Brad Page on design leadership, creativity and building brands that last

Brad, it’s great to catch up. To kick us off, what set you on a path to work in the creative space?
Surprisingly, I studied piano performance in college – nothing to do with design, but the process of building a composition from scratch may have been what sparked my creative path. I found myself drawn to branding and design early on. I started out as a social media community manager for an ad agency before moving to NYC to work as a creative strategist across hospitality and tech brands. It was there that I developed my ability to blend storytelling with business thinking.

Later, I moved to LA with the goal of working in entertainment, specifically a larger studio. I met one of my career’s greatest mentors, Roger Estrada – who was SVP of Creative and Product Development at Sony Pictures at the time – and, as all things in LA, six months later he had an opening and remembered me. That moment kickstarted my licensing journey and the rest is history.

Had you worked on entertainment brands before that?
Not directly. My early clients were mostly in hospitality, tech, automotive and fitness – but I’ve always been a pop culture obsessive and a kid at heart, and creating truly impactful experiences for brands is in my bones. When I landed in licensing, it clicked. I thought: this is my dream job. You get to build creative around IP that people truly care about, and create products that fans will hold onto for a lifetime. That’s a special thing.

You were Global Creative Director for Consumer Products at Sony Pictures, and now run your own design studio. How did that in-house experience shape the work you do today?
Sony was transformational for me. It pushed me to evolve beyond strategy and into design leadership. I partnered with a wonderful team of folks, as well as showrunners and filmmakers, to support product development through impactful style guide development. I also designed and developed our booth presence at Licensing Show and BLE, and aligned cross-functional teams around a creative vision for activations at retail across SPE, SPTV, SPA, and PlayStation Productions IP franchises and global IP.

“When there’s trust, collaboration becomes a real engine for growth.”

I also led trend forecasting at Sony, which still plays a huge role in helping my clients build brands that are both relevant now and built to last. It taught me how to operate at scale without losing sight of nuance.

One of my favorite parts of the role however, was partnering with some of the most talented creative agencies and design resources in the licensing space – many of which are highlighted regularly in Brands Untapped. That experience gave me a sharper creative lens. Now, when I’m thinking through the design of a site, packaging, an ad, a logo or even a simple piece of merch, I’m not just considering how it looks, but how it performs and fits into the broader brand story.

What services does your studio offer now?
My work spans well beyond licensing. I partner with clients across entertainment, e-commerce, lifestyle, luxury and fashion. That includes everything from experiential design and event branding to visual identities, style guides, advertising, merchandise and full e-commerce ecosystems. A lot of my clients are building something new or undergoing transformation – maybe launching a store on Shopify or Amazon, or completely rethinking their brand strategy. I help them zoom out and ask: “What does this brand want to be in five years?” “What’s the full experience we’re designing for?” – and we go from there.

For prospective clients, what makes for a strong partnership with a studio like yours?
Start with a strong brief. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but we need a clear goal and strategy to create something meaningful. One of the biggest lessons I learned at Sony was how to get alignment early – herding cats, pulling in stakeholders, and setting direction. That’s how great creative happens. Equally important is trust in collaboration. There has to be open, honest communication – feedback should flow both ways. When there’s trust, collaboration becomes a real engine for growth.

What makes for an effective creative brief, in your experience?
A great brief doesn’t just start with strategy – it starts by asking the right questions. The discovery phase is critical for aligning stakeholders and setting the foundation for everything that follows. At Sony, my briefs always zoomed out to capture the big picture: aligning teams across the board and ensuring we were all moving toward the same goal for every style guide project. Each brief included project objectives, the trends we were tapping into, retail targets, key demographics, and a clear list of deliverables.

“A great brief doesn’t just start with strategy – it starts by asking the right questions.”

Whether it’s an advertising campaign or a simple packaging project, clarity and alignment are everything. A solid brief sets the stage for effective creative, especially when you’re bringing in external design resources.

What inspires or refuels your creativity?
Nature, for starters. I live near a lake and walk around it regularly to clear my head. I also practice piano quite often, which helps me recharge creatively in a totally different way – it taps into rhythm, patience, and expression that I can bring back into my design work. I stay plugged into the licensing world through outlets like Brands Untapped, and I love interior design and checking out what’s happening at retail. That’s often where you see trends come to life. Social media is part of the mix too – it’s a great tool when you don’t let it overwhelm you. Used intentionally, it’s a fantastic place to spark new thinking and gain fresh perspective.

Thanks Brad – and finally, how can people get in touch?
All of my contact info and portfolio is at www.bradpagedesign.com. I’m always looking for ways to make a splash in the licensing space and am open to new design projects – whether that’s supporting style guide development, event design, trade ads, deck creation, or product development, It would be my pleasure to be a resource to any team.