Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv

Name

Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv

Legal name

Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv

Website

https://cghnyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Identity Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems (BPAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Graphic Design & Visual Content Production (BPAFAIAC)

Keywords

• Brand identity design
• Logo design
• Trademark development
• Visual identity systems
• Corporate identity services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Brand Identity Design Services: Professional services revenue generated from designing trademarks, logos, and comprehensive brand identity programs for corporate and institutional clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv is an independent design firm that creates trademarks, logos, and comprehensive brand identity programs for corporations, institutions, non-profits, and government agencies worldwide. The firm's work spans logo design, identity systems, exhibition design, print and motion graphics, art in architecture, and brand architecture consulting, delivered through a principals-led, project-based engagement model from its New York studio.

Product overview

Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv is an independent design firm specializing in trademark and brand identity program development. Founded in 1957, the firm provides comprehensive design services including logo design, visual identity systems, brand architecture, exhibition design, print and motion graphics, and art in architecture. The firm operates as a single-service consultancy with a collaborative, principals-led approach from its New York office, serving clients across the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The portfolio encompasses iconic logos for NBC, Chase Bank, National Geographic, and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, as well as identity programs for major universities, media networks, financial institutions, and global humanitarian organizations. The firm has worked with over 100 major brands including Warner Bros., PBS, Harvard University Press, and Conservation International, among many others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Identity Design Strategic development of comprehensive brand identities including visual identity systems, logo design, and trademark development for corporations, institutions, and organizations worldwide.
• Logo Design Creation of distinctive and memorable logos and marks that serve as the foundation for brand recognition, including redesign and evolution of existing visual identities.
• Identity Systems Development of comprehensive brand identity systems including color palettes, typography guidelines, usage standards, and brand architecture across multiple touchpoints.
• Brand Architecture Strategic consulting on corporate and product brand hierarchies, naming conventions, and organizational structure of brand portfolios.
• Exhibition Design Design of museum exhibitions, world's fair pavilions, and public installations including wayfinding systems and interpretive graphics.
• Print and Motion Graphics Design services spanning print collateral, poster series, publication design, and animated graphic sequences for broadcast and digital platforms.
• Art in Architecture Integration of graphic design elements into architectural spaces, including signage systems and large-scale visual installations.

Quantifiable outcome

• NBC's peacock logo achieved over 90% recognition by the 1990s

Named customers30 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brand FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand Federation collaborated with Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv on multiple projects including the GoTo Foods rebrand (formerly Focus Brands) and the Prosper Global (Mercy Corps) rebranding initiative. Brand Federation developed positioning and communications strategy while CGH handled visual identity and symbol design.
• Standards ManualminorOthersPublished the book 'Identity: Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv' featuring over 100 case studies from the firm's client portfolio.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• MetaDesign: MetaDesign is a global brand and identity consultancy with offices in Europe, the U.S., and Asia, directly competing for enterprise identity work. Its cross-border reach makes it a comparable for CGH's global project footprint.
• Siegel+Gale: Siegel+Gale is a brand strategy and identity firm known for simplicity-driven identity programs, serving comparable enterprise and government clients. It is a direct competitor for premium identity engagements, particularly in financial services and public sector.
• Superunion: Superunion (formerly Brand Union) is a global brand and design consultancy with significant identity and brand architecture capabilities. It competes with CGH for enterprise rebrands and offers comparable end-to-end brand services.
• Interbrand: Interbrand is a global brand consultancy with a strong identity design practice and a Best Global Brands franchise. It directly competes with CGH for enterprise identity work and is a natural comparable for client overlap (financial services, media, automotive).
• Saffron Brand Consultants: Saffron is an independent, strategy-led brand consultancy with a strong identity design practice, serving global enterprise clients. It is a direct competitor for premium rebrands and shares CGH's positioning around strategic, idea-driven identity work.
• Pentagram: Pentagram is the most structurally analogous peer: a partner-owned, independent design firm specializing in identity, with comparable longevity, principal-led model, and a similarly iconic client roster (Mastercard, MIT, United Airlines). It is the single closest comparable to CGH's business model.
• Landor & Fitch: Landor (now Landor & Fitch following the Fitch acquisition) is one of the largest global brand consulting firms, with a substantial identity and brand-experience practice. It serves enterprise clients at the same tier as CGH and represents the scaled end of the same competitive set.
• Lippincott: Lippincott is a brand strategy and identity firm with deep roots in corporate identity (Samsung, Delta, P&G). It competes with CGH for enterprise rebrands and is closely comparable in craft positioning, though it leans more heavily into brand strategy research.
• Wolff Olins: Wolff Olins is a global brand consultancy specializing in identity and brand strategy, with a comparable client mix of large enterprises, public institutions, and non-profits. It competes directly with CGH for marquee identity engagements and offers broader strategy services.

Emerging players

• Manual: Manual is a smaller, design-led brand identity studio that targets enterprise and high-growth technology clients, overlapping with CGH's work for clients like Flatiron Health and Togg. It represents a newer-generation independent peer with a more digitally native orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cghnyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/cghnyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/chermayeff_geismar_haviv

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 Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv