Manual is the brand studio for ambitious ideas. Working globally out of San Francisco and Amsterdam, we partner with founders, leaders, and organizations shaping what’s next. Some are creating new categories. Others are writing new chapters. All of them are trying to help people understand something important.
The way we see it
Find the truth
People can’t want what they don’t understand. We look for the ideas that bring everything else into focus: true enough to feel obvious, expansive enough to open new possibilities, and grounded enough to endure.
1/5
Build for better decisions
The strongest brands create clarity about what belongs and what doesn’t. When you know where to show up, what to lean into, and what you’re willing to leave behind, tough calls become easier and teams move faster.
2/5
Create room for ambition
The most successful companies navigate the chasm between their value today and their vision for tomorrow. We build identity systems flexible enough to hold everything you’ll create, develop, and imagine—including things that don’t exist yet.
3/5
See more together
The story doesn’t create the company. The company creates the story. We don’t arrive with a point of view to impose. But as outsiders who know less, we have the vantage to see more. Great work comes from trust, candor, and shared conviction.
4/5
Make it captivating
People make meaning with their senses, not just their minds. Every detail will shape how people experience your brand, and that’s why we sweat them. Effortlessness is hard-earned, and what feels inevitable today didn’t always feel obvious.
5/5
How we engage
For emerging companies
The earliest decisions shape everything that follows. We help you articulate what’s on the tip of your tongue and create a distinctive identity that sets you apart from the moment it’s introduced to the world.
For evolving organizations
Expectations are powerful and limiting. If you’re entering new markets, launching new products, or growing beyond your original story, we’ll help people see you as a serious player in any field.
For market leaders
Ambitious businesses make deliberate tradeoffs, and their brands inevitably show cracks. When your story no longer matches your ambition, we’ll help you find solid ground once again.
For cultural institutions
Cultural institutions don’t just preserve the past: they help people make sense of the present. We articulate mission, relevance, and vision with sensitivity—helping them become places people feel proud to belong to.
What we deliver
Strategy & Positioning
We find the ideas that bring everything else into focus.
Brand strategy & positioning
Research & insights
Architecture frameworks
Brand & product naming
Tone of voice
Taglines & brand narrative
Identity Design
We create distinctive visual systems that make ideas remarkable and memorable.
Brand marks and logotypes
Comprehensive design systems
Custom typography
Motion graphics
Iconography
Brand guidelines
Content & Digital
We give brands a living heartbeat through multimedia storytelling.
Content strategy & curation
Photo & video production
Advertising campaigns
Website design & development
Product interface design
Sound design
Generative design tools
Experiential
We bring brands into the real world through objects, spaces, and collective experiences.
Packaging design
Printed materials
Books and editorial
Signage & wayfinding
Environments & installations
The team
Tom Crabtree
Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director
Patricia Callaway
Co-founder & Managing Director
Joe Burrin
Creative Director - Amsterdam
Kris Smith
Managing Director - Amsterdam
Gina Gutierrez
Strategy Director
Ian Carroll
Business Director
Vanessa Lam
Associate Creative Director
Andrew Galloway
Art Director
Michael Hope
Project Manager
Nick Randle
Senior Designer
Ryan Huang
Designer
Jenna Lee
Designer
Edgar Casarin
Junior Designer