Austin is often acknowledged as one of America’s most creative — and quirkiest — cities. While the slogan “Keep Austin Weird” was initially adopted to persuade the city’s residents to shop locally, the phrase has now become an all-encompassing tribute to Austin’s unabashed eclecticism. Boasting a bevy of musicians, artists and actors, Austin hosts some of the country’s most popular art exhibits and installations as well as an impressive assortment of indie theaters and recording studios. Creativity lies at the heart of Austin’s identity, leaving a lasting impact on the city’s status as a hotbed of innovation.
As a city where high tech meets a world-class arts scene, Austin naturally boasts many branding agencies built upon the union between artistry and technology. While branding may appear to be a solely creative trade at first glance, this particular craft requires as much tech expertise as it does artistic ingenuity. Luckily, Austin’s branding experts have the skills needed to help brands beat out the competition, specializing in areas such as web design, brand positioning and social media management.
Branding Agencies in Austin to Know
- Red Fan Communications
- Threshold
- Handsome
- NameStormers
- Indiegogh Creative
- Third Ear
- Masonry
- Rock Candy Media
Founded: 2008
What they do: Red Fan Communications is a strategic communications agency that specializes in branding. The agency offers a variety of services such as brand positioning and narrative, content marketing, media and analyst relations, data-driven reporting and crisis communications. Red Fan Communications primarily serves B2B technology companies and consumer brands.
Who they work with: Fluence, Hyliion, Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation, Babson Diagnostics, BuildGroup, SourceDay and SciPlay.
Founded: 2013
What they do: Threshold offers marketing and branding services to clients within the real estate industry. The company’s suite of creative strategies includes property naming and positioning, photography and videography, print media design, logo design and community collateral. Threshold offers other services such as PPC advertising, geofencing, SEO and online reputation management.
Who they work with: The Lyndon, Garment Street, Charlie West and Aria Towns.
Founded: 1985
What they do: NameStormers is an agency that specializes in creating brand, company and product names. In addition to offering name services, the agency also provides trademark, domain and linguistic screening as well as logo creation. NameStormers’ client base spans a variety of industries including hospitality, insurance, and food and beverage.
Who they work with: CarMax, The Boston Beer Company, Hilton Hotels and the American Heart Association.
Founded: 2006
What they do: Tenderling Design is a branding and marketing agency that works primarily with luxury brands and high-end hospitality and residential offerings. The agency’s capabilities include brand architecture and planning, collateral content development, packaging design, video art direction, and production and branded digital experiences. Tenderling Design offers other services such as full web development, mobile platforms, video advertising and tradeshow designs.
Who they work with: Fairmont Austin, Pivot Bar & Balcony, Spatial Speculations and The Line Lofts.
Founded: 2012
What they do: Handsome is an experience design agency that offers branding services to clients from a variety of industries. The agency’s specialties encompass brand strategy and design, market and landscape research, content production, mobile app development, product strategy, roadmapping, and photography and videography. Handsome’s past projects include developing an immersive VR experience for Dell and creating a digital experience on behalf of insurance startup Sana Benefits.
Who they work with: Facebook, Dell, AMC, Nickelodeon and Keller Williams.
Founded: 2007
What they do: Boasting additional offices in Amsterdam and Barcelona, CODE D’AZUR is a creative agency that focuses on creating branded, digital campaigns. The agency offers a wide range of services such as graphic design, content creation and UX design. CODE D’AZUR works with clients from a variety of industries including aviation, telecommunications, and food and beverage.
Who they work with: ABN AMRO, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Tele2 and Heineken.
Founded: 2009
What they do: Founded by Annie Liao Jones, Rock Candy Media offers a wide range of digital marketing and branding solutions. The agency’s expertise encompasses branding positioning and audits, mobile app design and development, graphic design, UX design, content strategy and competitive analysis. Rock Candy Media aims to position each of its clients for long-term growth.
Who they work with: Mercury Mosaics and more.
Founded: 2019
What they do: Launched by Emily DiGrazio, Indiegogh Creative is a full-service creative agency that specializes in brand development. The agency offers a broad range of services including brand identity, mobile-first responsive web design, social media management, email marketing campaigns, custom content creation and marketing materials. Indiegogh Creative’s client base stems from a variety of sectors such as real estate, fitness and retail.
Who they work with: Gather Society, Sage Creek Luxury Apartments, PowerFit Gym and Doll & Clarke Clothing.
Founded: 2014
What they do: Preacher is a full-service creative company that focuses heavily on branding. The company’s specialties include branded campaigns, social media, experiential marketing, film production, illustrations and digital strategy. Preacher’s previous projects include a nationwide campaign on behalf of ESPN and a music video showcasing musical artist Leon Bridges.
Who they work with: Netflix, Venmo, ESPN, Fanta, StreetEasy and Lucky Brand.
Founded: 1998
What they do: Third Ear is a full-service creative agency dedicated to strengthening brands. The agency specializes in services such as branding, digital integration, cross-channel media planning and buying, content creation, analytics and event production. Third Ear’s previous projects include a diversity campaign on behalf of MLB and a short film for Jack Daniel’s.
Who they work with: MLB, Google, Target, Jack Daniel’s and Unilever.
Founded: 1985
What they do: Fd2s is an agency that aims to build powerful brands that closely interact with audiences. The company’s expertise encompasses brand positioning and messaging, brand identity development, experiential graphic design, donor recognition and interior branding. Fd2s serves organizations from a wide range of industries including hospitality, education and healthcare.
Who they work with: Baylor University, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Hyatt Regency San Antonio and Fresh Chefs Society.
Founded: 2014
What they do: Masonry is an agency that specializes in digital branding and marketing. The agency provides a variety of services such as brand identity design, responsive web design, PPC management, content and marketing strategy, brand identity management and copywriting. Masonry is dedicated to delivering digital experiences focused on brand authenticity.
Who they work with: Serene Hills, Chuy’s Tex-Mex, Bull Moose and Knight Security Systems.
Founded: 2010
What they do: Tilted Chair is an advertising, branding and marketing agency that serves a wide range of organizations. The agency’s suite of services includes campaign development, copywriting, brand positioning, lifestyle photography, media planning, and web design and development. Additionally, Tilted Chair offers other services such as messaging architecture, animation and experiential production.
Who they work with: BigCommerce, Amazon, FloSports, ClearCorrect and Austin Java.
Founded: 2018
What they do: Fried Hustle is a boutique creative agency that focuses on branding. The agency’s specialties include brand identity and expression, copywriting, social media content, photography and videography, competitive analysis and web design. Fried Hustle also helps its clients plan branded events, trade shows and launch parties.
Who they work with: L’Ancla, La Cocina and Angie Knight Yoga.
