Top 17 NYC Design Agencies You Should Know

In today’s saturated marketplace, every brand, business and company needs a unique appearance and identity to set themselves apart from the competition. When it comes down to actually crafting that look, too many brands take the task upon themselves and more often than not, fall flat.

When a brand decides to get serious about its look, turning to the professionals is the only way to assure it will receive totally unique designs, customized to tell the brand's story and stand-out amongst the rest of the market.

These design agencies in NYC are the ones that businesses turn to the most, well-versed to deliver a number of design solutions including branding, website design, packaging design, print pieces and much more.

What they do: Utility is a web design and digital product agency offering services for mobile app development, web design and digital product development. It works to deliver digital products tailored to fit the specific needs of various industries across design, engineering and growth. Utility serves businesses of a sizes, from global brands to funded ventures.

Who they work with: AirBnB, NBA, DirectTV, Samsung, Shark Tank, BuzzFeed, Verizon, and Warner Music Group.

What they do: A passionate team of pragmatic minimalists, Lucid is a small creative agency with offices in New Zealand and New York, focused on design, development and e-commerce strategy. The agency works directly with clients to design packaging, branding, custom websites and more. Lucid has also partnered with Shopify to produce website themes, mobile apps and integrations available for purchase through its own online shop.

Who they work with: Blunt Umbrellas, Out of the Sandbox, Hop Federation, BSSA, Tattly and The Foodbank Project.

 

 

What they do: A small design and creative agency offering bold branding solutions to nonprofits, Great Believer works closely with organizations to understand how to position them for maximum impact. Great Believer has worked with nonprofits of multiple sizes, providing strategy, branding, web design, web development, video and print services.

Who they work with: Sanctuary for Families, New York Community Trust, Robin Hood, Mount Sinai and BAM.

 

 

What they do: Working with clients at any stage in the game, thelab partners with clients to find solutions to creative, production and technological challenges. The agency has a long list of offerings for clients to choose from, including branding, visual design, UI/UX design, 2D/3D animation, website design and mobile app development.

Who they work with: Pernod Ricard USA, Chico’s, Google, Tempur-Pedic, New York Life, Louis Vuitton and Comedy Central.

 

 

What they do: Harper+Scott is a design and sourcing studio with offices in New York and Guangzhou, creating branded merchandise for several global companies. The agency believes that its clients should leave a lasting impression on their consumers, producing premiums, custom apparel, packaging, employee gifts and influencer mailers that help companies boost marketing ROI.

Who they work with: Netflix, GM, eBay, Macy’s, Hilton, Nike, Remy Cointreau, Pandora, Facebook and Pepsico.

 

 

What they do: As artists devoted to the details, JDO Ltd are experts in a variety of design offering for their clients. Operating primarily in the beverage space, branded packaging, brand identity, 3D and product design, animation and production design are all within JDO’s wheelhouse. The agency also offers creative strategy services like brand audits, market mapping and portfolio strategy.

Who they work with: Jack Daniels, Shepherd Neame, Dove, Peroni, Carlsberg, Budweiser and Southern Comfort.

 

 

What they do: A full-suite digital design agency, Paper Tiger uses a process big on innovation and passion to deliver solutions that go beyond smartphones and browsers. The agency offers branding, interface design, UX design, website development and mobile app design solutions, plus SEO and consulting services to allow clients to thrive.

Who they work with: The New York Times, Google, BMI, PBS, American Public Media, Insider Inc. and Hyatt.

 

 

What they do: Mekanism uses design, strategy and innovation to activate the power of storytelling, housing a full production studio that creates cutting-edge commercial spots for its clients. The agency works with a large-list of modern brands, embedding a twist of its own signature wit into every film it designs and produces.

Who they work with: Franzia, Peloton, HotelTonight, HBO, United Nations, Instagram, NASDAQ and Starbucks.

 

 

What they do: Bulletproof works with brands on an international level to create packaging design and branding elements to help them cut through the mix. Featuring offices in New York and Singapore, Bulletproof offers brand creation, brand positioning, brand strategy and brand architecture services in addition to packaging and design deliverables.

Who they work with: White Claw, Oscar Mayer, FAW, Silk, Swedish Fish, Villa Ascenti and Espira by Avon.

 

 

What they do: Growing out of a two-person design studio, L+R is a Brooklyn-based strategy and digital design firm with additional offices in Los Angeles, Barcelona and Milan. Featuring a list of global, local and startup clients, L+R offers branding, design, mobile development, innovation, consulting and research services to help brands become the best versions of themselves. 

Who they work with: Google, Unilever, Hasbro, Vice, Time Inc. and Cameo.

 

 

What they do: Taking a larger-scale approach to positioning, Coley Porter Bell specializes in creating “brand worlds.” Working directly with its clients to flesh out big ideas, form an identity, create a launch strategy and design packaging, the agency helps products find a place in a cluttered marketplace.

Who they work with: American Express, FremantleMedia, Nescafé, Chivas Regal and M&S Plant Kitchen.

 

 

What they do: Specializing in the art of alcoholic beverage packaging design, Stranger & Stranger works to define a brand’s niche and create branding that cuts through the marketplace. Stranger & Stranger creates labels, bespoke bottles, packaging and marketing platforms for its clients, leading to a name and brand strategy that puts the product in front of the right audience.

Who they work with: Dewar’s, Knob Creek, Absolut, Martini, Robert Mondavi, Jose Cuervo and 19 Crimes.

 

 

What they do: Located in the heart of SoHo, The Charles works with luxury and fashion brands to create elegant digital marketing and design solutions that appeal through NYC and beyond. The Charles takes the time to understand clients during the creative process, implementing strategy, creative and technology elements to create design and marketing solutions for the modern marketplace.

Who they work with: Cartier, Margaux, Mini USA, Armando Cabral, Netflix, Armand de Brignac and Sam Edelman.

 

 

What they do: Small Planet is a design firm focused squarely on mobile app design, featuring a resume that includes multiple apps to have hit No. 1 on the App Store. The Small Planet team takes an all-encompassing approach to its work, offering mobile design and development, UX strategy, web design, connected devices, user acquisition, monetization, management and consulting services to deliver apps that continue growing in popularity.

Who they work with: FanDuel, Disney, Planned Parenthood, Warner Brothers, Aetna, CVS Health and Paramount.

 

 

What they do: Lounge Lizard knows that in order to deliver a quality website or mobile app to a client, it needs to take the time to really get to know its client. The agency works within a variety of creative, marketing and technology mediums, specializing in designing digital sites and apps that capture a brand’s essence.

Who they work with: NYU, Bryant Park, Reuters, Canon, Disney, ESPN, MoMA, Random House and Korg.

 

 

What they do: Featuring a mix of local, national and global clients, HFB Advertising works directly with clients to produce cutting-edge graphic design solutions. Services include traditional graphic design services and logo design, as well as other agency services like web design, digital marketing, direct mail marketing and promotional merchandise.

Who they work with: Planet Home Lending, Dave & Busters, Prestige International and ERA Real Estate.

 

 

What they do: Work & Co is a global design and technology company that launches digital experiences. Its services combine hands-on product, technical and design expertise to help companies design, ideate and develop their core digital experiences. Work & Co’s goal is to transform brands and help them achieve success in the digital economy.

Who they work with: IKEA, Apple, Google, Gatorade, PGA TOUR, Pfizer, Steve Jobs Archive, LVMH’s Givenchy, Mercedes, Decathlon, GoFundMe, Globo, Itaú, VistaPrint