Branding
Pittsburgh Branding Agency
Narrative driven, competitive, and integrated.
Top Hat is a Pittsburgh-based branding agency with 13 years of experience building brand identities for companies of every size.
Branding isn't just a logo. It's the first impression, the gut reaction, and the reason someone chooses you over the alternative.
We build brands that work in the real world. The kind that feel distinct, stay consistent, and create recognition at every touchpoint. And we don't stop refining until it's right.
That approach earned our Iron City Beer rebrand the title of Brand New's #1 Best Logo Evolution of 2020. It also brought home a Silver Anvil, the communications industry's highest honor, alongside multiple PRSA Pittsburgh Best in Show awards.
But great brands aren't judged by award shows. They're judged by how they show up every day.
We've built brand systems that live on everything from beer cans—some recognized among America's best-looking—to websites, packaging, social campaigns, retail environments, and digital products. From The Motherhood's modular identity system to Leaf Shave's rebrand, and work across fintech, healthcare, real estate, and craft beer, we create brands that are flexible enough to evolve and disciplined enough to stay recognizable.
There's no part of a brand we can't help shape. Naming. Visual identity. Messaging. Brand guidelines. Packaging. Photography. Websites. Campaigns. Whatever the brand needs to succeed, we build it.
Our job isn't to sell you the biggest engagement. It's to tell you what will actually move the needle. We'll always recommend what serves your goals, not our ego.
That mindset has earned recognition as a Top Pittsburgh Branding Agency, inclusion among the 100 Best Branding Blogs on the Planet, and a shelf full of Hermes, AIGA Best in Show, and PRSA Renaissance awards.
More importantly, it's earned the trust of brands that need their identity to do more than look good.
Branding Services
Building cohesive brands through an array of design, creative, and multimedia.
Brand & Brand Family Development
Rebranding
Packaging Design
Advertising Creative
Print Design
Digital Design
Interior Installations
Photography
Videography
Our Clients
From sea to shining sea.
FAQS
What branding costs and how we structure it.
What branding costs and how we structure it.
How much does branding cost?
A branding engagement with Top Hat starts at $15,000 and scales with the size and reach of the assets that need to be designed.
When a project is deliverable-heavy, we’ll often propose a one-time project fee for the core brand, followed by a retainer that lets us grind through everything else until everything needing touched is done.
The starting number reflects what real strategic branding takes. We’re not in the $99 logo business.
What's included in a branding package?
A starting brand engagement includes a full visual brand suite (logo, typography, color), a visual identity expansion guide, and a 1–2 page style guide. We also build out starter assets, as appropriate, to give your new brand legs in the real world.
It’s worth clearing up the terms people often blur together: a logo is one mark. A brand identity is the complete visual system: logo, type, color, and the rules for using them.
A full branding engagement is that identity plus the strategy and applied assets that make it usable across everything you do. Buying a logo and calling it a brand is like buying a steering wheel and calling it a car.
Do you offer branding financing or phased projects?
Yes. We offer phase- and milestone-based payment structures, plus interest-free financing across 12 months (or interest-based financing for longer terms).
Strong branding shouldn’t have to wait for a perfect budget moment, so we built flexible paths to get it started.
How long does a branding project take?
A typical branding engagement takes one to three months from kickoff to final delivery.
The timeline flexes with the number of deliverables and how quickly feedback comes back. Branding is a collaboration, and the pace partly depends on you.
What does the branding process look like?
Our branding process moves through the following stages:
- Research: your existing brand and your competition.
- Kickoff: a working session with core stakeholders, including visual identity exercises.
- Concept rounds: 1-2 directions to start.
- Finalization: taking the winning concept all the way.
- Asset design: applying in context to your core business assets.
- Final package: all files and a 1-3 page brand style guide.
Who is involved from Top Hat in the branding process?
Branding is managed by our Art Director. Individual designers are selected after we get a sense of what the project entails.
We have a disciplined team with a robust set of capabilities including, but not limited to, illustration, motion, 3D rendering, type setting, custom typography, and classic design.
We always seek to combine talent sets to push a brand family to its maximum potential.
Why should I trust Top Hat with my brand?
Because we’ve spent 13 years proving it, with the hardware to show for it.
Top Hat is an award-winning Pittsburgh-based branding agency whose work has been recognized at the highest levels of our industry such as PRSA Renaissance Best in Show, Hermes Creative Awards (Platinum and Gold), Silver Anvil Awards, and AIGA Pittsburgh Best in Show, amongst countless others.
Our branding blog was named one of the Top 100 branding blogs on the planet, our founder has been honored among Pittsburgh’s Top 21 Under 40 Communicators and 30 Under 30, and our work has been named to lists of America’s 30 Best-Looking Beer Cans and Brand New’s #1 Best Logo Evolution of 2020 (Iron City Beer).
What kind of brands have you worked with?
A wide range from global enterprises to scrappy startups, across craft beer, real estate, fintech, healthcare, nonprofit, hospitality, and more.
We’ve branded and rebranded household local brands (like Iron City Beer) as well as Fortune 500s (such as Meta).
Whatever your project is, and whatever industry you’re in, we’re ready to take you up a level.
Are you actually a Pittsburgh branding agency, or are you just doing SEO B.S?
Although we have a team stretching from California to London, we’ve always had, and continue to maintain, a physical office and presence in Pittsburgh, PA since 2013.
We’ve been named a Top Pittsburgh Branding Agency (Agency List), a Top 20 Pittsburgh Advertising Agency (Expertise.com), and one of Pittsburgh’s Coolest Offices.
What makes Top Hat different from other branding agencies?
We’re a fully integrated agency: strategy, branding, design, web, and marketing all live under one roof, run by in-house, W2 employees.
That means your brand isn’t designed in a vacuum and tossed over a wall. It’s built by the same team that can take it all the way through your website, your campaigns, and your launch.
Add 13 years of refined process, and a genuine point of view, and you get an agency that’s nimble enough to move fast and seasoned enough to get it right the first time.
Do you handle trademark/copyright clearances?
We are not a law firm, but we will do an initial conflict check upon request.
It is your responsibility to conduct the formal clearance process with your associated counsel.
get in
touch
Ready to start your next branding project? We'll be in touch within (1) business day.
Ready to start your next branding project? We'll be in touch within (1) business day.
Design
Wins
Just a few things.
2022
Ceros
The Best Looking Beer Cans in the World: Old German
2022
Ceros
The Best Looking Beer Cans in the World: Mothers Brewing Materfamilias
2022
Ceros
The Best Looking Beer Cans in the World: Necromancer Cold Feet
2021
Craft Beer Marketing Awards
Gold — Best Logo Design / Unique
2021
Craft Beer Marketing Awards
Gold — Best Can Design / 32oz Crowler
2021
Craft Beer Marketing Awards
Gold — Best Bottle Design / 22 – 26oz
2020
Addys
Silver Addy - BBIS Beer System Design
2020
Addys
Silver Addy - IC Light Sport Schedule Posters
2020
Addys
Silver Addy - Leaf Website
2020
Addys
Silver Addy - Leaf Website
2020
Ceros
30 Best-Looking Beer Cans in America: Reuben's Brews Double Crush
2020
Somewhat Creative
31 of the Best Made Websites from August 2020
2020
Brand New
The Best in Packaging (#4) - Iron City Beer
2020
Brand New
The Best (of 2020) (#6) - Iron City Beer
2017
WebAwards Outstanding Website
Website Development
2017
Hermes Creative Awards — Platinum
Website Development
2017
Hermes Creative Awards — Platinum
Website Development
2017
Hermes Creative Awards — Gold
Website Development
2017
Awwwards Honors
Website Development
2017
Awwwards User's Choice
Website Development
2017
Awwwards User's Choice
Website Development
2016
Hermes Creative Awards — Gold
Branding
Are you not entertained?
New project? Question? Compliment? Let’s chat. New project? Question? Compliment? Let’s chat.