Pop Standing

Pop Standing

We’re a small, independent studio run by a designer and a strategist—partners in work and in life.

We spent years in New York and Chicago, learning from smart, creative teams and doing work we’re proud of. That experience shaped us. But when it came time to build something of our own, we chose a slower pace, a closer community, and a life in the Midwest.

Now we get to do what we love—help people tell their stories through thoughtful design and honest, clear messaging.

We work with all kinds of businesses—family-run, just-getting-started, still-figuring-it-out. What matters most to us is that there’s care behind what you do. Curiosity, too. The spark of something real.

We’re curious, hands-on, and not into corporate fluff.
We listen, we sketch, we ask good questions, and we make things that feel honest and original.

We’re not here to impress. We’re here to connect.

What we do

We help people shape how their work is seen, felt, and understood.
That usually looks like:

– Branding & visual identity
– Messaging & storytelling
– Creative strategy
– Design systems that actually make sense

Sometimes it's a full brand from the ground up.
Sometimes it's just helping you figure out how to talk about what you do.
Either way, we keep it collaborative and thoughtful.

THE NAME POP STANDING

It’s intriguing. “Pop Standing” doesn’t immediately explain itself, and that’s a good thing. It invites curiosity. You lean in and want to know more—which is great for a creative studio.

• It has rhythm. It sounds cool. It has that kind of punchy, effortless energy that works really well in conversations, emails, intros, even merch.

• It sidesteps trends. Like you said, it doesn’t feel like it came out of a startup name generator. It’s not trying too hard. It’s not a single abstract word. It has personality without being gimmicky.

• It reflects you. There’s a secret history to it—your husband’s blog, your shared love of culture, music, design. That hidden layer gives it soul.