What MetaDesign does

MetaDesign is a creative brand consultancy founded in 1979, headquartered in Berlin (MetaDesign GmbH) with a parallel legal entity in Zürich (MetaDesign AG). Each entity operates as a legally independent company of Publicis Groupe S.A., one of the world's largest communications groups, and together they deliver brand transformation engagements through a network of nine offices spanning Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, the United States (New York, San Francisco), and China (Beijing, Shanghai). The firm serves global enterprise clients — including Fortune 10 organizations (Cencora), industrial majors (Siemens, Henkel, Liebherr, TKMS), telecommunications leaders (Deutsche Telekom, Airtel), consumer brands (Cuisinart, Flexcon), and digital health innovators (BrainCheck) — across full-cycle brand strategy, identity design, and activation.

The firm's offering is structured around four interlocking service practices (Brand Strategy, Brand Creation, Brand Experience, Brand Activation) and three specialized units: MDX (product design and service prototyping combining technologists, designers, and engineers), MetaSpaces (spatial and virtual brand experience design), and Branded AI (an AI-driven brand tooling suite). Underpinning these is Brand Expert, a proprietary brand governance tool the firm uses internally and offers to clients to maintain identity consistency across markets. Technology differentiation is concentrated in bespoke typographic assets (e.g., Airtel Sans with TipoType, TeleNeo and Henkel GT Flexa with HvD Fonts) and modular design systems built around custom variables and brand-specific design languages.

MetaDesign operates a direct enterprise sales model — project-based and retainer engagements, quote-based pricing with no public rate card — pursuing clients through senior-level pitches and referrals across its nine geographic hubs. Revenue is generated entirely from professional services: strategy consulting, identity design, digital and spatial experience design, brand activation, and ongoing governance. Distribution is direct only, with no channel partners or self-serve marketplace presence; new business is sourced through managing-director-led relationships in each office. The firm has been a consistent award winner across Red Dot, iF Design, German Brand, Transform, ADC, and Corporate Design Preis competitions, and was named Red Dot: Agency of the Year 2022.

Name

MetaDesign

Legal name

MetaDesign GmbH

Website

https://metadesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

MetaDesign is a 1979-founded creative brand consultancy operating nine offices across Europe, Asia, and North America as part of Publicis Groupe, delivering brand strategy, identity design, digital experience, and AI-enabled governance services to global enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Strategy and Consulting Services: MetaDesign generates revenue through high-value strategic brand consulting engagements, including brand strategy development, purpose and vision work, market and brand equity insights, and employer branding. These are typically long-term, project-based or retainer engagements with enterprise clients.
2. Brand Design and Creation: Revenue from designing brand identities, visual systems, brand architecture, packaging design, motion design, and brand communications. This includes deliverables such as logos, design systems, typography, color palettes, and brand guidelines.
3. Brand Experience Design: Revenue from creating immersive brand experiences including website and app design, product prototyping, spatial design, and experiential brand activations.
4. Brand Activation and Governance: Revenue from brand activation programs including change management, communication strategy, employee engagement, and brand governance tools (Brand Expert). Includes implementation support and brand rollout services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MetaDesign is a creative brand consultancy that delivers comprehensive brand strategy, visual identity design, brand experience design, and brand activation services for enterprise clients worldwide. The firm operates specialized units including MDX for product design and service prototyping, MetaSpaces for spatial and virtual brand experience design, and proprietary tools such as Brand Expert for brand governance and a Branded AI suite for AI-driven branding solutions. Engagements span brand strategy development, naming, visual identity systems, digital experience design, motion design, packaging, and brand rollout programs for large multinational organizations.

Product overview

MetaDesign is a creative brand consultancy founded in 1979, offering a comprehensive portfolio of brand strategy, creation, experience, and activation services through nine global offices. The firm operates specialized units including MDX for product design and MetaSpaces for spatial design, alongside specialty solutions such as Branded AI for AI-powered brand interactions and Brand Expert for governance. The portfolio spans from strategic consulting and visual identity design to digital experience, spatial brand environments, and ongoing brand management—delivered as professional services rather than standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MDX: MetaDesign's unit for the development of products and services with a lasting impact, consisting of technologists, product designers, visual & motion designers, researchers, software engineers and strategists.
• MetaSpaces
• Branded AI

Products and services

• Brand Strategy
• Brand Creation
• Brand Experience
• Brand Activation
• MDX (MetaDesign X)
• MetaSpaces
• Branded AI
• Brand Expert

Quantifiable outcome

• Cencora experienced a 12% increase in its stock price following the MetaDesign-led brand rebrand
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• TipoTypecoreTechnology or IntegrationMetaDesign collaborated with TipoType to adapt their iconic Mundial typeface for the Indian market, resulting in the creation of Airtel Sans — a contemporary, geometric typeface family reflecting forward-looking optimism, developed as a key brand element for Airtel's scalable brand ecosystem.
• HvD FontscoreTechnology or IntegrationMetaDesign collaborated with HvD Fonts to develop exclusive brand typefaces for multiple clients. For Liebherr, a powerful brand font was created reflecting the brand character; for Deutsche Telekom, the variable font 'TeleNeo' was developed with typographer Hannes von Döhren. These custom typefaces serve as distinctive brand assets.
• Hannes von DöhrencoreTechnology or IntegrationMetaDesign partnered with typographer Hannes von Döhren and HvD Fonts to create TeleNeo — a variable font for Deutsche Telekom representing the brand with characteristic and contemporary expression, opening possibilities for digital media and AR/VR environments.
• Alzheimer's AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrainCheck's rebranded identity was launched publicly at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Philadelphia — a major industry event that served as the launch platform for the new brand to a global audience of cognitive health industry leaders.
• Denkwerk (Digital Agency)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMetaDesign collaborated with Denkwerk, a digital agency, to create the Telekom Experience Principles microsite (www.experience.telekom.com), combining MetaDesign's brand strategy expertise with Denkwerk's digital development capabilities.
• Henkel AG & Co. KGaAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetaDesign served as the lead agency for Henkel's comprehensive brand repositioning to establish a unified corporate identity across its diverse business units. The new brand design positions Henkel as a 'Pioneer' and earned Henkel a Red Dot Design Award. The partnership included brand strategy, positioning, visual identity design, variable font development (Henkel GT Flexa), dynamic design guidelines, and brand architecture across Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands divisions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Moving Brands: Independent brand design consultancy offering brand strategy, visual identity, and design system work — closely comparable in design-led brand transformation engagements to MetaDesign.
• Pentagram: Independent partner-led design consultancy specializing in identity design, brand systems, and visual identity — directly comparable for the brand creation component of MetaDesign's portfolio.
• Wolff Olins: London-headquartered brand consultancy owned by Omnicom, specializing in brand strategy, identity, and experience design for global enterprise clients — directly comparable in positioning, services, and client caliber to MetaDesign.
• Lippincott: Premium brand strategy and design consultancy known for corporate identity work and brand research — closely comparable in positioning and services to MetaDesign's strategy-led engagements.
• Interbrand: Global brand consultancy under Omnicom offering brand strategy, naming, visual identity, and brand valuation — directly overlaps with MetaDesign's enterprise brand transformation offering.
• FutureBrand (now Superunion): Brand consultancy within IPG offering brand strategy, identity, and experience design for multinational clients — directly competes with MetaDesign in the premium enterprise brand space.
• Saffron Brand Consultants: Brand consultancy specializing in internal branding and brand strategy for global enterprises — overlaps significantly with MetaDesign's employer branding and activation work.
• Siegel+Gale: Brand strategy and experience design consultancy owned by Omnicom, focused on simplicity-driven brand expression — directly comparable to MetaDesign on enterprise brand strategy and identity work.
• Landor & Fitch: Premium global brand consultancy offering brand strategy, identity design, and brand experience — the closest direct competitor to MetaDesign, with comparable Fortune 500 enterprise clients, multi-office footprint, and WPP ownership.

Emerging players

• designworks (a BMW Group company): Brand and design consultancy affiliated with BMW Group, offering brand strategy and experience design — adjacent comparable to MetaDesign as a boutique brand consultancy with corporate parent backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MetaDesignSF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metadesign
• Instagraminstagram.com/metadesign_germany
• Xx.com/MetaDesignSF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 MetaDesign