Black-Owned Graphic Design Companies
This article will look at the top 20 black-owned graphic design companies making a big splash in their field.
Graphic design has always been one of the world’s most creative and varied industries. But it was hard for black designers to get noticed and break through industry barriers for a long time. Black-owned graphic design companies have popped up in the last few years and are making waves in the field.
Table of Contents
Here are the Top 20 Black-Owned Graphic Design Companies
1. Mucho
Mucho is a design company with offices in New York City, San Francisco, and Barcelona. Rob Duncan started Mucho with clients like Airbnb, Nike, and Google. Communication Arts, Print Magazine, and The Type Directors Club have all given them awards for their work.
2. DIA
Mitch Paone started the design firm DIA, which is based in Brooklyn. The work of DIA has been written about in Wired, Fast Company, and The New York Times, among other places. Coca-Cola, Airbnb, and the New York Jets are just a few of their clients.
3. Mahogany
A graphic design company called Mahogany is based in London, UK. Mahogany was started by Eulanda Shead Osagiede, who is the creative director. The company focuses on branding and visual identity design. Microsoft, Estée Lauder, and Coca-Cola are among their clients.
4. T Brand Studio
The New York Times owns T Brand Studio, a content studio in New York City. T Brand Studio, run by Perri Blake Gorman, has worked with brands like Samsung, Porsche, and American Express. They have won several awards for their work, including Webby Awards, Digiday Content Marketing Awards, and Adweek Arc Awards.
5. Grits and Grids
The design company Grits and Grids is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Justin Ahrens started grits and Grids. Its primary focus is branding and package design for food and drink companies. Caribou Coffee, PepsiCo, and Lagunitas Brewing Company are among their clients.
6. The Creative Collective NYC
The Creative Collective NYC is a branding company started by Tiffany Tolliver in Brooklyn. Nike, Viacom, and Google are among their clients. Some magazines, such as Adweek, Forbes, and Essence, have written about Creative Collective NYC.
7. Loft
Glen Taylor started Loft Loft, and clients have included Target, General Mills, and Best Buy. They have won several awards for their work, including the Communication Arts Design Annual, the Graphis Design Annual, and the AIGA Minnesota Design Show.
8. Hues Design Studio
Graphic design is done by Hues Design Studio, which is based in Philadelphia. The illustrator and graphic designer Antoinette Carroll started Hues Design Studio. The studio focuses on branding and visual identity design. Google, NPR, and Harvard University are among their clients.
9. Punch and Associates
Punch & Associates is a company in Chicago that helps with graphic design and branding. Rhonda Brown started Punch & Associates, and its clients include Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and the University of Chicago. They have won several awards for their work, including the Addy Awards and the Black Enterprise Small Business Awards.
10. Blacksmith
The branding company Blacksmith is based in Portland, Oregon. Bobby C. Martin Jr., a graphic designer and illustrator started Blacksmith. The New York Times, National Geographic, and Target are among its clients. They have won several awards for their work, including the AIGA Design Award, the Print Regional Design Award, and the Type Directors Club Award.
11. Studio Linear
Studio Linear is a company in Atlanta, Georgia, that helps with design and branding. Studio Linear was started by Tracy M. Hurst, focusing on branding and package design. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Georgia-Pacific are among their clients.
12. Mighty Union
Mighty Union is a company in Seattle, Washington, that helps with design and branding. Ryan Lewis started mighty Union, and some of its clients include Microsoft, Amazon, and the Seattle Seahawks. They have won several awards for their work, including the HOW International Design Award and the GDUSA American Graphic Design Award.
13. Kworq
The creative agency Kworq is based in New York City. Chris Sullivan and Guy Peires started Kworq, a company focusing on branding and digital design. Facebook, Google, and Nickelodeon are among their clients. They have won several awards for their work, including the Webby Awards and the Awwwards.
14. Black Bear Design
Black Bear Design is a full-service digital marketing agency based in Atlanta, Georgia. Joel Black and Jeremy Vickery started Black Bear Design. The company does branding, website design, and social media marketing. Their clients include Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A, and the Atlanta Braves.
15. Birk Creative
Birk Creative is a company in New York City that helps with graphic design and branding. Founded by Kareem Birkett, Birk Creative specializes in branding and visual identity design. Their clients include Adidas, Spotify, and the NBA.
16. Studio Linear
Studio Linear, based in Atlanta, Georgia, does graphic design and branding. Studio Linear was started by Tracy M. Hurst, focusing on branding and package design. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Georgia-Pacific are among their clients.
17. 7FIVE Creative
7FIVE Creative is a graphic design and branding agency based in Washington, DC. Founded by Janelle Williams, 7FIVE Creative specializes in branding, web design, and social media marketing. Some of their clients are the NBA, the Smithsonian, and American Express.
18. The Brooklyn Circus
The Brooklyn Circus is a lifestyle brand and design agency based in Brooklyn, New York. The Brooklyn Circus was started by Ouigi Theodore and focused on fashion, brand, and product design. Adidas, Puma, and Google are among their clients.
19. Harper+Scott
Harper+Scott is a company in Chicago, Illinois, that helps with graphic design and branding. Ashley Harper and Carly Scott started Harper+Scott. They focus on branding, web design, and package design. McDonald’s, Google, and the Chicago Cubs are among their clients.
20. ByFarr Design Studio
ByFarr Design Studio is a company in Nashville, Tennessee, that helps with graphic design and branding. Natasha Farr started ByFarr Design Studio. Its primary focus is on branding and visual identity design. People like Adidas, Google, and The United Way are among their clients.
Let’s Also Look At Black Owned Graphic Designers
Here are 10 black-owned graphic designers who are making waves in their field:
1. Temi Coker
Temi Coker is a graphic designer born in Nigeria and lives and works in New York City. He combines photography, illustration, and graphic design to make colorful and exciting images in his work. He’s done the job for Nike, Apple, and Adidas.
2. Nikkolas Smith
Nikkolas Smith is an artist, author, and graphic designer who lives in Los Angeles. He has worked for many companies like Disney, Marvel, and the Obama Foundation. He is also known for his art about social justice, which has been shared and praised by many people.
3. Paula Scher
The famous graphic designer Paula Scher lives in New York City. She is known for her work with clients like Citibank, Microsoft, and the New York City Ballet. She is also a partner at Pentagram, a well-known design firm.
4. Maurice Cherry
Maurice Cherry lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and works as a designer, podcaster, and teacher. He started the design and branding company Lunch and is in charge of the podcast Revision Path. He has done work for Samsung, Vox Media, and the National Park Service, among others.
5. Tad Carpenter
Tad Carpenter lives in Kansas City, Missouri, and works as a designer, illustrator, and author. He started the design studio Carpenter Collective, and clients like Target, Coca-Cola, and Macy’s have hired him. He has also written several books for kids.
6. Debbie Millman
Debbie Millman lives in New York City and works as a designer, author, and teacher. Design Matters, which she is in charge of, has been called the first and longest-running design podcast. She has done work for companies like Burger King, Hershey’s, and the Museum of Modern Art.
7. Bobby C. Martin Jr.
Bobby C. Martin Jr. is a designer and one of the people who started the New York City-based design firm Champions Design. He has done work for the Girl Scouts of America, the National Basketball Association, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
8. Jerome Harris
Jerome Harris lives and works in New York City. He is a graphic designer, an artist, and a teacher. He’s done work for the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the New York Times, among other places. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts as well.
9. Eileen Tjan
Eileen Tjan is a designer and started the Chicago, Illinois-based design studio Other Studio. She’s done work for Adidas, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, among other places.
10. Brian Collins
Brian Collins is a designer and the founder of the New York City and San Francisco-based design and branding firm Collins. He has done work for Spotify, Airbnb, and Coca-Cola, among others. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts as well.
Conclusion: Black-Owned Graphic Design Companies
These 20 black-owned graphic design companies are just a few of the many talented and creative agencies making a name for themselves in the field. From branding and packaging design to web design and digital marketing, these companies show that diversity and creativity go hand in hand. Consider working with one of these great companies if you’re looking for a design agency that can make your ideas come to life.
