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By Lilian Santini
Fractional Creative Director
The Copper Portico
Client: Tano Skincare Founders: Annie and Sean Finney Category: Premium skincare (DTC + retail-ready) Partnership: March 2024 — Present (ongoing) Scope: Full brand identity, packaging design, investor pitch deck, digital renders, marketing collateral, premium gift sets
Sean Finney came to us with a skincare line he believed in — and amber jars with taped-on labels. He had already tried working with other designers. He knew the formula was good. But without professional branding, he could not charge what the product was worth, he could not approach retailers, and he could not walk into an investor meeting with confidence. Five months later, a customer assumed Tano had been around for a decade.
Sean’s problem was not his formulations. It was that nothing around the formulations reflected their quality. An amber glass jar with a taped label does not communicate premium skincare — it communicates a favor.
He had worked with other designers before and the experience left him frustrated. Designs arrived behind a curtain. By the time he saw them, the direction had already missed.
“With other designers, everything was behind a curtain. They’d pop a design out and I’d go, ‘That missed the mark. I wish you would have talked to me before you put all this time in.'”
Sean did not need another designer. He needed a creative partner who understood skincare, worked transparently, and got the vision right the first time.
The Copper Portico became Tano’s integrated creative partner — brand identity, packaging, and investor materials under one roof.
We delivered a complete brand identity: logo refinement, wordmark strategy, custom iconography, and comprehensive brand guidelines. We designed packaging for four products — Face Cream, Body Lotion, Reformulate Serum, and Banana Balance Cleanser — coordinating directly with manufacturers on technical specs, substrates, textures, and foil selections. We created a premium magnetic-closure gift set box designed for shelf presence. We redesigned the investor pitch deck. And we produced digital renders that allowed Tano to launch their website, run social media teasers, and take pre-orders before the physical products were even in hand.
Sean noticed the difference in how we work immediately.
“You guys did a really good job of explaining, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re thinking we’re going to do. Does that align?’ That saved a ton of time and rework because I knew what I was going to get before I ever saw it.”
No guessing. No surprises. No endless revision cycles.
The brand went from five months old to being perceived as a decade-old company.
That shift did not come from the formulations changing. It came from every surface finally matching the quality inside.
Sean could not have charged what Tano charges without packaging that justified the number on the label.
“The branding made our brand feel like it had been around for a long time, that it was sophisticated. Customers went, ‘Wow, this is really legit.’ Even though we had only existed for three weeks.”
“I don’t think we could charge the pricing we’re at if we didn’t have as good a packaging.”
But the biggest change was personal. The moment Sean had professional packaging in hand, the way he sold changed.
“Once I had the professional packaging, that’s when it really unlocked for me. This is something I can stand behind and be proud. People absolutely should pay me for this because this is a really good product in really good packaging.”
And when it came to retail readiness — the metric that matters most for a brand preparing to scale — Sean had no doubts.
“I would be very comfortable dropping it on a shelf next to any other skincare brand. I don’t think anybody can say anything negative about our packaging. It’s extremely professional.”
Since March 2024, Sean has returned for every new product, every presentation, and every extension of the Tano line. We continue to support the team with new packaging formats, product booklets, email templates, and investor-facing materials.
“From day one, you guys seemed to get exactly what we were doing. It resonated with you immediately. And it made everything super simple.”
“Combining branding and packaging under one roof is really valuable. There’s a continuity you get that otherwise you have to communicate. And none of us are actually good communicators.”
“The cost of redoing something — both from a time and money perspective — is pretty high. I see that as a significant cost savings to just get things right the first time.”
Today, Sean is one of The Copper Portico’s referral sources — connecting other founders who need the same transformation.
“I am typically someone who is very stingy with recommendations. You are one of the few partners that I will without a doubt recommend every single time.”
“If you’re direct to consumer, it’s not really a choice. You have to do it or you’re kind of relegated to selling at farmers markets.”
“People accept when you sell at a farmer’s market that your packaging isn’t going to be great. If you go anything outside of that, you better be on point or you’re not going to sell.”
| BEFORE | AFTER |
|---|---|
| Amber jars with taped labels | Premium packaging with custom textures and foil details |
| Selling felt like asking a favor | Selling with pride and confidence |
| Perceived as a scrappy startup | Perceived as a 10-year-old established brand |
| Couldn’t justify premium pricing | Premium pricing unlocked |
| Frustrating vendor experiences | “One of the few partners I recommend every single time” |
| Not retail-ready | “Comfortable on a shelf next to any skincare brand” |
The brands I work with are growing into new retail doors, new markets, and new product lines. Getting it right the first time is what fractional creative leadership is for.
If any of this sounds familiar, it probably is. And if you are building something and want someone who thinks at this level, I would like to hear from you.