UK top 50 studios 2017

Earlier this year, Computer Arts magazine polled over 80 top creative directors, studio founders and design course leaders from across the UK to discover which industry peers they most revere and respect, to produce its annual UK Top 50 studio rankings.

Now in its fourth year, this list is all about peer reputation – regardless of the studios' number of staff, operating budget or awards won. In short, the 50 world-class studios on the list are there because their fellow designers think they should be.

Scroll down to see who snagged a spot in this year's rankings – or get your hands on the collectable print edition of Computer Arts magazine 272, which contains the full list.

Buy your collectable Computer Arts #272 now

As well as revealing all the winners, this special issue comes with an incredible, glow-in-the-dark cover, designed exclusively by Studio Sutherl&. See how it was printed in the video above.

We've been releasing the list of winners bit-by-bit, but can now reveal the last remaining studios: the top 10. Read on to discover who made the cut in the UK’s Top 50 studios 2017, and to read our interviews with the winners.

01. Studio Sutherl&

Founded: 2014
Location: London
Staff: 2

The rest of this year’s top five have all been there before, but the studio voted at the very top of its game in 2017 has rocketed up the list this year. “Consistently clever”, said one of our panellists. “Beautiful work that leaves you with a smile,” said another, while a third added that this studio “makes this stuff look effortless, elegant and enjoyable.”

Studio Sutherl& may be tiny, but that doesn’t stop it from creating show-stopping work. It may be relatively new in its current form compared to some of the industry titans on the list, but no-one can doubt the industry experience of its founder, who a fourth panellist described as “the next Alan Fletcher”.

Climbing 11 places this year, the studio took an early lead and kept extending it as more votes came in. The fact that this two-person outfit was also D&AD’s most-awarded design studio this year can’t have hurt, either. To quote a fifth panellist: “How does he keep on doing it?”

We spoke to founder Jim Sutherland to find out...

What's been your biggest highlight of 2017?
Jim Sutherland: Probably the launch of the Somos Brasil project in São Paulo, with Marcus Lyon [highly commended at 2017’s Brand Impact Awards]. It’s a project we’ve been working on for two years, and seeing it appear in Brazil was a delight. Second, running a work(play)shop in Tokyo for D&AD was a surreal and beautiful experience.

And the biggest challenge?
JS: Controlling the flow of work. I get so excited about the possibilities of lovely projects that I find it hard to say no.

What advice would you give to a fellow UK studio to thrive in the face of Brexit uncertainty?
JS: Two things: do good work, and everything else will flow from that; only work for people you like, and don’t do it for the money. That’s three things really. I don’t think Brexit will affect my business directly, but it’s an extremely depressing decision.

What are your own biggest ambitions for 2018, and how do you plan to achieve them?
JS: My ambition is simply to keep doing something that I love. I want to keep collaborating with fantastic people.

Finally, how does it feel to be rated the top studio in the country by your peers?
JS: It’s amazing. The design industry in this country is full of so many incredibly talented people, so it’s an honour to be among them.

02. North

Founded: 1995
Location: London
Staff: 14

Having topped our list in 2016, North fared incredibly strongly once again from the outset, and only Studio Sutherl&’s storming victory could bump the 22-year-old studio into second place.

As one panellist put it, North has “transformed from cool outsiders to muscular brand behemoths.” Another praised the studio’s “timeless, lovely thinking”, while a third admired the team’s knack for “simplifying big problems.”

Below, co-founders Sean Perkins and Stephen Gilmore share how their year has gone..

Talk us through your year...
Sean Perkins and Stephen Gilmore: We’ve been lucky enough to work with some great clients, so it’s hard to pick a specific project. But moving into our new studio has been a huge moment for us.

How did the move go?
SP & SG: It sounds mundane, but coping with the complexity of our over-running studio build, alongside some very demanding projects, made for a challenging year. Thanks to the whole team for getting us all through it.

How do you think Brexit may affect your business, and the UK’s global design reputation?
SP & SG: Until the outcomes of the Brexit negotiations become clearer, it’s foolish to predict. We try to remain positive. It certainly feels like the UK’s design reputation is as strong as it’s ever been.

Any advice for your peers to help it stay that way?
SP & SG: Even in tough and uncertain times, please don’t pitch creative work for free. It undermines and demeans us all.

What are your own biggest ambitions for 2018?
SP & SG: There are a few non-client based projects we’ve wanted to do for a while now. It would be nice to put them out in 2018.

North has fared brilliantly in the rankings again. How does it feel?
SP & SG: Some great projects have been produced by other studios this year. Honestly, we’re amazed and flattered to get the recognition.

03. ManvsMachine

Founded: 2007
Location: London (plus LA)
Staff: 19

Another consistently strong performer in our rankings, ManvsMachine was in second place in 2016, and fourth place in 2015. Like North, the studio – now a part of Landor – was bumped just one place this year.

“I consistently adore the work from these guys,” said one panellist. Another called them “mesmerising”, while a third voted them onto the list because of “their absolute lushness”.

Below, exec producer Ellie Bailey tells us more...

MvsM is 10 this year. What have you learnt over the past decade?
Ellie Bailey: Looking back, the consistency of our output – and the pride we can take in it – is immensely satisfying. We collected a few more awards in 2017, and are larger than at any point in our history, across two studios. It’s an exciting time to take stock and get ready for the next decade.

Creating a studio culture like ours requires constant recalibration, ensuring we get the right combination of briefs that answer different needs, enough time for R&D, and access to the creative stimuli we need.

Are you concerned about Brexit?
EB: Our team is made up of people from all over the world, which we have in common with many studios in London and across the UK. We are better protected than some industries, and prospective staff are all very highly skilled, so we hope it won’t become less attractive for global talent to join us.

Uncertainty is so far the worst effect of Brexit, so it’s important to remain calm. The current exchange rate can even be a silver lining – we’re more cost-effective to global clients right now.

You’ve kept your top-three spot, that must feel pretty good?
EB: The CA audience are industry colleagues at great studios that we admire, so it’s awesome to be recognised in that context. It spurs us to continue producing work that keeps us top of the pile. It’s given us a sense of validation, as we’ve shown off the breadth of our skillset this year – illustrative, procedural, live action, VFX, identity, branding. It’s wonderful that it’s all been so well-received.

Next page: Top UK studios 4-10

04. The Partners

Founded: 1983
Location: London, New York, Singapore
Staff: 75

Jumping from 17 on last year’s list to the top five, The Partners has explored new territory in 2017, says UK creative director Stuart Radford. “We’ve done some very exciting work that has seen us push into new areas of design, such as moving image, digital and 3D installation,” he explains.

“We’ve also been working with a broad range of clients across different sectors: the arts, professional services, artisan products and even extraterrestrial communications – a very diverse set of projects, but we love it.”

What have been the standout projects of 2017?
Stuart Radford: Creating and launching the new visual identity for the London Symphony Orchestra to mark the appointment of conductor Sir Simon Rattle [Best of Show at CA’s Brand Impact Awards]. This gave us the opportunity to innovate an identity we created in 2004. Creating the brand for #RewritingTheCode, an initiative to expose hidden values and behavioural codes of gender inequality. We were proud to see that on its launch day, it was trending on Twitter at no 4. And collaborating with Lambie-Nairn to rebrand Arte, Europe’s leading culture channel. We created a moving-image brand for broadcast, a first for The Partners.

How will Brexit affect you?
SR: When it comes to hiring, we prefer to bring the right people in on a permanent basis. We believe this is better for the culture, the work and our clients. Therefore our freelance requirements are relatively small. In terms of Brexit, who knows what will happen? But it’s not all doom and gloom. Opportunities can come out of the most unlikely situations. Just a month after the referendum, we were invited to pitch for the Arte work, and next week we’re off to meet a new European client.

05. Pentagram

Founded: 1972
Location: London (plus New York, Berlin, Austin)
Staff: 183

Rather like The Partners, Pentagram’s jump from 15th to the top five stands testament to a constant flow of great work on high-profile projects. These have included a visual identity for UK charity Nesta; the 2016 edition of The Typographic Circle’s magazine; a new typographic and story-driven identity for the Old Vic theatre, and a visual identity, dynamic typeface and pattern generator for machine-learning start-up Graphcore.

Partners Luke Powell and Jody Hudson-Powell, who joined in late 2015, share their thoughts on the last 12 months...

What’s been your biggest highlight of 2017 so far?
Luke Powell and Jody Hudson-Powell: Being able to work on a broad range of projects that utilise all of our skills, such as Graphcore, an AI start-up in Bristol. For Pentagram, the high has been continuing to work with a high calibre of client.

What are the biggest challenges you face going into 2018?
LP & JH: As we’re independent, we’re still able to choose the projects we work on. We want to remain a studio that can take any size of project, from a beach hut in Brazil to Mastercard’s rebrand. Keeping that balance is a challenge.

How do you think Brexit will affect the studio?
LP & JH: Who knows? Obviously it’s something we are concerned about. We’re trying not to be pessimistic, but it’s hard.

Why do you think you were picked by your peers as one of the top agencies of 2017?
LP & JH: It’s a huge compliment. We think it’s because of Pentagram’s ability to stay relevant, which is driven by one of the firm’s founding principles: to invite in new partners who bring with them different sets of skills.

06. Made Thought

Founded: 2000
Location: London
Staff: 27

2015’s winner Made Thought has never fallen prey to complacency. As director Ben Parker says: “The last 12 months have been as much about focusing on our internal culture – defining how we work, not just thinking about what we do.” That includes moving to a new studio, doing more international work, and getting more involved in experience design for clients, including Adidas StellaSport.

Any standout projects of 2017?
Ben Parker: The Nue Co involved working with the founder to create a new brand from scratch. The market of luxury supplements is growing, and our client believes much of the success of Nue can be traced to its brand and design. Another highlight has been our work for Adidas StellaSport – we shot two seasons’ worth of visuals.

What are the biggest challenges you face going into 2018?
BP: Branding is part of what we do: thinking deeply about why and how the brand feels and behaves, not just ensuring it looks beautiful. So maybe a challenge, or something we’d like to get better at, is communicating what we do and the breadth.

How do you think Brexit will affect Made Thought?
BP: We haven’t felt the impact yet, but our concerns would be about the implications of Brexit on business as a whole. However, if anything, Brexit is making us think more about opportunities further afield, such as the USA and Asia, where we’re growing business anyway.

07. Graphic Thought Facility

Founded: 1991
Location: London
Staff: 13

Last December saw 2014’s rankings-topper Graphic Thought Facility move studios, from Clerkenwell to Bethnal Green. “We went from an area we’ve been in for over 20 years, and it was quite a wrench,” reflects director Huw Morgan. “We intended this move to be our last: we’re only a small studio, but it took a year of planning, work and renovation.” It was necessary though: “Space is increasingly becoming a luxury in this city. The rocketing rents are tough and particularly destructive for the creative industries.”

Morgan reflects on the year that followed...

What’s been your biggest highlight of 2017 so far?
Huw Morgan: Having a place to put a bike! Continuing to work with existing clients, and developing relationships with some lovely new ones. We’ve just completed a project for COS – its first book, launched in October; a monograph for Industrial Facility is almost complete; a new identity and magazine for Gagosian; work with Vitra and Kvadrat; the third-year of Photo London, and the start of new Holocaust exhibition at the Imperial War Museum. Outside of work: Hockney at the Tate, Nathalie Du Pasquier at Pace, the chair collection at Vitra Schaudepot, and Love Island.

What’s Graphic Thought Facility’s take on Brexit?
HM: It’s such a crazy own goal. Our client list is fairly international, so I guess at the moment the upside for them is that we are less expensive than we were a couple of years ago.

The obvious concern is staff. We have long-standing designers from France, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal, and I’m delighted that, for now, they are still with us, pushed by neither fear nor law. Long term, like everyone else, including the politicians, while I can guess on the possibilities, I have no idea of the reality. Of all things, I hope this Brexit still allows freedom of movement.

08. Johnson Banks

Founded: 1992
Location: London
Staff: 6

Founder Michael Johnson (right) describes 2017 so far as “a rollercoaster” year for Johnson Banks, not least due to the success of its experimental website rebrand, which was widely acclaimed across the design community. There was also an innovative campaign for the Action for Children charity, and the high-stakes rebrand of Mozilla “in the open” – winner of the Collaboration Award at CA’s Brand Impact Awards – where each significant stage of the process was shared publicly.

So it’s perhaps not surprising to see them jump from 21 last year into the top 10...

What have been the standout projects of 2017?
Michael Johnson: Getting to a decent result with Mozilla. Carrying out the Mozilla rebrand in the open was an unprecedented challenge, but I think we just about coped. Also, continuing to do some valuable not-for-profit work with Action for Children and Action Against Hunger. Oh, and a new (and seemingly popular) website – that was a result.

What are the biggest challenges you face going into 2018?
MJ: Same as we face every year: seeing more than six months ahead in terms of projects and turnover.

How do you think Brexit will affect the studio?
MJ: As regards working in Europe, that hasn’t affected us hugely yet, as our clients are spread far and wide, so paradoxically a weaker pound has helped there. But as the ‘Brexit Blues’ start to sink in, I’m a little worried that it might affect consumer and client confidence. And for some of the sectors we work in, such as education, the implications are fairly catastrophic.

Why do you think you were picked by your peers as one of the top studios?
MJ: Well, I’m not sure, apart from being very flattered! Maybe it’s because we’re living proof that a small studio can do global, important projects? Maybe.

09. ustwo

Founded: 2004
Location: London (plus Malmö, New York and Sydney)
Staff: 300

This year, ustwo has hit some big milestones culture-wise, reveals Nicki Sprinz, managing director. “In particular, we’re immensely proud to have introduced equal parental leave – six months for each parent. This will enable mums and dads who work for us to have a real choice, and gives the opportunity to establish a balanced work-home life from day one.”

In terms of the effect of Brexit, client work has increased, and the majority of their relationships are growing. “But it certainly is starting to present a challenge to us on the talent side,” she admits.

10. 4Creative

Founded: 2005
Location: London
Staff: 40

4Creative is the in-house creative agency of Channel 4, and 2017 has seen it achieve a number of high-impact goals. “For instance, we’ve been encouraging young people to pop their voting cherry via our E4 election ad, and persuaded a record four million people to watch women’s football via our Women’s Euro campaign,” says head of business Jane English.

Going into 2018, Brexit is a potential concern. “Channel 4 is funded by advertising, so if the ad market suffers, our marketing budgets might too,” reflects English. “But we would use this as an opportunity to be more creative than ever.”

Next page: Top UK studios 11-20

11. Koto

Founded: 2015
Location: London
Number of staff: 13

“As a relatively young agency, change is a constant in our lives,” says James Greenfield, founder and creative director of Koto, a newcomer to our list. “This year, we’ve won a couple of very big accounts, and done some high-profile work, which has generally been well received.

“Getting the global Fanta rebrand out to the world has been the biggest highlight. You really don’t realise how ubiquitous it is as a product until you travel and see our work in fridges the world over. Lots of friends and family have sent photos of it back from their various holidays this summer.”

12. OK-RM

Founded: 2008
Location: London
Number of staff: 5

“We are excited about a lot that has happened this year, but our publishing imprint InOtherWords in particular continues to motivate us,” says OK-RM co-founder Rory McGrath.

“We’re excited to be launching a book and exhibition with Juergen Teller and Vivienne Westwood, as well as the comprehensive Gestalt with Fos; and Disobedient Bodies with Jonathan Anderson and Andrew Bonacina.”

OK-RM has recently started work on a large-scale fashion project that will launch in Paris in January: “Our role will be creative directors of the brand, and our responsibilities will reach every aspect.”

13. JKR

Founded: 1990
Location: London (plus Shanghai, New York, Singapore)
Number of staff: 265

The word that best sums up 2017 for Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) is “diverse”, says creative director Sean Thomas. “Clients are asking us more challenging questions, and this is pushing us out of our comfort zone,” he adds.

The year’s most high-profile project has probably been the new identity for The Diana Award: the first project launched under the JKR Foundation, which was set up to undertake work for good causes.

Other highlights have included branding Budweiser ‘America’, designing a Selfridges window display for Heinz Beanz, launching haircare brand FORM in the US and redesigning the identity for fashion shoe brand Butterfly Twists.

14. The Beautiful Meme

Founded: 2015
Location: London
Number of staff: 8

Tom Sharp, creative director of The Beautiful Meme, has some lyrical words to describe the last 12 months. They’ve been, he says: “Like being on a catwalk in a see-through dress. Like hearing The Rite of Spring for the first time. Like getting a 147 break in your local snooker club.”

Meanwhile, as far as Brexit’s concerned, Sharp sees it as “Just another asteroid to fly around”. And as to why The Beautiful Meme might have been picked by its peers as one of the top agencies, he responds, simply: “Our name is very easy to remember.”

15. Alphabetical

Founded: 2010
Location: London
Number of staff: 7

The last 12 months have seen Alphabetical take on two new juniors, attract new clients, and work on larger and more diverse briefs than ever before, says creative partner Tommy Taylor.

“We’ve built a part of London out of made objects, we’ve created 10x15ft local wildlife creatures out of concrete, and we’ve helped a valuable iconic British charity rethink who they are.”

Going forward, the team is unclear whether Brexit will affect the studio. “Post referendum, it feels like demand for design services is accelerating,” Taylor reports. “Creativity doesn’t have a border control, thankfully.”

16. A Practice for Everyday Life

Founded: 2003
Location: London
Number of staff: 7

The opening of Tate’s David Hockney exhibition in January, along with the launch of the accompanying catalogue, was an early highlight for A Practice for Everyday Life (APFEL) this year, say co-founders Emma Thomas and Kirsty Carter.

“We’ve been fans of Hockney’s work since we were growing up, and the opportunity to work on a publication for him has always been on our list of dream projects – especially on such a large scale.”

Other highlights include the Basquiat: Boom for Real exhibition at the Barbican Centre this September, while they’re also excited to be moving studios at the start of 2018.

17. DesignStudio

Founded: 2009
Location: London (plus San Francisco)
Number of staff: 43

“We’ve been (literally) around the world, with teams working across Europe, Japan, America, Colombia, Philippines, Nigeria, Pakistan and India. It’s been incredible,” says DesignStudio’s principal James Hurst, reflecting on the year.

“In 2018, we’ll continue to find and hire the best talent, irrespective of where people are based,” he says. So who exactly are they looking for? “People who can help define what a brand is, and give our clients the clarity and confidence on how that thinking will accelerate their ambitions,” explains Hurst.

18. DixonBaxi

Founded: 2001
Location: London
Number of staff: 28

“To keep an agency running over 15-16 years, reinvention and reinvigoration is important,” says DixonBaxi co-founder Simon Dixon. “This year has delivered on a lot of that approach, based around a renewed energy to create work we’re proud of.”

Looking ahead, though, he’s saddened by Brexit. “We’re half-international in team make-up, and 70 per cent of our work is global,” he says. “Brexit feels like a step back.

“However, we think it will be okay. We’ll remain open to the world, hire the best people wherever they come from, and fight any sense that international talent is not welcome.”

19. Spin

Founded: 1992
Location: London
Number of staff: 6

Things have been going well at Spin this year, says partner Tony Brook: “I have to pinch myself. I’m very fortunate. Big changes include moving studio, Claudia Klat becoming a partner was a definite highlight, and the continued success of publishing venture Unit Editions.”

Looking ahead, Brook sees Brexit as bad news, although none of the studio’s international staff are currently from EU countries, which he believes will minimise the effect on the team.

Spin’s main challenge of 2018? “Keep standards at the highest level, keep the work fresh, exciting and relevant, and our clients happy.”

20. Taxi Studio

Founded: 2002
Location: Bristol
Number of staff: 42

“Emotionally speaking, the last 12 months have seen us go from a major low to a major high,” says Taxi Studio’s creative partner and co-founder Spencer Buck. “Last summer was a sad time for us; we were forced to lose some great people due to a sudden, unforeseen downturn in business.

"However, since then we’ve bounced back, and then some; this year has turned out to be our biggest to date. Our senior management team, in particular, are absolutely smashing it, the awards we’ve won this year have put broad smiles on our faces, and receiving recognition from our peers in this list is incredibly satisfying, too.”

Next page: Top UK studios 21-30

21. Studio Myerscough

Founded: 1993
Location: London
Number of staff: 1

Studio Myerscough is the one-person studio of Morag Myerscough, who’s spent 2017 working non-stop working on a variety of projects. These included the permanent exhibition Designer Maker User, which she’s been working on for five years; 65m of ‘mood tweets’ for a hospital in Sweden; her first permanent public art project for Battersea Power station; and transforming the cafe at the Bernie Grant Centre in Tottenham.

Another highlight has been completing two large temporary installations with collaborator Luke Morgan: Superhot in Romania and Joy & Peace for the Culture Mile, Smithfield and the Barbican, which ran until mid-October.

22. Wolff Olins

Founded: 1965
Location: London (plus New York, San Francisco)
Number of staff: 150

It’s been a significant year for Wolff Olins, says chief design officer Chris Moody. “Both in New York and the UK, we’ve seen some of our younger designers flourish. The studios feel vibrant and reinvigorated. It feels like we have a new squad with some new ways of making an impact.”

The biggest challenge of 2018, he feels, will be “small ‘c’ conservatism and risk aversion, as we face uncertain and economically challenging times. We must keep reminding ourselves that seismic political and economic changes make fertile ground for radical and innovative work.”

23. Why Not Associates

Founded: 1987
Location: London
Number of staff: 9

Why Not Associates is celebrating its 30th year. “And as with every previous year, this has been different to all the others,” says partner Andy Altmann. “As ever, the projects we’ve been involved in have been quite diverse, from large museums to books for artists, through to new public art commissions, while the biggest highlight was directing The Telegraph newspaper’s new TV commercial.”

Asked why he thinks WNA was voted onto our list, he suggests it might lie in “the breadth of the projects we get involved in, or our love of experimenting with typography in all its forms.”

24. Build

Founded: 2001
Location: Leeds
Number of staff: 5

According to creative director Michael C Place, Build had a slow start to the year, “but a good solid middle, and hopefully a strong finish,” he smiles. “We are still getting our head round being back up north, and working with the likes of Google seems like a great validation that location doesn’t matter; doing good work is what it’s all about.”

Other highlights have included winning the winning the pitch to brand The Great Exhibition of the North, against 32 other northern English agencies. “We’re incredibly passionate about representing and promoting design here in the north, so to be given this opportunity is very exciting.”

25. Sawdust

Founded: 2006
Location: London
Number of staff: 2

2017 has been a time of renewal for two-man studio Sawdust, says founder Rob Gonzalez. “We’ve busied ourselves learning new software, and lots of extra plugins, while continuing to work on commercial briefs. We decided to undertake fewer talks this year so we could focus on both of these.”

The highlight has been working with Converse. “They’re great people and a fantastic company to work for,” says Gonzalez. “We also worked with ManvsMachine this year. It’s always good to work with people who are pushing the bar, and that you have a great deal of respect for.”

26. Studio Moross

Founded: 2012
Location: London
Number of staff: 11

Studio Moross has developed a keen interest in broadcast design, its founder and director Kate Moross reveals. It has also been doing more work internationally, including Japan, and has expanded the team accordingly. It hasn’t all been plain sailing, though. “I fell and broke my hand in January, and my staff were an amazing support to me when I wasn’t able to work,” she explains.

The coming year will see the opening of Studio Moross USA. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of having a studio on the other side of the Atlantic, while keeping London as my home base,” says Moross.

27. Universal Everything

Founded: 2004
Location: Sheffield, London
Number of staff: 5

The last 12 months have been “all over the place” for Universal Everything, says owner and creative director Matt Pyke. “We released a product, OpClock; created a Twitter visualisation for supercomputers; predicted what’s coming next with film series Screens of the Future, and brought AI to life for IBM Watson.”

His highlight was “working with childhood idols Zaha Hadid Architects to launch the Samsung Galaxy S8.” But Brexit has been a downer: “We’ve lost the chance to hire some fantastic European creatives based in the UK because of uncertainty over their future here,” he adds.

28. Turner Duckworth

Founded: 1992
Location: London (plus San Francisco)
Number of staff: 97

“We’ve seen design become more and more important in the rapidly shifting world of communications, and design excellence more and more valued as a true differentiator,” says joint CEO and CCO David Turner. The company has benefited from these trends. “All three studios are growing, and we’ve moved to a new, bigger studio in London.”

The studio's flattered to be picked by its peers for this list: “It’s important for the same reason that awards are important,” says Turner. “It’s easy to believe your own publicity, but when your peers judge your work, you get an informed, objective opinion.”

29. Ragged Edge

Founded: 2007
Location: London
Number of staff: 27

“We aim to get better every day, and the past year has been no different,” says Ragged Edge co-founder Max Ottignon. “We’ve continued to push ourselves and become a better branding agency as a result.”

The year’s highlight has been the rebrand of Camden Market. “To see it being so well received by the design community was hugely satisfying,” adds Ottignon. “It felt like a stake in the ground for the whole agency.” Ragged Edge has also been working with a number of startups. “You’ll start to see some of that work as it launches over the next few months,” he adds.

30. dn&co.

Founded: 2006
Location: London
Number of staff: 20

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be honoured by our peers in this list, says founder Joy Nazzari. “Especially given that a lot of the brands we work with are often not household names or sexy consumer products.”

A highlight of 2017 has been the studio’s work for the V&A’s new Exhibition Road Quarter, followed by the exhibition and book Otl Aicher’s Isy, celebrating the designer’s vision for this small German town. Meanwhile, the team’s quirkiest project was a podcast in White City Place, and commissioning Fathom Architects to build a mobile four-person recording studio.

Next page: Top UK studios 31-40

31. Nomad Studio

Founded: 2016
Location: London
Number of staff: 6

“Last year it was really all about survival,” contemplates Stuart Watson, partner and creative director of Nomad Studio. “This year it’s going to be all about the work: launching Sky Sports in partnership with Sky Creative. It was a pretty tough ask for a small studio, but we’ve made it work and we’re really proud of the team.”

32. Zak Group

Founded: 2005
Location: London
Number of staff: 8

“2017 has all been about us expanding our work in the digital field,” says Zak Group director, Zak Kyes. “Right now, we’re in the process of developing a flagship digital platform for M+, the museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, as well as the website for the renowned German art school, Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main.”

33. NB Studio

Founded: 1997
Location: London
Number of staff: 10

Nick Finney, co-founder and creative director of NB Studio, sees the last 12 months as a mixed bag: “Battles were won, lost and drawn,” he says. “Talented people left and talented people joined. Clients were wowed and records were beaten.” And the biggest highlight? “Virtual reality landed in the studio and it’s an exciting project,” he enthuses.

34. Studio Makgill

Founded: 2007
Location: Brighton
Number of staff: 5

“During 2017, it’s felt like we’ve had to hold on really tight at times, but as long as you enjoy the moments of calm, all is okay,” says Hamish Makgill, creative director and founder of this Brighton-based agency. “The biggest highlight of the year was two massive projects landing in the studio on the same day.”

35. Design Bridge

Founded: 1986
Location: London (plus Amsterdam, Singapore, New York)
Number of staff: 400

“Our new global brand identity for Hellmann’s launched in March this year, and we’re now seeing it applied to all brand communications and touchpoints,” says Design Bridge’s group brand guardian Birgitte Woehlk. Also this year, CCO Graham Shearsby has been appointed as a D&AD trustee, and the agency has been acquired by WPP.

36. B&B Studio

Founded: 2009
Location: London
Number of staff: 24

“2017 has felt like a year when we’ve been attracting the right sort of clients,” reflects B&B creative partner Shaun Bowen. “Brands that aren’t afraid to be challenging, like BrewDog. Brands that are willing to be challenged like Higgidy and Firefly. Brands that are defined by their ethical purpose, like Snact and Kit & Kin.”

37. Commission Studio

Founded: 2013
Location: London
Number of staff: 6

“In 2017 we’ve worked with fashion brands like & Other Stories and Léon Bara, speciality coffee brands Volcano and Old Spike, luxury goods companies LVMH, Rimowa, and Moët Hennessy,” says co-founder and creative director Christopher Moorby. “Working across lots of industries keeps things interesting and we also often get to cross-pollinate.”

38. Rose Design

Founded: 1999
Location: London
Number of staff: 8

“Despite the political climate, we’ve had an exciting, challenging, yet ultimately rewarding year,” says Simon Elliott, owner and creative partner at Rose Design. Highlights have included launching its long-awaited new website, and publication design work for the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

39. Moth

Founded: 2015
Location: London
Number of staff: 7

“This year has been a landmark for Moth, says producer Ifor Ashton. “We recently made a big shift from being a collective to a full-time production studio, and that really came to fruition in 2017. We were also lucky to spend a lot of time in New York earlier and work directly with Facebook on a big rebrand.”

40. Here Design

Founded: 2006
Location: London
Number of staff: 31

“The projects that stand out in 2017 are those unexpected enquiries,” says creative partner at Here Design, Caz Hildebrand. “A kombucha brewery in Suffolk, barista training for young offenders, a book on the joys of punctuation. Going into 2018, we’re planning to redesign our own company structure, to better reflect all the diverse things we work on.”

Next page: Top UK studios 2017 numbers 41-50

41. Moving Brands

Founded: 1998
Location: London (plus Zurich, San Francisco, New York)
Number of staff: 64

“We’re working in a whirlwind of huge technological leaps and cultural shifts,” says John Faye, UK/EU marketing manager at Moving Brands. “In 2017, we’ve been partnering with some incredible leaders, entrepreneurs and organisations, such as IBM i. And we’ve taken time to boost learning and empower teams.”

42. Supple Studio

Founded: 2013
Location: Bath
Number of staff: 4

“This year has seen Supple Studio pass a number of milestones, says creative director Jamie Ellul. “May gave us our first D&AD Pencil. In July, we moved to a beautiful, three-floor studio. And designing the products and collectibles for the Royal Mail’s David Bowie stamp issue was a dream come true.”

43. John Morgan Studio

Founded: 2000
Location: London
Number of staff: 3

The scope and reach of John Morgan Studio extended further in 2017, as its titular founder began a professorship at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. The year’s biggest highlight was the launch of Four Corners Irregulars, a new series of books about modern British visual history, while 2018 will see the studio launch a new type foundry.

44. Love Creative

Founded: 2001
Location: Manchester
Number of staff: 52

“In the last 12 months we’ve seen our brand and packaging reset for
Häagen-Dazs go live, as well as our latest packaging work for Haig Club, known as The Clubman,” says executive creative director David Palmer. “We’ve also expanded the business onto two floors and picked up a whole bunch of awards.”

45. Pearlfisher

Founded: 1992
Location: London (plus New York, Copenhagen, San Francisco)
Number of staff: 120

“In 2017, we’re celebrating one of the best financial performances of recent years,” says founding partner and CEO of Pearlfisher, Jonathan Ford. “Highlights included rebrands of iconic tea and coffee brand Taylors of Harrogate, audio lifestyle brand B&O Play and art product brand Reeves – its first major rebrand in 250 years.”

46. SB Studio

Founded: 2009
Location: Liverpool and London
Number of staff: 9

“The past year’s flown by,” says Benji Holroyd, creative director at SB Studio. “Our highlight has been the full renaming and rebrand of Innovators Hub, now affectionately known as OH. The first product of our design sprint process, all in one week. Fast, relevant, no BS and a beautiful result.”

47. Julia

Founded: 2008
Location: London (and Rome)
Number of staff: 3

Julia is a small London studio making its first appearance on our list this year. “We’ve been working with well-regarded institutions, that’s probably increased our exposure a bit,” reasons co-founder Hugo Timm. The studio has also just opened an office in Rome and plans to do the same in Paris in 2018, the year of its 10th anniversary.

48. Magpie

Founded: 2008
Location: London
Number of staff: 10

“Demand’s been high for Magpie’s services in 2017,” says co-founder David Azurdia. “Having worked so hard to keep the quality of our work so high, it’s really nice to feel as though people value it.” And he’s optimistic about 2018, despite Brexit. “As bleak as it’s all looking, we’re creative thinkers: we adapt and survive.”

49. GBH

Founded: 1999
Location: London
Number of staff: 25

GBH co-founder Peter Hale cites two big highlights for the agency in 2017. “Firstly launching the GBH book, Charm, Belligerence and Diversity, celebrating almost 20 years of working together,” he says. “Secondly, working with Vincross, a fanatical team of Chinese entrepreneurs and developers in Beijing on a robotics project called HEXA.

50. Together Design

Founded: 2003
Location: London
Number of staff: 18

The last 12 months have been a period of consolidation at Together, says brand planner Robin Kadrnka. “We won a number of design awards for different clients, and we were excited to maintain the variety of projects that we enjoy so much, including London’s Eat 17 store and restaurant chain.”

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