Phillips Design and Marketing

What Phillips Design and Marketing does

Phillips Design and Marketing is a small, exclusive design and marketing firm headquartered in Sacramento, California, founded in 1983 by Lee Phillips. The firm operates with a two-principal structure: Lee Phillips serves as Creative Director and Jill Chan serves as Marketing Consultant, with both individuals being the publicly named faces of the business. The firm explicitly positions itself as a boutique operation, and its scale and exclusivity are core elements of its market identity rather than incidental characteristics.

The firm's service portfolio spans brand identity and logo design, website design and development, video and motion graphics, trade show exhibits, printed collateral, branded apparel, and marketing workshops. Underlying technology is modest and deliberately practical: WordPress is used for simpler client websites, HTML5 for more customized builds, external programmers are engaged for complex technical implementations, Basecamp manages project workflows, and PayPal handles e-commerce transactions. Client logos have been registered as trademarks in approximately 60 countries, indicating a willingness to support international IP protection on behalf of clients.

The business model is project-based creative services billing, supplemented by workshop revenue. The firm has no external funding, no investors, and is privately held. The client base is diversified across non-profits, manufacturing, aerospace, education, publishing, and government sectors, with multiple relationships spanning more than a decade. Go-to-market appears to rely on the principals' professional networks, referral, conference speaking, and an Instagram channel in addition to the firm's website. No financial performance, headcount beyond the two principals, or growth metrics are publicly disclosed.

Name

Phillips Design and Marketing

Legal name

Phillips Design and Marketing, Inc.

Website

https://phillipsdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Phillips Design and Marketing is a Sacramento-based boutique design and marketing firm founded in 1983, serving non-profits, manufacturing, aerospace, education, publishing, and government clients with branding, web, video, and print services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD), Packaging & Brand Identity Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAN), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD), Custom Booth & Stand Design (Concept, 3D, Branding) (THAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Brand identity design
• Website design services
• Trade show exhibits
• Video motion graphics
• Printed collateral design

Headquarters

HQ city

Citrus Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Design and Marketing Professional Services: Project-based creative services including branding, website design, video production, printed collateral, trade show exhibits. Billable hourly with project-based pricing. The company states 'We're not inexpensive, but you will always get more than your money's worth.'
2. Branding and Identity Projects: Logo design, brand overhauls, and brand identity work. Jill Chan's MBA thesis was on branding, providing specialized expertise.
3. Consulting and Workshops: Marketing workshops, webinars, and brainstorming sessions. Jill Chan conducts Marketing 101 presentations and consensus-building workshops for organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Phillips Design and Marketing is a small Sacramento-based creative services firm that defines, builds, and establishes brand standards through branding and logo design, website design, video and motion graphics, printed collateral, trade show exhibits, branded apparel, copywriting, and facilitated brainstorming sessions. Principals Lee Phillips and Jill Chan work directly with clients on project-based engagements, billing hourly with custom quotes that fit client budgets.

Product overview

Phillips Design and Marketing is a creative services agency offering a comprehensive suite of design and marketing services. The core offerings include branding and identity design (logos, marks, logotypes), website design (from WordPress brochure sites to complex database-driven and ecommerce solutions), video and motion graphics production, branded social media services, printed collateral design, trade show exhibits and displays (including iPad kiosks), branded apparel and advertising specialties, marketing copywriting (bylines, slogans, mission statements), facilitated brainstorming sessions, and marketing education workshops. The agency operates as a small, hands-on firm with principals directly involved in client work, providing creative solutions with over 30 years of combined experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Branding, Identity, Logo, Logotype and Mark Design
• Website Design
• Video and Motion Graphics
• Branded Social Media
• Printed Collateral
• Trade Show Exhibits and Displays
• Branded Apparel and Advertising Specialties
• Marketing Bylines, Advertising Slogans, Mission Statements
• Brainstorming Sessions and Consensus Building
• Marketing Workshops and Webinars

Quantifiable outcome

• Logos trademarked in 60 countries for various clients
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Skyline Exhibits: Large-scale trade show exhibit design and build firm with modular and custom display products. Overlaps in the trade show exhibit and display design service line Phillips Design offers.
• Landor & Fitch: Global brand consulting and design firm with deep identity, branding, and brand strategy capabilities. The obvious scaled incumbent in the brand identity space Phillips Design competes in.
• Pentagram: Largest independent design studio in the world, with partners leading branding, identity, and packaging engagements. Represents the scaled principal-led model that Phillips Design aspires to in microcosm.

Regional players

• BFG Communications: Smaller full-service creative agency with comparable service mix (branding, web, video, trade show). Overlaps in capabilities; serves a different regional footprint.
• Hahn Graphics: Regional graphics and design firm providing branding, print, and large-format signage. Comparable in print/collateral and signage capabilities, especially in the trade show exhibit space.

Direct peers

• Traction (Traction Corporation): Sacramento-based creative and digital agency serving B2B and consumer clients with branding, web, and marketing services. Direct geographic and size peer focused on small-to-mid-market clients.
• The Bureau of Small Projects: Small full-service creative agency offering branding, web, video, and marketing to small and mid-sized businesses. Closely matched in firm size, service breadth, and target SMB/non-profit client base.
• Plasticity: Boutique branding and design studio that supports founders and brand teams with naming, identity, and packaging. Direct comparable in size and creative agency category, serving similar client profiles.
• MiresBall: San Diego-based independent brand and creative agency of comparable size, offering branding, identity, packaging, and digital design to a similar mix of established regional and consumer brands. Comparable boutique principal-led model with a strong brand identity focus.
• Rainmaker Industrial Marketing: Specialized industrial marketing agency covering branding, websites, and trade show materials for manufacturers and technical companies. Directly comparable in serving the manufacturing and industrial client segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pdteam
• Facebookinstagram.com/pdm_inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/pdm_inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phillips-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Phillips Design and Marketing