VAL MURPHY
VAL M
Maker of many things Doer of lots of stuff
Creative lead. High standards. Low ego. I turn chaos into work that ships. There’s no bad design—only off-brief design. If it’s on time, on brief, and still fun to make, that’s the job.
I’m currently the Senior Manager of Creative at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., where I’ve spent over a decade building packaging and brand systems that actually survive the real world. I also teach design and branding at CSU Chico, helping the next generation learn how to think, not just decorate.
I’ve heard rumors of free time. If it exists, I’m probably gardening, painting, or planning a trip to Puerto Vallarta.
To that point, this site is VERY MUCH a work in progress. Reach out if you want to see more (or something else).
PACKAGING / BRAND
Hundreds.
I’ve designed, overseen, directed and/or quality-checked hundreds of packaging SKUs at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
But it’s not about quantity. It’s about quality.
The internal team owns packaging end-to-end (shout out to my consistent collaborators). We build brands through creative exploration, often using the look to define positioning and target audience.
Below are some, but not all, of the products I have worked on, in varying roles.
Again, work—in-progress website, so if you want to know what exactly I did on each brand, reach out.
A few I am extra proud of:
Rebrand of Torpedo IPA
Trail Pass Creative Strategy
Tea West - Just the whole thing
MEDIA/SOCIAL
Great work is a team sport. Social and video for product launches and product support come to life through talented partners. I step in to define the brief, set clear creative guardrails, give direct feedback, and work closely with teams to get the work over the line and right.
Section is a work-in-progress. Reach out for more examples of the work.
Retail Trade Design
Point-of-sale that earns its space. Designed with brand and trade at the same table, where form meets function and budgets are real. Award-winning when we’re lucky. Effective every time.
Another way to say work-in-progress is WIP.
This section is WIP.
event design
End-to-end event design that turns brands into experiences. From advertising to in-room moments, every detail is built to activate the brand while keeping the experience genuinely fun.
And it you are noticing a theme, this section is also a work-in-progress.
