The challenge
American Express manages a complex portfolio of card products, each with different value propositions, audiences, tiers and design considerations. The challenge was to establish a strategic framework that could strengthen consistency and brand equity while still allowing individual cards to express their distinct value.

My role
I developed a strategic framework for global card design, translating brand strategy, research, competitive/category analysis and existing card equity into practical principles for evaluating and developing card designs.

The work

• Established strategic principles for the US Iconic Card portfolio, balancing Amex’s heritage with modern relevance.

• Defined the strategic roles of core card elements—including the Centurion, Logotype, Member Since Ribbon, color, materials and finishes.

• Created design implications and decision-making guidance that translated the principles into practical considerations for designers and marketers.

• Developed strategic thinking for limited-edition card designs and global co-brand applications.

Impact
The resulting framework gave design and marketing teams a shared strategic lens for evaluating card concepts—helping ensure that individual designs strengthen both the product’s value proposition and the broader Amex card portfolio.

Selected details and visual examples are omitted due to the confidential nature of the work.