Building brand design systems at scale for Google Cloud and Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Meet, etc.)

• Took part in crafting the Google Workspace visual identity, including a large brand toolkit, motion graphics and illustration approach, template library, and 300+ pages of detailed brand guidelines. The project has been shortlisted for the CommArts design annual.

• Rebranded Google’s podcast “Where the Internet Lives”, leading to a 10x increase in film views, an 87.5% increase in podcast downloads, and winning a Shorty award, as well as a Webby Honoree.

• Took part in refreshing and launching the Google Cloud brand globally, including a sprawling new brand toolkit and guidance, art direction for one of Google’s first GenAI image library, motion design templates, event design guidelines and more.

• Refreshed the Google Cloud illustration library and approach, making it bolder, simpler, and more editorial in nature. Created detailed guidelines allowing the system to scale globally.

My independent brand design practice. Clients range from Google, Dropbox and Doordash to local pubs and paranormal investigators.

From 2020 to 2023 I grew a thriving chocolate company alongside one of San Francisco's top pastry chefs. I’ve since sold my share of the company.

Featured in Forbes, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Magazine, EaterSF and more, Topogato utilized my skillsets in brand design, strategic thinking, creative problem solving, and all the other things it takes to start, run, and grow a business. Here are a few highlights:

• Designed and scaled a design system that prioritizes simplicity, delight, and the seamless use of visual assets across all channels.

• Crafted all aspects of the design system from naming and logo design to art direction, photography, illustration, and typographic system.

• Conducted discovery research to inform all design decisions. This included competitor analysis, user research, personas, and user journey mapping.

• Conducted multiple usability studies and employed an iterative design process. The following results were achieved in a four month window:

• Increased Conversion Rate from 1.7% to 4.5%

• Increased Average Order Value from $57 to $73

• Increased Returning Customer Rate from 9% to 15%

• Shipped to each state in the US at least 5x

Led a team of multidisciplinary designers through a rebrand that encompassed a scalable illustration & icon system, motion design system, photography & art direction, product refresh, TV commercials, and OOH creative, ultimately resulting in:

• Adding 130k New Customers

• Increased NPS Score by 11 points

• 3x Brand Awareness

• Led Art Direction for all photography, motion graphics, and paid marketing endeavors.

• Led Creative & Art Direction for a series of six TV commercials, Gusto's first foray into TV advertising; resulting in a 90% boost to Brand Awareness and Brand Favorability.

• Collaborated with UX teams across the Gusto payroll product on a scalable and delightful illustration & icon system that touched nearly every product screen.

• Added delight to the Gusto payroll product via key animations every user encounters regularly: Product Loader and Calculating Payroll. Led the effort in collaboration with product design leadership, a motion designer and an illustrator.