This story isn’t a “best studio” showcase.
Instead, we like to think of it as an opportunity to highlight a few studios we’ve noticed this year that are on the rise. It’s by no means not an exhaustive list, nor is it a scientific one. But given our vantage point and the hundreds of stories and projects we cover every year, we feel confident that these are creative studios to watch.
We also aren’t including agencies we’ve featured as the best studio or agency to watch in previous years. Instead, this is an opportunity to shine some light on other creative shops we believe will show us more outstanding work next year and beyond. Indeed, 2023 was a pretty good year for these studios, as they’ve constantly pumped out projects across a wide variety of sectors, whether it’s food and beverage or spirits and beer.
Below, you’ll find ten studios and agencies to watch in 2024. We can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next.
Flings, a better-for-you toaster pastry, was one of our favorite designs of the year. It’s magically nostalgic and leans directly into the retro-futurism aesthetic that adults who aren’t ready to feel old and out of touch gravitate towards in the snacking space.
This packaging comes from the small but mighty Australia-based agency Blurr Bureau. The creative studio’s ethos is founded upon balancing logic and emotion, which means they precisely decipher what their client’s demographic really craves. Their work for Heaviko, for example, engages women in the fitness market beyond conventional stereotypes or cliche design cues. Instead, they redefined the image of women’s strength without using pink hues, frills, or cursive typefaces. Similarly, their work for DTC cocktail brand Batched with Co. helped them rethink hospitality and shared experiences during the pandemic.
Instead of going the obvious route, the agency understands what’s not being done and does just that with creativity, thoughtfulness, and the strategy to back it all up. If you’re looking for an agency to push past the obvious, Blurr Bureau is it.
Mexico is often called a magical, mystical place. It’s not hard to see why. Mexican culture features a mix of pre-Colombian and Western myths and legends with a rich and varied geography to boot.
It’s easy to see why the Aztec nation would bear talented designers and creative agencies like Guadalajara’s Heavy.
Heavy is worth an Insta follow alone, thanks to exquisite work like Mayawell’s recent refresh and the studio’s consistent and excellent use of fantastical typography and iconography. They also wear their Mexican roots with aplomb, but they do so in a modern, fresh way that stands in contrast to the pastel and Helvetica-inspired “blanding” of recent years.
In some ways, Heavy is emblematic of Mexico, a representation of the stew of different cultures and traditions seasoned with a strong dose of magic and mysticism. A refreshing respite from what commonly comes out from design shops in the US, Canada, the UK, and other places where most of the projects we feature on Dieline come from.
A little breaky-break down Mexico way never hurt anyone (except maybe Ted Cruz).
¡Salud!
Founded by Shar Biggers, Saleah has been around for a little over four years, but in that time, the agency has also made an impact, particularly when it comes to the upstart’s design ethos.
Yes, the Black and woman-owned agency can deliver memorable brand experiences and a singular approach to strategy that can lead to genuine growth. But Biggers and company also want to close the wealth gap and empower underrepresented founders with accessible design for the sake of a more equitable tomorrow.
The young agency has also proved it can do a little bit of everything, whether it’s working in beauty, food and beverage, or the resort space. Hospitality group Birch Events gets a new look that’s both arresting and elegant. The decidedly upscale and refined branding positions Birch as a luxe outfit but still injects a sense of play into the world of event planning.
Jewelry brand Penny Preville’s redesign set them up for the future with a new identity meant to appeal to Millennial shoppers, introducing and evolving the 40-year-old brand to a new generation. Soapy Faith’s joyful look and packaging nestle the brand’s values into a unified approach that’s anything but boring for a vegan bodycare company.
If brands are looking for anything, it’s probably a cult following. Everyone, whether they admit it or not, seeks a core audience that places their brand on a throne of perfection. And yet, it’s a challenging quest.
Supercult is a creative agency founded in 2023 by two talented women, Joni Schrantz and Haylee Jordan, who want to help CPG brands build a cult-like devotion. From their design for Geist, a non-alcoholic wine brand with the most beautifully quirky packaging, to their creative direction and photography for Old Bay, the agency’s work is whimsical and unexpected. It’s the kind of approach with a sense of joy and a carefree attitude the CPG space needs more of.
While Supercult’s work feels new and fresh, it doesn’t lean into an overly trendy aesthetic. What they’re producing feels unexplored, and for that, their work comes embedded with a sense of creative novelty. Supercult is an agency that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and in a world where design agencies can often feel stuffy, this studio is going places.
Minneapolis-based Studio MPLS is a creative agency specializing in brand identity, packaging design, and illustration, all with a refined aesthetic that goes against the norm, even in categories like spirits and liquor.
This year, the studio proved its finesse with projects like Strange Lands Gin, a spirit from a Quebec-based distillery. The packaging design’s rich, dark bottle color and the stunning embossed side to the incredible die-cut label and gorgeous typography choices make for a complex and intricate bottle that can’t help but stand out in the liquor store. Little Sesame is a hummus brand known for its freshness, and its packaging, designed by Studio MPLS, gives the pureed chickpea space some much-needed color and playfulness.
Studio MPLS isn’t afraid of taking creative risks, and the boldness unfailingly succeeds, helping brands stand out in the most imaginative ways possible.
Sockeye is a creative agency with offices in Portland and Amsterdam. Named after a type of prized salmon that swims in the Columbia River from Canada to Oregon, it’s little surprise that its clients include Adidas, a German brand with US roots near Portland, and Tillamook, also based in the area.
In an ever-connected and global world, a studio that can imbue and leverage local flavor to its work is refreshing. Still, Sockeye brings a universal appeal to its design, like Otto CBD beverages, Adidas Parley, and, more recently, fancy-pants DTC popcorn brand Popsmith.
It’s also refreshing to see great work from creative studios that exist outside major metropolitan regions like New York, San Francisco, and London. Creativity thrives everywhere, including in Portland. Sockeye is an agency that exemplifies that and does it well.
It’s unclear if the dream of the ‘90s is still alive in Rose City, but great design from firms like Sockeye certainly is, which makes it a studio to watch.
Based in New Zealand, creative agency Marx has demonstrated an ability to design brand identity and packaging for plenty of folks.
Recent work from Marx featured on Dieline includes Kynn, a shapewear line that celebrates women’s bodies and aims to celebrate the female form instead of hiding it. Almighty Active is a sparkling beverage line with a sporty retro look that looks great whether you’re playing tennis or pickleball or just throwing a can back as a midday pick-me-up.
More recently, Marx’s design work for Departed Spirits fully leverages the brand’s rebellious nature with a unique, colorful metal can packaging that is retro-futuristic and inspired by NASA’s early days. Sure, spirits brands have packaged booze in tins before, but the olive-oil-meets-fuel-can is plenty bold—you know, what the kids would call a “disruptor.”
Marx’s recent work is consistently top-notch, and the studio shows no sign of slowing down.
UK-based Two Times Elliot is a creative agency known for its refined yet subtly playful packaging and brand identities.
Two Times Elliot thoughtfully and efficiently uses typography and more sustainable methods throughout its designs, elevating its creative work. KANKAN, for example, rethinks aluminum cans for use in the personal care space with sustainable refills that transform a consumer’s living spaces. What’s more, with its chonky and bold logo paired with imaginative colors, the design guarantees to pop in any bathroom. Meanwhile, oral care brand Paist’s packaging is plastic-free, with an easy-to-recycle metal tube, and each tube features a single, delicate color.
This year, Two Times Elliot worked with a veritable smorgasbord of brands ranging from Glossier and Silent Songs to A Running Commentary and Kinfill. Through all the diverse work, the agency’s approach beautifully elevates every brand they touch with a contemporary, elevated design lens.
UK agency Derek&Eric is somewhat misleading in that there is no Derek or Eric. Instead, it’s two guys—Adam Swan and Alex Stewart.
While that might feel like false advertising, Adam and Alex (and their team) have proven themselves adept at working fast and without breaking things. That’s because they no longer believe that “slow and steady” will win you the race or fans and that “accelerated design thinking” is what modern brands need in a hyper-competitive market competing with immensely limited consumer attention spans.
Case in point? 2022’s work for the eco-friendly and home compostable trash bag brand Hold On. As far as we know, no one has managed to make trash bags look this good, and that’s because of the agency’s typographic-led approach inspired by protest signs that take the humdrum act of taking out the garbage into something that benefits the planet. Medical testing group Ivie ditches the cold, sterile look of the health and wellness category for something approachable and deeply human that assuages and calms worried patients. And Lindt’s Choco Wafers? Well, that’s just tasty-looking chocolate. I mean, come on.
Anywho, they’re worth a follow. Now, if they can only tell us how they landed on that name.
As far as mission statements go for branding agencies, you can’t really find any fault whatsoever with Studio Chong—”We believe in creating brands that love people. Because no consumer is going to give a fuck about your brand if you don’t put them first.”
Through everything, founder Ade Chong eschews the “middle-of-the-road,” creating loud and whimsical brands with—gasp—a genuine sense of personality and character. For instance, you probably don’t think that a beer club has much to do with space exploration, but one look at their identity for Brewser, and you see a brand that revels in curiosity and the thrill of the unknown. Meanwhile, the second-hand clothing marketplace Known Source is the rare piece of brand identity that gets nostalgia right. After all, that’s the whole deal behind those amazing thrift store finds, but Chong manages to meld the past and future with both vintage and modern techniques (it even feels a little luxe).
Studio Chong’s sweet spot is collaborating with founder-led brands, and they also have a strict “no free pitching policy.” What’s not to love about that (because, honestly, fuck free pitches).