direct access.
Senior level.

Direct Access to Senior Talent

Direct Access
to Senior Talent

You work directly with the experienced creatives doing the work, from day one to done.

Built for
Challenger Brands

Built for
Challenger Brands

We only work with founder-led CPG brands. It's all we do, We know your world properly.

Strategy first.
Always.

Strategy first. Always.

We do the thinking before we touch the visuals. That's what makes the design work and what makes it last.

Trusted by

A brand that feels as good as it tastes

From scrappy startup to a standout shelf presence. We partnered with On Point Provisions to build a brand identity that felt as fresh and considered as their product—helping them launch with clarity, attract retail partners, and connect with customers from day one.

“If you're on the fence about working with James, get off the fence right now. I have nothing but awesome things to say about every step of the process we went through when creating On Point with him. He's a rockstar.”

Brad Summey

On Point Provisions

Our G.R.O.W.T.H process

We do the thinking before we touch the visuals. Strategy first, design second so everything we build has a solid reason behind it. Every stage is reviewed and signed off together before we move to the next. You always know where we are and nothing moves forward until you're happy.

Here's how it works.

Step 1

Groundwork

Brand Strategy Workshop
​(2+ hours, in-person or Zoom)

A focused 2–3 hour session, in-person or on Zoom. We dig into your vision, values, positioning, audience, and competitors. You leave with a strategy that gives every creative decision a reason behind it.

A focused 2–3 hour session, in-person or on Zoom. We dig into your vision, values, positioning, audience, and competitors. You leave with a strategy that gives every creative decision a reason behind it.

Step 2

Rooted Insight

3 Flashboards
Creative Direction

We translate the strategy into three distinct creative territories. Visual mood boards that show where your brand could go. You choose the direction before a single pixel of the real design is built. No expensive pivots later.

We translate the strategy into three distinct creative territories. Visual mood boards that show where your brand could go. You choose the direction before a single pixel of the real design is built. No expensive pivots later.

Step 3

Onward

Brand Identity Design

This is where the brand takes shape. We design your logo, colour palette, typography, imagery direction and everything is refined with you until it's right.

This is where the brand takes shape. We design your logo, colour palette, typography, imagery direction and everything is refined with you until it's right.

Step 4

Wayfinding

Brand Guidelines

Your brand's rulebook. A comprehensive guidelines document that shows exactly how your brand shows up across every channel, platform, and partner.

Your brand's rulebook. A comprehensive guidelines document that shows exactly how your brand shows up across every channel, platform, and partner.

Step 5

Toolkit

Launch-Ready Brand Assets

Everything you need to launch. Logos, fonts, colours, social templates, pitch deck, packaging files — all organised, labelled, and ready to use. No scrambling for files. No guessing what's missing.

Everything you need to launch. Logos, fonts, colours, social templates, pitch deck, packaging files — all organised, labelled, and ready to use. No scrambling for files. No guessing what's missing.

Step 6

Handover

It’s over to you, fully equipped and ready to roll

A proper walkthrough of everything. So you feel confident and in control of your new brand from day one. No loose ends.

A proper walkthrough of everything. So you feel confident and in control of your new brand from day one. No loose ends.

Here's what our clients say

Luca Barrie

Republic Europe (Seedrs)

"James is a brilliant designer with a wide range of capabilities. With no design job too big or small, he's punctual, efficient, professional and creative. Would highly recommend for any brand design."

"James is a brilliant designer with a wide range of capabilities. With no design job too big or small, he's punctual, efficient, professional and creative. Would highly recommend for any brand design."

Lucy Archard

BOSTON TEA PARTY

We're always been hugely impressed by Vicki's work. Her attention to detail is fantastic, everything always comes back perfectly executed. She's also a lovely person to work with! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Vicki to others.

We're always been hugely impressed by Vicki's work. Her attention to detail is fantastic, everything always comes back perfectly executed. She's also a lovely person to work with! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Vicki to others.

Natalie Beach

Freuds Group

"James is reliable, works fast and efficiently, is super friendly, and is always flexible. I would highly recommend James to anyone looking for design."

"James is reliable, works fast and efficiently, is super friendly, and is always flexible. I would highly recommend James to anyone looking for design."

Who is this for?

The Early-Stage Builder

You've got a solid product and some early traction. But the brand was put together quickly and it shows. You know it needs to catch up and you want to do it properly this time.

You've got a solid product and some early traction. But the brand was put together quickly and it shows. You know it needs to catch up and you want to do it properly this time.

The Funded Founder

You've just raised or you're about to. Suddenly everyone wants clarity including investors, retailers, your own team. You need a brand that reflects where the business is heading, not where it started.

You've just raised or you're about to. Suddenly everyone wants clarity including investors, retailers, your own team. You need a brand that reflects where the business is heading, not where it started.

The Challenger on the Rise

The Challenger on the Rise

You're already in market and gaining ground. But your brand identity hasn't kept pace with the business. You're ready for a refresh that does justice to the product you've built.

You're already in market and gaining ground. But your brand identity hasn't kept pace with the business. You're ready for a refresh that does justice to the product you've built.

Is it right for you?

Not every founder is the right fit, and that’s a good thing.
Here’s how to know if this is for you.

You're a good fit if:

You’re a funded CPG startup with a solid product and market traction

You’re ready to invest in branding that drives real business growth

You want a strategic, collaborative process not just pretty visuals

You value working directly with senior creatives who get startups

You’re looking to launch, rebrand, or scale in the next 1–3 months

You're probably not a good fit if:

You’re just starting out and don’t have budget to invest yet

You’re looking for a logo-only or quick-fix design job

You want to micromanage every pixel instead of trusting the process

You’re not clear on your product or market yet

You're looking for the cheapest way to get something that looks professional enough.

Meet Vicki and James

James, the creative renegade. He has spent over 15 years working across agencies including Freuds, Brand & Deliver, Raydar (NZ), delivering work for Google, KFC, L'Oréal, Ben & Jerry's and Lewis Hamilton. James knows how the big guys do it and now he uses that knowledge to give challengers the same firepower, without the price tag or the politics.

Vicki, the strategic voice of reason. She brings over 20 years in design, advertising, and marketing. Working with the likes of ADM Indicia, Tag Worldwide and Strattons with clients including Coca-Cola, Heineken, KitKat, Gucci and Nissan. Vicki makes sure every decision pulls its weight, not just looks good. She's the reason nothing slips through the cracks.

Together, we bring the best of both worlds: big-picture thinking and pixel-perfect execution. Everything we do happens in an open, collaborative way because the best work happens when we genuinely care about the outcome.

Still got questions?

What exactly do I get?

You get a full brand identity; strategy, creative direction, logo, visuals, guidelines, and assets, delivered through our 6-week G.R.O.W.T.H process. Everything you need to show up like a serious, scale-ready brand.

What is this for?

Funded CPG founders with strong products who are ready to level up their brand identity, fast, fearlessly, and with real strategic thinking behind it.

How long does the process take?

Six to eight weeks from start to finish. We’ve built the process to be fast, focused, and collaborative with clear milestones along the way.

How much of my time will it take?

Roughly 4–6 hours total across the six weeks. We handle the heavy lifting, you just need to show up, give feedback, and stay engaged.

How is this different from working with an agency or freelancer?

We’re faster, leaner, and more collaborative. You work directly with us (James and Vicki), not a bloated team. And unlike freelancers, we bring senior-level strategy and design, backed by years of experience.

What does it cost?

Our brand identity projects require a five-figure investment, depending on your scope and needs. We’ll talk through pricing on the call to make sure it’s a fit.

What if I've already tried to sort the brand myself?

Most founders have. A Canva logo and a quick brief to a freelancer and there's nothing wrong with that at the start. But there's a point where the DIY version starts costing you. Retail conversations that don't go anywhere. A pitch deck you're not proud of. A brand that doesn't reflect how good the product actually is. That's usually when people find us.

What kind of results can I expect?

Clarity. Confidence. And a brand that finally looks and feels like the business you’re building. You’ll stop second-guessing your visuals, messaging, or pitch deck, and start showing up consistently, whether it’s for investors, retail buyers, or customers.

"James is a dream to work with, nails the brief every time and has been the design guru for our quality-lead brand from the start. His ideas have helped shape our brand identity and his sleek label designs have made selling our beer all that bit easier!"

Lance Van Dijk

Antur Brew Co.

Hey, we’re James and Vicki.
Co-founders of A Tribe Called West.

If you've read this far, you probably already know your brand needs work. The question is usually timing — is now the right moment?

Here's what we've found. The right moment is almost always sooner than it feels. Every month you're in market with a brand that doesn't reflect the quality of your product is a month you're leaving things on the table. Retail conversations. Investor meetings. Customers who should have remembered you but didn't.

We've built a process that moves at the pace of a real founder, not an agency timeline. No junior teams, no handoffs, no waiting around. Just clear work, done properly, in a timeframe that doesn't slow you down.

If that sounds like what you need, we'd love to hear about what you're building.

Book a call below.

We'll take a bit of time to understand what you're working on before we meet, so our first conversation is actually useful.


James & Vicki
​A Tribe Called West

Hey, we’re James and Vicki.
Co-founders of A Tribe Called West.

If you've read this far, you probably already know your brand needs work. Most founders do. The question is usually timing and is now the right moment?

Here's what we've found. The right moment is almost always sooner than it feels. Every month you're in market with a brand that doesn't reflect the quality of your product is a month you're leaving things on the table. Retail conversations. Investor meetings. Customers who should have remembered you but didn't.

We've built a process that moves at the pace of a real founder, not an agency timeline. No bloated teams, no handoffs, no waiting around. Just clear work, done properly, in a timeframe that doesn't slow you down.

If that sounds like what you need, we'd love to hear about what you're building.

Book a call below

We'll take a bit of time to understand what you're working on before we meet — so our first conversation is actually useful.


James & Vicki
​A Tribe Called West

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