20 creative studios to check out in Manchester
Deciding on which part of the industry you’d like to work in is one thing, but knowing where to find relevant and inspiring workplaces is another. And with so many creative companies across the UK, expanding your knowledge of who’s out there can certainly give you a leg up. So every few weeks, we’ll be helping you discover new studios, agencies and more by highlighting a range of them up and down the British isles. This week, we’re heading up to the Northern powerhouse, Manchester!
Named as the UK’s leading tech city outside of London and home to world-renowned businesses such as clothing brand Missguided, the UK headquarters of Adidas and the BBC, Manchester has long been lauded as a hub for the creative industries.
The city provides its thriving businesses with a substantial amount of fresh talent each year, producing around 36,000 graduates annually. More than 100,000 students call the city home, with almost 25% of them enrolled in creative, digital and technology courses.
The continuous growth of businesses – not to mention the amount of creative talent settling in the region – makes the city an undoubtably fantastic place for opportunities in the sector. Here, we’re highlighting 20 creative studios you should check out – from branding and design, to publishing, motion and creative coding. Scroll down to explore them all!
1. Reed Words
Brand strategy and messaging for bike brand Schwinn
Poetry for Byron Burgers
Tone of voice for suicide prevention charity Calm
Branding for Swedish poster store Wallbaby
Specialism: Verbal Branding, Copywriting
Company Size: 1-20
Agency Reed Words aims to make brands and businesses stronger through language, using words, verbal branding and copywriting. Working on everything from verbal identity, advertising campaigns and UX writing for digital products, packaging, films and books, the agency’s roster of clients include Google, Sony, Meta and Tesco.
Reed Words is one of our Company Partners; click here to read more about them
2. F37® Foundry and Studio
Kookie, a font developed by the studio
Branding and creative coding for business centre Electric Park
Branding for production company Leapling Films
Attila, a font developed by the studio
Specialism: Typography, Branding, Creative Coding, Publishing
Company Size: 2-10
F37® is a type foundry and design studio specialising in typography, branding, creative coding and publishing. Offering a full suite of graphic design services – from bespoke font creation, branding and art direction, to packaging and moving image – the studio’s clients include Nike, Channel 4 and MoMA.
Read more about F37® Foundry and Studio here or check out their Instagram
3. Music
Branding for project management company Buro Four
Rebranding for football pitch provider Powerleague
Branding for UK film, TV, animation and games promoter ScreenUK
Branding for Manchester Fashion Institute
Specialism: Branding
Company Size: 11-50
Music is a studio specialising in branding. Believing that brand design can be as impactful as music, its clients range from tech start-ups and global football groups to cancer charities and fashion weeks, and has included the NHS, Universal Music and the Brit Awards.
4. Instruct Studio
Work for historic live music venue Band on the Wall
Work for UK national organisation Creative Industries Federation
Work for membership organisation Co-Operatives UK
Work for garden neighbourhood Kampus
Specialism: Multi-disciplinary Communications
Company Size: 2-10
Co-founder of the Design Manchester festival, Instruct is a multidisciplinary communications studio working within the architectural, media and cultural sectors. Home to a team of thinkers, strategists, creatives and project managers, the studio offers services such as brand strategy, visual identity, moving image, exhibitions and metaverse design. Clients include Adidas, the BBC and the Manchester Art Gallery.
Read more about Instruct Studio here or check out their Instagram
5. Only
Branding for community and creative studio space provider Pirate
Work for the British Academy’s Summer Showcase
Branding for performance venue Roundhouse’s podcast, Transmissions
Work for food and comedy festival Comedy Feast
Specialism: Branding
Company Size: 2-10
Believing in the transformative power of simplicity, Only is a branding agency whose goal is clear purpose and communication. The agency’s clients include The British Academy, Sony Music, performance venue Roundhouse and Goldsmiths, University of London.
Read more about Only here or check out their Instagram
6. Edit
Campaign for Barbican cultural centre
Identity for National Portrait Gallery
Campaign for AI platform Peak
Identity for National Portrait Gallery
Specialism: Design, Communications
Company Size: 2-10
Studio Edit aims to help arts, culture and knowledge-based organisations attract, engage, educate and inspire. Offering services such as marketing, branding, brand identity, and campaigns, clients include the Barbican, the British Library and the National Portrait Gallery.
Read more about Edit here or check out their Instagram
7. Bert
Identity for retail unit destination Hatch
Work for strategy consultancy Stone & River
Branding for the BBC's online gaming platform Open Studios
Digital for architectural practice Clear Architects
Specialism: Branding
Company Size: 11-50
Branding agency Bert specialises in the creation of new brands, as well as evolving existing brands and creating brand campaigns and collateral. Their work includes identity for basketball team Manchester Giants, motion for Adidas and digital for BBC Open Games.
8. Partisan
Branding for hybrid work-residential concept WoHo
Identity for project management consultancy Midollo
Promotional material for arts festival Rediscovering Salford
Identity for business quarter St Petersfield
Specialism: Design
Company Size: 2-10
Design studio Partisan works with clients on brand growth and development, using branding principles to help its clients uncover, clarify and accomplish their goals. Clients include arts festival Salford Council, Greater Manchester business area St Petersfield and JDA Architects.
9. Boardwalk Studio
Film for AI company Peak
TV commercial for Middletons' Scooters
Short film for the BBC's factual and educational brand iWonder
Animation for footwear brand Dr Martens
Specialism: Motion
Company Size: 11-50
Boardwalk Studio is a multidisciplinary motion studio working with brands, agencies and corporate clients to create commercials, brand films and event content. Their clients include Adidas, Dr Martens and Smirnoff.
Read more about Boardwalk Studio here or check out their Instagram
10. Blush
Animated video for University of Manchester
Campaign for animal protection organisation Eurogroup for Animals
Brand identity for environmentally friendly furniture company British Recycled Plastic
Work for marine protection association of environmental organisations Seas at Risk
Specialism: Design
Company Size: 2-10
Creating solutions for branding, editorial, print and digital, Blush is a design agency that offers services ranging from brand identity and naming, advertising, illustration and events. Clients include Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, mental health charity Mind and the European Environmental Bureau.
Read more about Blush here or check out their Instagram
11. Dinosaur
Animated characters for accountancy software Iris Financials
Non-smoking campaign for the NHS
Work for the University of Manchester
Campaign for tram and rail service Metrolink
Specialism: Brand communications
Company Size: 11-50
Dinosaur is a brand communications and creative agency seeking to communicate through insight, strategy and creativity. Their team works on strategic planning, creative, account services, digital and social, to offer brand strategy and development, integrated advertising, social media and online performance services. Clients include Reebok, Wagamama and Selfridges.
12. Creative Spark
Branding for craft beer brewery Seven Bro7hers
Advertising for delivery app Alfred Ibiza
Branding for property and investment developer Cert Properties
Work for the Lowry Hotel's wellness spa Re:treat
Specialism: Digital, Brand, Advertising, Strategy, Film
Company Size: 11-50
Working with clients ranging from start-ups through to global organisations, Creative Spark is an independent agency whose aim is to deliver brand experiences to drive engagement in digital, brand, advertising, strategy and film. Clients include New Balance, Manchester City Football Club and Universal Music.
Read more about Creative Spark here or check out their Instagram
13. Flow Creative
Animated brand film for PR agency RMS
Work for the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Work for Manchester Digital's Big Chip Awards
Animated promo video for online learning platform Motion Hatch
Specialism: Branding, Content Creation
Company Size: 2-10
Flow Creative is a brand communications agency using strategic insight combined with design and animation to create work including global brand campaigns and animated explainer videos to social-first video content. The agency has worked with clients such as BBC Creative, Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
14. Love
Packaging for ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs
Work for cereal brand Lucky Charms
Identity for drinks brand Botanic Lab
Campaign for football brand Umbro
Specialism: Design
Company Size: 51-200
Love is a creative agency specialising in delivering design-led solutions for global brands across brand strategy and design, identity design, packaging design, spaces, comms, immersive and activations. Clients include KitKat, Vogue and Häagen-Dazs.
15. Mainframe
Work for Pepsico's Nitro Pepsi
Graphics for Red Bull and UMTV's countdown show Worldies
Work for the BBC
Animation for Virgin Media
Specialism: Motion Design, Animation
Company Size: 11-50
Mainframe is a creative production studio specialising in motion design and animation. Partnering with agencies and directly with clients’ creative teams, the studio seeks to adapt its process to each project’s and client’s needs. They’ve worked with the Association of Illustrators, ITV and Google.
16. Ensemble
Identity for Sleep by Santi
Branding for Havas Health
Branding for co-working space Colony
Re-branding for 6/Cut Pizza
Specialism: Brand Strategy, Brand Design
Company Size: 2-10
Ensemble is an independent brand strategy and design studio that seeks to develop brands’ character by uncovering their reason for being and giving them a meaningful personality. Clients include Boeing, 6/Cut Pizza and Mute Records.
17. True North
Non-smoking campaign for health and social care organisation GMHSCP
Work for the Blackpool Museum of Entertainment
Branding for health research programme Our Future Health
Work for Sheila Bird Architects
Specialism: Strategy, Design
Company Size: 11-50
True North is an independent brand and design consultancy that believes in the strategic use of design to create more effective organisations. Clients include the British Council, Tate art gallery and Sports England.
Read more about True North here or check out their Instagram
18. Alphabet
Identity for charity Football Beyond Borders
Work for Japanese teahouse Cha.ology
Branding for Nike, Football Beyond Borders and JD
Work for hair wellness brand Fable & Mane
Specialism: Branding
Company Size: 2-10
Alphabet is a branding agency offering services including strategy, visual identity, UX and UI design, environment branding and brand guardianship. Their clients include Nike, hair wellness brand Fable & Mane and Football Beyond Borders.
19. Studio eNaR
Visual identity for agency WilsonCooke
Work for running retailer Run Company
Work for body worn camera company Reveal
Work for architectural practice Tim Groom Architects
Specialism: Branding, Graphic Design
Company Size: 2-10
Studio eNaR is a branding and graphic design studio that creates visual identities for brands and organisations in sectors spanning property, tech, hospitality and retail. Clients include real estate developer Bywater Properties, natural wine store and bar Kerb Wine and architectural practice Tim Groom Architects.
Read more about Studio eNaR here or check out their Instagram
20. Modern Designers
Naming strategy and brand identity for business center Arbeta
Season identity for BBC Philharmonic
Brand identity for Manchester Art Gallery
Work for lighting studio Nocturne Workshop
Specialism: Design
Company Size: 2-10
Modern Designers is a creative agency working with the belief that good design can impact people’s thoughts, beliefs and behaviour. Their roster of clients include Manchester Art Gallery, the British Council and business center Arbeta.
Read more about Modern Designers here or check out their Instagram
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