An up-to-date list of the top branding services right now
First impressions can make or break a brand’s future, but branding agencies often play an instrumental role in helping brands rise to the top. These creative powerhouses are the conductors behind the logos, colors, and messages that become synonymous with some of the most successful brands in the world.
Welcome to our curated list of the top 10 branding services in 2024, designed to help you select a branding agency and enter the new year with the right creative partner.
1. 500 Designs
Website:
Location:
Irvine, California
Year established:
2017
Notable branding projects:
Google, FedEx, Cisco, TikTok, HubSpot
Team size:
125 employees
Branding capabilities:
Brand strategy, naming, brand auditing, logo design, visual identity, and graphic and illustration
Best for:
Technology, e-commerce, healthcare, small and medium-sized businesses
Social media links:
Why choose 500 Designs:
This award-winning agency aims to launch companies of all sizes into a new era of growth, through intelligent design, thoughtful branding and impactful app development.
Within their branding portfolio sits brand strategy, where they build a DNA that supports and strengthens a brand’s identity and position in the market.
2. Ignite Visibility
Website:
Location:
San Diego, CA and Orlando, FL.United States
Year established:
2013
Notable branding projects:
Tony Robbins, The Knot, Experian
Team size:
201-500 employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Full-service branding solutions (positioning, brand book, creative design)
Best for:
B2B and ecommerce
Social Media Links:
LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
Why choose Ignite Visibility:
This performance-based digital marketing agency has a robust branding string on its bow.
Sitting under the creative design umbrella, they aim to find a new and compelling way to tell your brand’s story, using creative assets and strategy.
3. Pentagram
Website:
Location:
New York and Austin, United States, London, United Kingdom, and Berlin, Germany
Year established:
1972
Notable branding projects:
One Wall Street, Guggenheim, PayPal
Team size:
51-200 employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Brand identity, naming, brand strategy
Best for:
A wide variety of industries, from finance to retail to not-for-profit
Social media links:
LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X
Why choose Pentagram:
This independently owned design studio is multidisciplinary, with branding and identity as a core service. Remember when Amazon Prime Video, one of the world’s biggest streaming services, had a brand refresh? That was the work of Pentagram.
4. Instrument
Website:
Location:
Portland, Los Angeles, and New York City, United States
Year established:
2005
Notable branding projects:
Uber for Business, Nike, BankBlack USA
Team size:
200+ employees
Branding capabilities:
Brand strategy and architecture, narrative and positioning, primary consumer research, brand rollouts & training, visual identity and design systems, verbal branding, messaging frameworks, digital brand expression
Best for:
Digital transformation and technology-forward branding
Social media links:
Why choose Instrument:
Instrument connects brand, marketing, and product with its service portfolio, and with one of the most extensive brand-related offerings on this list, they’re one to watch out for.
This is a good choice for brands looking to pivot but want to do it the right way–they’ve even cemented AI into their workflow to streamline the process.
5. Clay Global
Website:
Location:
San Francisco, United States
Year established:
2016
Notable branding projects:
Slack, Google, fiverr.
Team size:
78
Branding capabilities:
Brand strategy, brand architecture, verbal identity, visual identity, brand guidelines, brand experiences
Best for:
Startups to Fortune 100 companies that consider themselves forward-thinking
Social media links:
LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, Behance, Dribbble
Why choose Clay:
One of the smaller agencies on this list, Clay is a global UX design and branding agency that blends AI, design and technology to create “transformative” digital experiences.
Co-founders are very much involved in projects, and collaboration is key to company culture.
6. Motto
Website:
Location:
New York, United States
Year established:
2005
Notable branding projects:
Disney, Virgin, Hershey’s
Team size:
11-50 employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Brand strategy, brand culture, brand identity, brand activation
Best for:
Innovative tech companies
Social media links:
Why choose Motto:
Female-owned, culture-centric Motto specializes in brand strategy and identity, partnering with bold brands to create meaningful change.
With a focus on “the intersection of strategy, design, and technology” their goal is to build brands that resonate while maximizing efficiency.
7. Ogilvy
Website:
Location:
Global (120+ offices in nearly 90 countries!)
Year established:
1948
Notable branding projects:
Volkswagen, Coca Cola, IKEA
Team size:
10k+ employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Brand strategy, brand experience, comms strategy
Best for:
Advertising, health, PR & influence, relationship design, consulting
Social media links:
LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X
Why choose Ogilvy:
The OG brand agency founded by David Ogilvy in 1948, Ogilvy’s reputation speaks for itself.
This legendary marketing and communications agency is known for its innovative and transformative brand campaigns that have made headlines across the globe.
8. Bluemarlin
Website:
Location:
Somerset, United Kingdom
Year established:
1993
Notable branding projects:
Vaseline, Shell, Müller
Team size:
11-50 employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Strategic brand planning and development, brand environments, brand innovation
Best for:
FMCG, retail
Social media links:
Why choose bluemarlin:
The masterminds behind Cadbury’s 2003 re-brand, Bluemarlin focus on driving growth through innovative consultancy and design.
9. Unusual
Website:
Location:
Los Angeles, United States
Year established:
2019
Notable branding projects:
Heineken, BMW, Facebook
Team size:
11-50 employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Brand strategy, brand execution, brand identity
Best for:
Brands looking to find and express themselves in an unexpected way, advertising
Social media links:
Why choose Unusual:
Unusual is a creative studio that challenges the norm, delivering bold and innovative brand experiences.
Earning clients over $2 billion in revenue to date, this agency merges award-winning creative with award-winning digital marketing to make brand work a fun (and unusual) journey to jump into.
10. Agency Habitat
Website:
Location:
Texas, United States
Year established:
1973
Notable branding projects:
7Eleven, LG Beauty, Ruffle Butts
Team size:
51-200 employees (LinkedIn)
Branding capabilities:
Brand programmes: Brand new (positioning, identity…), brand refresh (visual systems, brand audits…), brand extension (tone and messaging, brand standards…)
Best for:
Local businesses and startups
Social media links:
LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X
Why choose Habitat:
Agency Habitat is a full-service creative agency, offering personalized branding solutions that resonate with audiences from its on-site production studio–saving you money from hiring extra photo or video equipment.
Craft your brand’s future with the perfect creative partner
Selecting the best branding agency is a pivotal decision that can steer your brand toward success. As you explore the creative brilliance of these top agencies, think about your specific needs, industry requirements, and the unique qualities each agency brings to the table. The best choice for your business isn’t always the brand service with the most industry kudos, after all.
Feel like you need something slightly different? We get that, agency isn’t for everyone.
We haven’t included ourselves in this list, but here at Design Force we are proud to offer a unique approach to branding as a flexible subscription service. We specialize in delivering high-quality, on-demand design solutions (Design-as-a-Service) that adapt to your evolving brand vision and needs.
If traditional, high-cost agencies don’t align with your goals, or if you fancy more adaptable branding support, our globally diverse design team—each vetted by 500 Designs, no less—ensures a collaborative and excellence-driven approach, tailored just for you.
We help you confidently craft and enhance your brand’s identity with creative and cost-effective monthly subscriptions, so get in touch to learn more.
