There are too many design studios and branding agencies. 

We’re constantly amazed at the staggering number of projects we get from folks on a regular basis, and there is a lot of work to sift through. But with all the things you’re closely analyzing, trends and patterns emerge, and certain studios shine brighter. That’s part of the reason why we love shouting out up-and-coming agencies and the folks who have been steadily plugging away and building a deep portfolio. It’s the work we genuinely loved getting to write about, the kind that routinely shows up and changes the look and feel of the CPG design landscape.

As per the unofficial unwritten rules of our rigorous selection process, you won’t find any repeats here from previous years, nor will you find the big, big agencies that tend to suck a lot of the headline oxygen out of the room (no offense, guys, we love you, too). But what you will discover are the ten studios (and solo-preneurs) we couldn’t stop talking about during our editorial meetings.