Ecommerce career advice - cranberry panda

Digital design recruitment - Hiring brand-savvy designers

Written by cranberry panda team | Feb 28, 2025 12:14:04 PM

In eCommerce, strong branding is everything. From a sleek, recognisable logo to a seamless shopping experience, your digital identity needs to be consistent across every customer touchpoint. That’s why hiring a digital designer who understands brand consistency isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s essential.

So, how do you find a designer who truly gets your brand? Here are five key ways to spot brand-savvy digital designers during the recruitment process.

They have a portfolio that tells a story

A good designer can create beautiful visuals, but a brand-savvy designer crafts a cohesive story. When reviewing portfolios, look beyond standalone designs - assess how their work connects across different platforms. Have they created assets that feel like they belong to the same brand family? Do their past projects show a deep understanding of tone, colour, and typography?

Recruitment tip: Ask candidates to walk you through a project where they had to maintain brand consistency across multiple channels. Their response will reveal how well they understand branding at a strategic level.

They understand eCommerce-specific branding challenges

Branding for eCommerce isn’t just about looking good - it’s about driving sales. A strong designer will understand how elements like typography, imagery and UI components influence customer trust and purchase decisions.

Recruitment tip: Test their knowledge with scenario-based questions. For example, “How would you adapt a brand’s identity for both high-converting product pages and engaging social media content?”

They can adapt without losing the brand’s essence

eCommerce is constantly evolving, and brands need to stay fresh without losing their identity. The best designers know how to modernise visuals while maintaining brand recognition.

Recruitment tip: Give candidates a task where they have to update an existing design while keeping it on-brand. This could be a refreshed homepage layout, a new email template, or even a redesigned product image.

They are detail-oriented without losing the big picture

A brand-savvy designer pays attention to the small details - kerning, colour consistency, button sizes - but also understands how these elements work together to create a seamless experience.

Recruitment tip: During interviews, ask them to critique an existing design (maybe even your own website). A designer who spots inconsistencies and suggests thoughtful improvements is one who values brand integrity.

They have a collaborative approach

Brand consistency isn’t just the designer’s responsibility - it requires alignment with marketing, product teams, and developers. A designer who communicates well and understands brand guidelines will make sure their work fits into the bigger picture.

Recruitment tip: Ask about their experience working with cross-functional teams. Have they collaborated with content teams to align visuals with brand messaging? Have they worked with developers to ensure pixel-perfect execution? Their answers will reveal how well they can maintain brand consistency in a real-world setting.

Supercharge your digital design recruitment strategy!

Hiring a digital designer who understands brand consistency is a game-changer for eCommerce businesses. By using the right recruitment techniques, you can spot designers who don’t just create visuals but craft a brand identity that customers instantly recognise and trust.

Need help finding the best digital designers for your eCommerce brand? Get in touch with the Cranberry Panda team today, and we’ll connect you with top design talent who truly understand brand consistency!