Emerj: Brand, Product & Pitch Design

Subtitle: Enterprise Mentoring Platform Role: Brand & Product Designer Timeline: Full Engagement URL: https://hunterandbard.com/portfolio/emerj

Summary

This comprehensive brand and product launch, led by Daina Reed prior to Hunter & Bard, established Emerj as a credible contender in the enterprise mentoring space. By unifying brand identity, marketing strategy, and interactive prototyping under a single strategic vision, the project provided the full-stack foundation required for a successful market entry and investor validation.

Challenge

Entering the competitive enterprise HR-tech sector required more than just a functional tool. It required an institutional identity that commanded trust. The challenge was to build a 'Day Zero' presence from the ground up: creating a premium brand, an interactive MVP for enterprise sales demos, and an investor narrative capable of securing funding. The mission was to synthesize these four distinct workstreams (Brand, Web, Product, and Pitch) into one cohesive, launch-ready ecosystem.

Key Decisions

Strategic Brand Architecture

To differentiate from competitors, the team established a sophisticated visual language using a rich gradient palette and high-end typography.

Impact: This 'Enterprise-First' aesthetic allowed a seed-stage company to immediately command C-suite attention.

Product-Forward Conversion

Rather than generic stock imagery, the website was designed to lead with the product, using high-fidelity visualizations to showcase the actual UX.

Impact: The website functioned as a 24/7 sales demo, significantly shortening the sales cycle.

Interactive Validation Framework

Developed a high-fidelity interactive prototype to mirror the final product experience for testing and demos.

Impact: Validated core assumptions and secured vital stakeholder buy-in before any engineering investment.

Outcomes

• Institutional Brand Integrity — A complete visual identity system applied consistently across all touchpoints.
• Pre-Development Validation — An interactive MVP that served as the primary tool for early user testing and pivots.
• Fundraising Catalyzation — A unified brand and pitch deck that secured stakeholder confidence and supported fundraising.

Learnings

• Designing brand and product simultaneously ensures the marketing promise matches the product delivery.
• For enterprise buyers, a functional prototype is more persuasive than a static slide deck.
• Building brand foundations first creates a coherent narrative that accelerates all downstream deliverables.

Hunter & Bard

B2B Enterprise Strategy & Positioning Consultants

Hunter & Bard is a San Francisco-based B2B strategy consultancy founded in 2011 by Shira Abel. We help deep-tech and enterprise SaaS companies fix their positioning, sharpen their messaging, and close $100K+ deals.

What We Do

We work with B2B leaders who are tired of being overlooked, underestimated, or mistaken for their competitors. Our specialty is turning complex, technical products into clear, compelling stories that win enterprise deals.

Our Approach

We believe that perception drives revenue. If your buyers can't tell you apart from the next vendor in 30 seconds, you have a positioning problem — not a marketing problem. We fix that.

The Perception Formula

Perception = (Story × Visibility) ÷ Noise

This framework drives everything we do. Your story has to be sharp. Your visibility has to be strategic. And you have to cut through the noise — not add to it.

Services

• Brand & Messaging Sprint — A 2-week intensive that delivers your positioning, messaging framework, and sales narrative. Starting at $10,000.
• US Market Intensive — A 90-day program for international B2B startups entering the US market. Includes positioning, ICP development, and go-to-market strategy.
• US Market Cohort — A 6-month guided program for international founders expanding into the US. Includes group sessions, 1:1 coaching, and a structured roadmap.
• Enterprise Strategy — Ongoing strategic engagement for enterprise positioning, sales enablement, and market entry. Custom pricing.
• Design & Brand Strategy — Visual identity, website design, and brand systems for B2B companies. Led by founding designer Daina Reed.
• Website Design & Messaging — End-to-end website strategy, design, and messaging for B2B companies entering or scaling in the US market.

Leadership

Shira Abel — Founder & CEO. Kellogg MBA. 20+ years in B2B marketing. Former CMO. Keynote speaker. Published in Forbes, HuffPost, and Wired. Specialist in enterprise positioning and perception strategy.

Daina Reed — Founding Designer & Partner. 15+ years in product and brand design. Former Senior Product Designer at Dun & Bradstreet. Specialist in enterprise UX, visual identity, and design systems.

Contact

• Website: https://hunterandbard.com
• Email: hello@hunterandbard.com
• Location: San Francisco, CA