STUDIO
Brand identity, art direction, and digital design for independent brands and ambitious teams .
Tropical Thunder is the independent practice of Rodrigo Rodrigues, a designer and art director based in Recife, Brazil. Over the past 14 years, the work has ranged from founder-led ventures to established companies repositioning themselves — in Brazil and abroad.
APPROACH
Each project starts with the same question: what does this brand need to mean, and how should it look when it shows up.
The work moves between strategy and craft — naming, identity systems, art direction, websites — depending on what the brand needs. Some projects begin with a blank page; others begin halfway, repositioning what already exists.
PRACTICE
A practice built to stay close to the craft.
Projects run lean. Direct collaboration between founder and designer, with a small network of trusted collaborators brought in when the work calls for motion, development, or copy. Fewer projects, more time per project.
Brand Identity
Building the foundation of a brand — from name to voice to visual system — so it shows up coherent across every touchpoint.
- Naming
- Logo and visual system
- Brand guidelines
- Verbal identity
- Brand positioning
Art Direction
Setting the visual direction for campaigns, photography, motion, and content — so the brand stays consistent as it grows.
- Campaign direction
- Photography direction
- Motion direction
- Content systems
- Editorial direction
Digital Design
Translating brand identity to digital — websites and interfaces that extend the brand instead of diluting it.
- Brand-led websites
- Landing pages
- Design systems
- Web art direction