Bluedog Design

What Bluedog Design does

Bluedog Design is a strategy and innovation consultancy founded in 1999 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm operates across five core practice areas: Insight, Strategy, Innovation, Brand, and Design, serving primarily enterprise consumer goods companies including Mars Wrigley, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Reckitt, Mark Anthony Brands, Blue Buffalo, Pringles, Johnson's Baby, Biofreeze, Sargento Foods, and TikTok. Engagements are project-based consulting work spanning portfolio strategy, innovation pipeline development, brand architecture, visual identity systems, customer journey design, sensory product development, and naming. The firm's Insights Studio curates a roster of over 250 vetted learning platforms, research technologies, and methodologies used to design bespoke learning plans for clients.

The company generates revenue through professional services delivered via direct consulting engagements with enterprise and mid-market organizations. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to project scope rather than publicly disclosed. Client acquisition relies on thought leadership content, a portfolio of named case studies, a monthly newsletter called Point of Blue, an interactive Head-Heart-Gut decision-making assessment, and professional network engagement rather than productized channels. Distribution is direct sales through relationships and referrals. Bluedog is a privately held, independently owned firm with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries. It holds B Corp certification, Women-Owned Business Enterprise certification, and 2025 Chicago Business Certified Business recognition, positioning it for corporate procurement processes with supplier diversity and ESG mandates.

The firm employs 11-50 people and serves clients across North America. Its underlying technology stack is a Squarespace-based web platform with no proprietary AI/ML systems, APIs, or software products disclosed. Leadership includes Michelle Hayward as CEO and Founder. The operating model is intentionally boutique, emphasizing senior-level embedded expertise and cross-category consumer knowledge as the primary differentiator over scale or technology-driven delivery.

Name

Bluedog Design

Legal name

Bluedog Design

Website

https://bluedogdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bluedog Design is a Chicago-based strategy and innovation consultancy serving enterprise consumer goods companies across Insight, Strategy, Innovation, Brand, and Design practice areas, with a client roster including Mars Wrigley, P&G, PepsiCo, and TikTok.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Industrial Design Services (54142)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand Consulting, Audits & Research (Brand Health, Equity, Competitive) (BPAFAEAJ)

Keywords

• Strategy consulting
• Innovation consulting
• Brand strategy
• Design consulting
• Growth strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Strategic Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for strategy, innovation, brand, and design engagements with enterprise and mid-market organizations

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bluedog Design is a Chicago-based strategy and innovation consultancy that helps organizations define and deliver growth through five integrated practice areas: Insight, Strategy, Innovation, Brand, and Design. The firm works with major consumer goods brands on uncovering consumer needs, developing brand and innovation strategies, and bringing new products and experiences to market.

Product overview

Bluedog Design is a strategy and innovation consultancy that offers professional services across five core practice areas: Insight, Strategy, Innovation, Brand, and Design. The Insight Practice provides bespoke learning plans leveraging 250+ vetted platforms; the Strategy Practice helps leaders define and execute growth paths; the Innovation Practice uncovers commercially feasible ideas; the Brand Practice develops brand purpose and architecture; and the Design Practice creates consistent brand experiences across touchpoints. Additional offerings include the Point of Blue monthly newsletter and the Head-Heart-Gut decision-making assessment tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Insight Consumer and market insight practice that uncovers needs, behaviors, and opportunities to inform client strategy and innovation decisions; sold to brand and innovation teams at CPG and consumer companies.
• Strategy Corporate, brand, and growth strategy consulting service that helps clients define where to play and how to win; sold to senior strategy and brand leaders.
• Innovation Innovation consulting service focused on developing new products, propositions, and growth platforms for consumer brands.
• Brand Brand strategy and brand experience service that helps clients define brand positioning, architecture, and expressions across touchpoints.
• Design Design service covering product, packaging, and experience design to bring brand and innovation concepts to market for consumer goods clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Case study results: Mars achieved streamlined decision-making and distinct brand positioning in market
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lippincott: Brand strategy consultancy with deep CPG and consumer experience expertise. Directly comparable on portfolio strategy, brand architecture, and visual identity engagements similar to Bluedog's P&G Pro work.
• IDEO: Pioneer in design thinking and innovation consulting serving Fortune 500 clients across consumer goods, retail, and technology — directly comparable to Bluedog's integrated strategy-innovation-brand-design model and CPG-heavy client base.
• frog (Capgemini Engineering): Global design and innovation consultancy operating at the intersection of strategy, brand, and product design for enterprise clients. Closely mirrors Bluedog's practice mix but operates at materially larger scale with a global footprint.
• MetaDesign: Brand and design consultancy with global offices, operating at the intersection of strategy, brand, and design. Comparable integrated practice model with a stronger European footprint.
• RKS Design: Human-centered design and innovation consultancy serving consumer goods and healthcare clients. Comparable on the innovation practice layer and on mid-size consultancy positioning.
• Landor & Fitch: Global brand consulting and design firm serving CPG, beverage, and consumer goods clients — overlapping directly with Bluedog's Mars, PepsiCo, and Mark Anthony engagements at the brand strategy and architecture layer.
• Pentagram: Independent partner-led design consultancy covering brand identity, strategy, and design work for major enterprises. Comparable in independent positioning and craft-led brand work, though narrower in innovation/strategy scope.
• Smart Design: Product design and innovation consultancy serving consumer brands — directly comparable to Bluedog's product and sensory development work for Johnson's Baby and the broader innovation/brand practice.
• Siegel+Gale: Brand experience and design consultancy emphasizing simplicity-driven strategy. Comparable in delivering brand strategy and design engagements for enterprise CPG and consumer brands.

Broad incumbents

• Prophet: Larger strategy and brand consultancy serving enterprise clients including CPG, financial services, and technology. Comparable on the strategy and brand transformation side, with materially greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bluedog-design-llc
• Xx.com/globalsafari

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bluedog Design