Take a look around you. You’re surrounded by billboard ads, posters, signages, or life-sized logos of small and big brands alike. Every single one of these promotional assets impacts consumers’ purchasing decisions. And this is all thanks to graphic design companies. 

The graphic design industry is a booming sector. In the U.S. alone, this industry amassed over $15 billion in 2019. The growth, based on the graphic design industry’s market share, is a whopping 3.5 percent from 2014 to 2019. As entrepreneurs and marketers continue their quest for bolder, and smarter advertising, the graphic design industry will continue to thrive. 

Over the years, some stood out. And big names in the business sector can attest to their creative prowess. Here are 10 of the best graphic design companies worldwide that propel brands forward. 

 

1. Pentagram

Pentagram is deemed as the “largest independently-owned design studio.” Colin Forbes spearheaded the idea of partnering with prominent graphic designers in the industry in 1972. He first worked with Alan Fletcher, Mervyn Kurlansky, Theo Crosby, and Kenneth Grange. 

These five partners worked independently and collaboratively. And that was how Pentagram’s unique structure was founded and still implemented to this day. 

Their culture solely relies on passion. They believe that without passion, great design cannot materialize. All their 25 partners today do the work themselves and communicate with the clients directly.

Headquarters: London

Clients: Rolls-Royce, Starbucks, United Airlines, Warner Brothers, Verizon, Walgreens, Windows

 

2. Sagmeister & Walsh 

Sagmeister & Walsh is the brainchild of Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh’s creative prowess. To date, it is one of the biggest creative agencies that centers on creative arts projects. 

This creativity stems from both founders’ emotion-centric thinking approach. They would love to partner with those who are into arts-based projects, environmental arts, and museum exhibitions. 

Headquarters: New York City

Clients: Snapchat, 7Up, BMW, The Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Musem, NYTimes Magazine

 

3. Landor

In 1941, the birth of a branding and creative agency took the world by storm. Landor believes that for a company to succeed, branding is key. They do a five-step process to help brands convey their message to audiences:

• Problem-solving
• Defining the brand strategy
• Creating brand expressions
• Putting brands into practice
• Treating branding as an on-going process

To date, they have 27 offices worldwide. 

Headquarters: San Francisco, USA

Clients: Nike, WWF, Coca-Cola, Apple, FedEx, Levis, Kraft, BMW

 

4. Happy Cog

Happy Cog helps brands worldwide since the early 00s. Their passion is built around technology, innovation, and standards in the creative sphere. This esteemed company’s specialty is in web and digital design. 

Happy Cog provides excellent website, app, and digital experiences “for nice people with interesting problems.” Their recent awards are the 2019 W3 Silver Award, 2019 WebAward for Outstanding Website, and 2019 Graphic Design USA Awards. 

Headquarters: Philadelphia, New York

Clients: MTV, Harvard Business School, Ben & Jerry’s, Papa John’s, Georgetown University, Fonts.com

 

5. Wolff Olins

Since 1965, Wolff Olins has dominated the creative space the world over. Moreover, this design studio’s three decades of experience include controversies due to the company’s bold style.

Their passion for innovation has led them to become one of the edgiest graphic design companies from this list. Wolff Olins’ unorthodox style shows in their work, including the 2012 London Olympics logo. 

Headquarters: London, UK

Clients: Uber, GrubHub, Spotify, The Hyatt, Alibaba, Virgin Media, AOL, Target

 

6. Metalab

For 12 years, startups and Fortune 50 companies soared to new heights — thanks to Metalab. This BC-based design studio centers around four working methods.

The first method is choosing teams carefully. Secondly, they believe in mastering one product before proceeding to the next. Thirdly, they “build, prototype, test, and repeat.” Lastly, they test their process. 

Headquarters: Victoria, British Columbia

Clients: Google, Amazon, Facebook, Slack, Lonely Planet, TED, Finery

 

7. Winkreative 

Clients trust graphic design companies with a unique style and collaborative culture. And Winkreative is at the forefront of design and branding in the hospitality arena. The company claims to revamp brands through elegant visuals. Plus, they complement it with a distinct brand language. Every single one of their strategy is based on precise tactical positioning.

Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland

Clients: Porter Airlines, Air Canada, Lexus, MNI, BBC, TAG Heuer, Dunhill, Louis Vuitton, Toyota, H&M

 

8. Mucho

When it comes to graphic design, an eye for detail is one element of brand success. And Mucho prides itself on having adeptness in typography and visual precision. These factors make the company a great contender against graphic design companies in this list.

Furthermore, Mucho believes that “images make cultures.” Although they are one of the biggest design agencies with several branches worldwide, they still collaborate. Fresh ideas are one of the core elements in creating something magnificent. And that’s why they are famous for their “visual fastidiousness,” according to Eye Magazine.

Headquarters: Barcelona, Spain

Clients: BCD, Betway, Alma Hotels, AIGA, BMW, Future Designs, Kodak, Google, H.P.

 

9. McFaul+Day

McFaul+Day doesn’t only go beyond the boundaries of imagination and strive for excellence. They aim to change the world by elevating the art of sneakers, curating Californian sensibilities, representing icons, and more.

Moreover, since 2002, McFaul+Day’s work has caught the eyes of prominent brands across the globe. BBC, IBM, Pepsi, Samsung, and LucasFilm, to name a few. 

Headquarters: Chichester, UK

Clients: New Balance, Pepsi, LucasFilm, IBM, BBC, Microsoft, Clarks, Audi, Sony, Samsung, Levis, Kidrobot, Virgin Atlantic

 

10. Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv

Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv is the brainchild of the trio Ivan Chermayeff, Tom Geismar, and Sagi Haviv. Since 1957, this design firm is responsible for memorable logos from famous companies across the world. 

Moreover, they have worked with clients from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. However, they still collaborate on every project. This success stems from “creative vision and strategic thinking,” making them one of the best graphic design companies worldwide. 

Headquarters: New York

Clients: Mobil Oil, PBS, Chase Bank, NBC, Pan Am, Barneys New York, The Museum of Modern Art, Xerox, NBC, Cornell University