Born to Brand. We give birth to dynamic brands that turn browsers into believers, and inspire users to take action. Branding is about connecting. Our approach engages audiences, influences decisions, and forges emotional connections. Whether the brand must be created or repositioned, we help find your strategic differentiation and link your audience to that vision. We call it Brand Activation.
About
Services
At HDSF, our approach is pragmatic, committed and accountable. We offer a wide range of services in order to provide a consistent and compelling brand experience across key customer touch points.
Branding & Identity
- Brand Strategy
- Brand Messaging
- Brand Guidelines
- Logo Development
- Name Development
Digital Media
- Website Design
- User Experience
- Information Architecture
- Content Management Systems
- Promotional Videos
Environmental
- Display Design
- Space Planning
- Signage Systems
Print Collateral
- Brochures / Folders
- Stationery Systems
- Information Graphics
Online Marketing
- Digital Advertising
- Email Campaigns
- SEO Setup
Advertising
- Print Campaigns
- Digital Campaigns
- Outdoor Advertising
- Presentation Packets
- Press Kits
Packaging
- Food and Wine
- Consumer Goods
Leadership
At HDSF, Justine Descollonges and Sue Hutner are personally involved in every project, from strategy to launch. In order to provide this high level of partner involvement, HDSF takes on a limited number of projects, and clients benefit from the focus. Justine and Sue collaborate on some projects and work independently on others, addressing specific client challenges. While both partners have roots in design, they bring complementary skill sets to the table. Together, they generate intelligent and creative solutions that fuel success.
Principal, Creative DirectorJustine Descollonges
Born in Paris, France, Justine’s European sensibility shapes her work as Creative Director and Principal. With over 20 years of agency experience, she has led marketing communications and brand initiatives for Mozilla Firefox, Fairmont Hotels, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente and Morgan Stanley, building a client roster spanning real estate, finance, venture capital, technology, AI, and healthcare.
Her collaborative approach with clients and internal creative teams brings both vision and order to the creative process. Clients enjoy working with Justine for her ability to bring everything together, from strategic concept through to polished execution.
Justine specializes in storytelling and visual experiences that bring a brand to life, aligning curated design with authentic messaging to shape a brand’s long-term value and resonate with key audiences.
An award-winning designer, Justine became one of the founders of Hutner Descollonges at age 31. Her career began at HZDG in the Washington DC area, where she quickly rose to lead designer on national accounts including MCI and The Mills Corporation.
Justine was recruited to co-lead a women’s business leadership circle (LeanIn.org) and has been active in the Bay Area design community ever since. She lives in Mill Valley with her husband and sons, and enjoys international travel and tennis league play during her free time.
Justine Descollonges
Born in Paris, France, Justine’s European sensibility shapes her work as Creative Director and Principal. With over 20 years of agency experience, she has led marketing communications and brand initiatives for Mozilla Firefox, Fairmont Hotels, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente and Morgan Stanley, building a client roster spanning real estate, finance, venture capital, technology, AI, and healthcare.
Her collaborative approach with clients and internal creative teams brings both vision and order to the creative process. Clients enjoy working with Justine for her ability to bring everything together, from strategic concept through to polished execution.
Justine specializes in storytelling and visual experiences that bring a brand to life, aligning curated design with authentic messaging to shape a brand’s long-term value and resonate with key audiences.
An award-winning designer, Justine became one of the founders of Hutner Descollonges at age 31. Her career began at HZDG in the Washington DC area, where she quickly rose to lead designer on national accounts including MCI and The Mills Corporation.
Justine was recruited to co-lead a women’s business leadership circle (LeanIn.org) and has been active in the Bay Area design community ever since. She lives in Mill Valley with her husband and sons, and enjoys international travel and tennis league play during her free time.
Principal, Brand Strategy DirectorSue Hutner
Sue has long been a creative leader in design and branding. Before co-founding Hutner Descollonges (now HDSF), Sue founded Hutner Group, recognized for its award-winning brand experiences. Prior to Hutner Group, Sue was a partner at Wang Hutner Design in San Francisco and before moving to California, she was a top designer at Boston-based Bronner Slosberg (now Digitas, Publicis). Sue began her career in Florence, as an art book designer for Centro d’Italia , followed by Rome, where she designed marketing materials for the United Nations.
As a former AIGA board member, Sue led the country’s first Business Outreach division, developing a successful partnership with APPLE. She launched the ongoing monthly lecture series “Why Good Design Matters,” featuring speakers from DWELL Magazine, IDEO, Design Within Reach, HAAS School of Business and other internationally recognized design industry influencers.
Sue is active in SPUR, the Business Leadership Counsel, and is a founder of SF Collective (Lean In Circle), as well as a San Francisco women’s political Huddle. For fun, she bikes, hikes, travels and dreams of trekking to cacao plantations in 20 countries, across 4 continents.
Sue Hutner
Sue has long been a creative leader in design and branding. Before co-founding Hutner Descollonges (now HDSF), Sue founded Hutner Group, recognized for its award-winning brand experiences. Prior to Hutner Group, Sue was a partner at Wang Hutner Design in San Francisco and before moving to California, she was a top designer at Boston-based Bronner Slosberg (now Digitas, Publicis). Sue began her career in Florence, as an art book designer for Centro d’Italia , followed by Rome, where she designed marketing materials for the United Nations.
As a former AIGA board member, Sue led the country’s first Business Outreach division, developing a successful partnership with APPLE. She launched the ongoing monthly lecture series “Why Good Design Matters,” featuring speakers from DWELL Magazine, IDEO, Design Within Reach, HAAS School of Business and other internationally recognized design industry influencers.
Sue is active in SPUR, the Business Leadership Counsel, and is a founder of SF Collective (Lean In Circle), as well as a San Francisco women’s political Huddle. For fun, she bikes, hikes, travels and dreams of trekking to cacao plantations in 20 countries, across 4 continents.
Process Left Brain + Right Brain = Smart Design
Insight
This discovery phase consists of a deep dive into our clients’ products and services, to truly understand their vision. We then research the competitive landscape, determine the target audience, and gather any information that informs the project strategy.Positioning
Distilling the project insights, we then develop strategic positioning, expressed in the form of a visual vocabulary and high-level messaging. This positioning serves as a brand map, laying the foundation to effectively communicate the unique value proposition.
Ideation
Brainstorming sessions fuel the creative phase of our process. The result is a broad spectrum of creative possibilities, which we methodically refine to best express the strategic positioning. As we explore design directions and develop project content, the brand experience begins to take shape.
Implementation
Once a client selects a concept direction, our energies are directed toward aligning form and function. We roll out the brand language to express that alignment from different vantage points and various consumer touch points. Thus the brand is born.