I build the brand systems the entire organization can work from.

Brand director and multidisciplinary designer building brands from strategy through execution—identity, digital, UX/UI, print, photography, video, and the systems that keep everything consistent. I’m a player-coach who sets direction, leads teams, and stays close to the work: shaping the brand, creating key assets, and building systems that scale.

How I work

Thinking and making are equal.
Strategy defines the right problem. Design gives it form and shows what the strategy missed. I do both and each makes the other stronger.

Clarity before style.
Style should support understanding, not compete with it. Every choice should make the brand easier to recognize, understand, and trust.

Honest direction.
The best work comes from honest conversations, not comfortable agreement. I say what I think, explain why, and guide the work by doing it.

I build the system.
A brand is not a logo, deck or campaign. It is a connected system of strategy, identity, language and experience. I build that core hands on, then direct a lean bench of senior specialists to bring it to life.

Taste with a reason.
The work should feel considered, distinctive and right for the business. If I cannot explain a decision, it has not been thought through enough.

What I do

Brand Strategy
Purpose, positioning, audience, differentiation and the core idea the brand stands on.

Brand Identity System
Visual and verbal foundations. Logo, type, color, imagery and tone. Built to be recognizable and consistent.

Brand Guidelines
How the system holds together across every touchpoint.

Creative and Art Direction
Setting direction and staying hands on to keep execution on strategy and high quality.

Application and Touchpoints
Extending the system into where people actually meet the brand. Digital, packaging, print, environment and campaigns. Directing senior specialists where their craft is sharpest.

Building something that matters?

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How I lead

I lead by making. Independent, embedded or leading a team, I stay hands on. I set clear direction, give people room to do their best work and stay in the trenches with them.

On AI

I use AI for research, exploration and execution when it helps. I will tell you where and why. The tools are new. The responsibility for the work is still mine.

Benedict Talplacido.

Brand Director | Principal Brand Designer

  • Ben is very hands-on, gets deeply engaged in each project, and treats the work as if it were his own. At the end of the day, he delivers great value.

    Sanjay Sathe / CEO / Succeed Smart

  • Ben is passionate about creating brands that authentically tell stories and connect with the right audience.

    Paul Vela / CDO / Sunflare

  • Ben is the solution if you have questions about what your brand stands for, what promises your brand makes to customers or what personality your brand conveys through its marketing.

    Bradford Oliver / COO / OKSI

  • I immediately acquired a deeper appreciation for Ben as both a creative problem solver and business strategist. Ben takes on each project with a founder's mentality, giving critical evaluation to each design element and the impact it will have on the broader goals of the organization.

    Tobey Simpson / Founder / BEVL

  • His positive attitude and can-do spirit make him a valuable addition to any project.

    John South / GM / Tandem Theory

  • Ben's expertise and out-of-the-box thinking were vital to the success of launching our client’s rebranding campaign.

    Suzy Simmons / Chief Creative Officer / Test Monki

  • I can assure you his commitment and desire to see success in every aspect of his work is unparalleled to anyone I have worked with.

    Jennifer Saba / VP of Sales and Partner Relations / Sunflare

  • Ben is a very affable person, and his passion for his work is infectious.

    Barclay Wright / Creative Director / Monochromatic

  • He was instrumental to me as the SVP of Marketing & Sales in terms of driving the direction of our brand and our ability to communicate our value propositions.

    Greg Colunga / Managing Partner / Amplify

  • Not only can he produce visually capturing award winning design, Ben also “gets” the real world business aspects of what a project will mean for you and your business.

    Gabriel Sundaram / Co-founder / attain

  • Ben possesses an arsenal of skills and a depth of experience to get the job done right, on time and on budget.

    Travis Mcshan / Founder / Glide

  • Ben understands that great design is much more than pretty pictures. This is reflected in his innate ability to take words and ideas and transfer them into design solutions that make sense not only visually, but functionally as well.

    Erik Dezendorf / VP Client Partner / Material

  • His ability to conceptualize and put to action everything we were looking to do made the entire project successful from the inception to the outcome.

    Paul Song / CEO / Hook & Albert

  • Ben is a intense student of design and internet communications. He understands visual language and can take concepts and expand them across interactive timezones with remarkable facility.

    Alan Lidji / President / Lidji Design Office

Experience across brands and industries

I’ve worked with companies across technology, hospitality, automotive, real estate, financial services, retail, and restaurants—through agency collaborations, in-house leadership, and direct engagements. This selection reflects the range of organizations, audiences, and business challenges that have shaped how I work today.