I build brands for founders in hospitality, food and lifestyle.
Positioning, naming, identity and everything that comes after it. Sixteen years of building brands, done by the person you actually hired.
What that's led to
Bread Ahead franchised into the Middle East and is opening its first US site in Times Square, New York.
Myra opened several locations, including Saudi Arabia's first drive-through patisserie.
Sticks & Cones was collaborating with Harry Styles two months after opening.
Burro Blanco signed franchise agreements with launches to follow in UAE, Egypt and Qatar.
Mixala Chai is now stocked in Holland & Barrett.
That's what happens when the strategy and the design come from the same place. Businesses clear enough to be worth backing, whether that's a franchise partner, a landlord, a retailer or a customer choosing them over the place next door.
How I work
Most people come to me at one of two moments. Either they're building something new and want to get it right before the money starts going out, or they've built something that works and the brand no longer reflects it.
Often the first conversation isn't about design at all. It's whether to rebrand or evolve, whether the business is ready for a second site, whether a concept could franchise.
How I can help
Brand Creation
The full thing, built in the right order. Positioning, naming, identity, launch, website and content, all shaped together so the brand arrives fully formed.
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Brand Strategy
Working out what the business is, who it's for and why anyone should choose it. A complete piece of work in its own right, and the foundation for everything else.
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Visual Identity
Logo, colour, typography and the wider visual system, with guidelines. For businesses that know who they are and need the brand to look like it.
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Brand Naming
Names built on positioning rather than instinct, checked for domains and trademarks. Usually part of a wider project, occasionally a piece of work on its own.
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Website Design
Websites for hospitality, food and lifestyle brands, built around how people actually decide to book, visit or buy. Strategy first, then the channel.
Explore Website Design →
Social Content
Photography, video and creative direction built on brand strategy rather than trends, keeping a brand visible and consistent after launch.
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Testimonial
"Marc has been a key branding partner for more than six years, helping to create and develop hospitality brands including KOA, Myra and HAZAL. His ability to combine strategic thinking with creativity ensures every brand is built on a strong foundation before being brought to life."
Amro Bagedo, Founder & CEO, KRAIV & KAB Holding
Selected work
Town Hall Hotel — Brand positioning and visual identity for a luxury East London landmark.
Bread Ahead, London. Brand strategy and market positioning behind an international expansion.
Burro Blanco, UAE. Brand repositioning for a fast-growing QSR brand preparing to franchise.
Sticks & Cones, Marylebone. Brand creation for a new ice cream shop, from the name up.
Most of the work is repeat work
I've worked with Fresko for four years, across London and Athens. With KAB Holding for six, across three hospitality brands in Saudi Arabia. With Town Hall Hotel for five.
None of those were planned at the start of a project. A brand keeps needing decisions after it launches, and it's usually easier to make them with someone who already knows the business.
Before working independently, I spent fifteen years as co-founder and creative director of Klinical, a London branding agency, working with businesses from first-site startups to Sainsbury's, Marriott and Vespa.
Thoughts on building brands
What Does Branding Really Cost in the UK in 2026?
An honest guide to what branding costs, what drives the number up or down, and how to judge whether a quote is worth paying.
What a brand consultant really does, and when to hire one
What the job actually involves, how it differs from hiring an agency or a designer, and the signs you're ready for one.
Tell me what you’re building
Whether you're opening something new, rethinking an existing concept or preparing for growth, tell me where you are and I'll come back to you within a working day.