What Bonfire Red does

Bonfire Red is a privately held, full-service creative studio headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, founded in 2011 by co-founder and creative director Joey Zornes. The studio delivers brand strategy, identity development, UX/UI and web design/development, print and packaging, video production, photography, campaign development, and conceptual ideation for enterprise and mid-market clients. It operates from a single downtown Columbus studio at 153 East Main St. and intentionally maintains a small headcount (11–50) to keep founders and discipline leads directly involved in client work.

The company's client roster is enterprise-heavy and industry-diversified, with named engagements spanning private aviation (NetJets, QS Partners, West Elk Aviation, Gridiron Air, 5x5 Trading), professional services, sports and entertainment (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Columbus Crew), automotive (Aston Martin Newport Beach), higher education (Ohio State University, consolidating 40+ sites onto Drupal), technology (Mozilla's Open Web Games, Base Two, Trivi), manufacturing/agriculture (Scotts Miracle-Gro), and non-profit (Maymont). Technology stack centers on Drupal CMS for digital platforms, Salesforce Lightning for integrated applications (notably a NetJets print-on-demand marketing book system delivering in under 36 hours), Vue.js for front-end work, and complementary integrations with Shopify, DealerSocket, and MailChimp. Recent service expansion includes AI-optimized web engineering for AEO/GEO findability via structured markup, llms.txt files, and schema documents.

Revenue is generated through custom project-based professional services engagements with multi-year contracts; pricing is not publicly disclosed and clients contact the studio directly. Go-to-market is relationship-led, relying on portfolio-driven inbound, LinkedIn outreach, and long-tenured client relationships (DesignGroup at 11+ years, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Ohio State University). The studio is founder-owned with no external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries disclosed.

Name

Bonfire Red

Legal name

Bonfire Red

Website

https://bonfirered.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bonfire Red is a privately held, Columbus-based full-service creative studio (founded 2011) delivering brand strategy, web design/development, print, video, and campaigns to enterprise and mid-market clients across aviation, sports, automotive, higher education, and technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Strategy & Identity Services: Brand strategy, identity development, voice & tone, and styleguide creation for enterprise and mid-market clients
2. UX/UI + Development: Website design, development, e-commerce, mobile apps, and interactive experiences for web and digital platforms
3. Print/Packaging: Brand collateral, brochures, direct marketing, package design, welcome kits, and signage production
4. Original Content: Video production, animation, lifestyle/product photography, social content creation, and 3D modeling
5. Campaign Development: Campaign concepting, print ads, billboards, digital ads, TV spots, and in-store signage/collateral
6. Conceptual Ideation: Rapid ideation, proof of concept, envisioned future planning, and experiential roadmapping

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bonfire Red is a full-service creative studio that delivers brand strategy, visual identity, UX/UI design, website design and development, print and packaging design, original video and photography production, integrated campaigns, and conceptual ideation. Engagements are project-based and custom-scoped, with founders and discipline leads staying hands-on through delivery for enterprise and mid-market clients across aviation, sports, technology, professional services, higher education, manufacturing, and private equity.

Product overview

Bonfire Red is a full-service creative studio offering brand strategy and identity, UX/UI design and development, original content creation (video, animation, photography), print/packaging design, integrated campaigns, and conceptual ideation services. The company operates as a creative agency rather than a product-based technology company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy & Identity Brand strategy, identity development, voice and tone, and styleguide creation services for enterprise and mid-market clients across industries including aviation, sports, technology, professional services, higher education, manufacturing, and private equity.
• UX/UI Design and Web Development Website design, development, e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, and interactive experiences for web and digital platforms, typically built on Drupal CMS with Vue.js and AI-optimized markup including llms.txt, schema, and AEO/GEO structuring.
• Print and Packaging Design Brand collateral, brochures, direct marketing, package design, welcome kits, and signage production for clients needing high-end tactile production such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers luxury suite renewal packages.
• Original Content Production (Video, Photography, Animation) Video production, animation, lifestyle and product photography, social content creation, and 3D modeling for clients such as DZ Group (cashmere supply chain documentary), Gridiron Air, and Aston Martin Newport Beach.
• Campaign Development Campaign concepting, print ads, billboards, digital ads, TV spots, and in-store signage and collateral for clients such as the Columbus Crew's Velo-CITY campaign carried across two seasons.
• Conceptual Ideation Rapid ideation, proof of concept, envisioned future planning, and experiential roadmapping engagements for clients exploring new directions before committing to full-scale production.
• Scalable Design Systems Scalable design systems that maintain brand consistency across multiple channels and seasons, exemplified by the award-winning design system delivered for architecture firm DesignGroup.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers ranked No. 1 in NFL for gameday customer service satisfaction for four of the last five seasons
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NetJets Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetJets partnered with Bonfire Red in 2016 to create QS Partners brand - a dedicated aircraft brokerage division. NetJets is backed by Berkshire Hathaway and is the world's pioneer private business jet charter company established in 1964. Bonfire Red also built a Salesforce Lightning app for NetJets' custom print-on-demand marketing books.
• DrupalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary CMS platform used for client website projects including DesignGroup, West Elk Aviation, 5x5 Trading, and Ohio State University projects. Bonfire Red builds on Drupal for scalable, custom digital experiences.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationBuilt custom Salesforce Lightning app for NetJets enabling sales team to generate customized marketing books printed on demand in under 36 hours with global distribution capability.
• NeenahminorOthersPaper supplier donating materials for Bonfire Red's 12-month desk calendar project. Bonfire Red used Neenah paper for screenprinted calendar production.
• Igloo LetterpressminorOthersExpert letterpress production partner for desk calendar project. Handled die-cut and letterpress calendar production.
• Florin CoffeeminorOthersCoffee supplier for Bonfire Red studio. Coffee roasted by Florin Coffee served in studio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Department: Independent creative and brand studio offering strategy, identity, and digital experience work for enterprise clients. Comparable boutique operating model with similar focus on cross-industry perspective and senior-talent involvement.
• Modern Climate: Minneapolis-based brand agency focused on brand strategy, identity, and campaigns for premium and enterprise clients. Comparable scope in brand strategy and identity development for relationship-driven industries.
• Planit: Baltimore-based independent creative agency of comparable size, providing brand, advertising, digital, and content services to mid-market and enterprise clients. Similar full-service boutique model.
• Manifest: Columbus, Ohio-based digital creative agency serving enterprise clients with brand, digital experience, and content capabilities. Operates in the same geographic market with overlapping digital and brand offerings.
• LPK: Cincinnati-based independent brand design agency of comparable size and scope, offering brand strategy, identity, packaging, and digital work for Fortune 500 clients. Highly comparable midwest boutique creative peer with similar founder-led operating philosophy.
• Resource/Ammirati: Columbus, Ohio-based brand and creative agency operating in the same geographic market as Bonfire Red, with overlapping capabilities in brand strategy, identity, and digital experience design for enterprise clients.
• Barkley: Kansas City-based independent creative agency of similar scale and culture, providing brand, advertising, and digital services to enterprise clients across consumer verticals. Comparable midwest-rooted independent peer.
• The Variable: Winston-Salem, NC-based independent creative agency delivering brand strategy, advertising, and digital work for enterprise clients. Similar size and independent ownership structure makes it a directly comparable boutique peer.
• Madwell: Brooklyn-based independent creative agency offering brand strategy, advertising, content, and digital services to enterprise clients. Comparable scope across brand, content, and digital channels with similar independent positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Rise Interactive: Chicago-based digital marketing agency with a broader portfolio spanning media, analytics, and creative. Overlaps with Bonfire Red on digital experience and brand work but operates as a wider full-funnel incumbent rather than a brand-led boutique.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bonfirered
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bonfire-red
• Instagraminstagram.com/bonfirered

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Bonfire Red