Global Brand System Development

Building and Governing a Scalable Visual Identity

Overview

As the lead designer, I developed and governed a comprehensive global brand system for Tenneco, establishing a unified visual language across marketing, product, and corporate communications.

When I joined in 2019, the organization lacked formal brand guidelines, resulting in inconsistent visuals across regions and business groups. I created the brand system from the ground up and have since led two major evolutions to keep the identity aligned with business growth and strategic priorities.

The Challenge

• No centralized brand guidelines or governance structure

• Multiple business groups using inconsistent visual styles

• Lack of scalable templates for presentations and communications

• Need to support both technical product marketing and corporate storytelling

• Global teams requiring clear standards for self-service execution

The goal was to create a flexible system that ensured consistency while supporting diverse use cases.

My Role

Visual Design Lead & Brand System Owner

• Defined the visual strategy and core design principles

• Led stakeholder alignment across marketing, communications, and leadership

• Designed system components and documentation

• Established governance and implementation workflows

• Led two brand refresh iterations

  ---

Approach

Establishing Brand Foundations

I translated brand positioning into visual principles, ensuring the identity reflected innovation, performance, and technical credibility.

Designing a Modular System

Rather than static guidelines, I created a flexible framework that could scale across business units, regions, and channels.

Governance & Adoption

I developed templates and documentation to enable teams globally to execute consistently without sacrificing speed.

System Components

Core Visual Identity

• Color palette and usage hierarchy

• Typography system and pairing rules

• Photography and visual style direction

• Tone and visual storytelling principles

Communication Frameworks

• PowerPoint master templates for executive and sales presentations

• Social media templates ensuring consistent messaging

• Marketing collateral layouts

• Iconography and diagram style guidance

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Corporate Identity Assets

• Letterhead and stationery system

• Business cards

• Internal communication templates

Outcomes

• Created the first unified global brand system for the company

• Significantly improved visual consistency across regions and channels

• Enabled faster production through standardized templates

• Strengthened brand perception and clarity in technical storytelling

• Built a scalable foundation that continues to evolve with the business

Reflection

Building the brand system from the ground up reinforced the importance of balancing structure with flexibility. A successful design system not only creates visual consistency — it empowers teams to communicate complex ideas clearly while maintaining a cohesive brand voice.