Good design is a good idea.

A studio small by design, Michael Ratcliff started Ratcliff Creative to build strong brands for companies ranging in size from one-person start-ups to the Fortune 500. The studio focuses on business-to-business communications, with an emphasis on the technology sector. Fintech, oil and gas, and software companies are the specialty. 

Ratcliff Creative started as a freelance practice in 2009 but has been operating full-time as an independent design consultancy since 2019. Founded by Michael Ratcliff, he brings more than 30 years of experience to solving a wide range of identity and branding problems. He holds an unusual perspective as having held positions in corporate giants, such as Creative Director for Schlumberger Ltd. And Marketing Director for Sysco Foods, but also served as an Art Director for J. Walter Thompson, where he created recruitment campaigns and employee communications while building a stable of B2B clients, and held the position of Creative Director for Unleaded, a boutique ad agency where his efforts were twice recognized the Houston Business Marketing Alliance as Agency of the Year.

Current clients include Baker Hughes, Brigade Energy, CheckAlt, Fiserv, FloWorks International, FutureOn, Keto AI, Kodiak Gas Services, Lufkin Industries, MRC Global, QuickFee, S&P Global, and Western Geco.

Past clients include Aggreko, Cabot Oil & Gas, ExxonMobil Chemical, EDG Engineering, Emerson Process Management, Enthought, FMC Technologies, Key Energy Services, Oklahoma Heart Center, Quaker State, Reliant Energy, Shell, and Weatherford International.

Michael’s work has been recognized throughout the years by industry organizations, including the American Advertising Federation, the American Marketing Association, the Business Marketing Association (now HBMA), the International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quill, and featured in Print magazine.