What FortyTwo Studio does

FortyTwo Studio is a founder-owned, Aberdeen-based brand and digital agency founded in 2015 by Mark Kemp. The firm delivers integrated services across strategy, design, digital, and content creation — covering brand development, positioning and naming, visual identity systems, packaging design, web design and development (including eCommerce), marketing strategy and campaigns, art direction, copywriting, and print/exhibition work. Its technology stack is a standard agency toolkit: Craft CMS and Shopify for web/eCommerce, OpenAI for content assistance, and mainstream SaaS (Google Suite, Dropbox, MailGun, FreeAgent, TeamWork) for operations, with hosting distributed across Guru, CloudAbove, Digital Ocean, AWS, and Ploi. There is no proprietary platform; the firm's value is embodied in its people and creative output rather than software.

The business model is project-based professional services with quote-based, scope-tailored pricing. The firm is sales-led and relationship-driven, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, its portfolio, and award recognition rather than a formal sales motion. Revenue derives from a single stream: brand, digital, and packaging engagements for clients. The company is concentrated in core verticals — food & drink (especially spirits brands such as Teasmith, Halcyon, Saltire, Ogilvy, Outlaw, Devil's Point), architecture and design practices (Edel, TINTO, Brighid House), hospitality and tourism (Lonach Hotel, The Belmont Cinema, SnowRoads), and selected corporate accounts (Aquascot, JBS Group, Stagecoach, EnQuest, Swire). Geographically, the firm serves Scotland and the wider UK as the home base, with active engagements across the Netherlands, Georgia, Norway, Denmark, the Middle East, and Japan.

The company operates from an owned 400 sq.m studio at 35 Mid Stocket Road, Aberdeen (opened February 2023), which also houses the 35 Creative Hub — a co-working facility for creative students, practitioners, and partner organizations. Ownership is concentrated with founder/MD Mark Kemp, who carries a personal guarantee on the studio's commercial mortgage; Sam Longmire and Gina Urquhart have been with the firm since founding. No external institutional investors, private equity, or parent company are identified. The firm is profitable and self-funded, with 12 employees and a track record of 25+ industry awards since 2016, including a Scottish Design Awards Chairman's Award (2023), Brand Identity Gold, and Harpers Wine & Spirits Gold.

Name

FortyTwo Studio

Legal name

FortyTwo Studio Limited

Website

https://fortytwo.studio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FortyTwo Studio is an Aberdeen-based brand and digital agency founded in 2015, serving food & drink, architecture, hospitality, tourism, and select enterprise clients across the UK and internationally with integrated brand, packaging, web, and marketing design services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Design & Creative Agency Services

NAICS

Commercial Photography (541922), Photographic Services (54192)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services (IMALAKAM)

Keywords

• Brand design agency
• Graphic design services
• Web design development
• Packaging design
• Brand strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Aberdeen

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand and Digital Agency Services: Project-based professional services revenue from brand development, web design/development, digital marketing, packaging design, art direction, and strategy engagements. Services delivered to businesses across food & drink, architecture, hospitality, tourism, and creative sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

FortyTwo Studio is a brand and digital agency that delivers strategy, design, digital and content services to business clients. Offerings span brand development (positioning, naming, tone of voice, brand implementation), visual identity and packaging design, web design and eCommerce development, marketing strategy and campaigns, print and graphic systems, art direction, and copywriting/storytelling/animations. Work is delivered on a project basis to clients across food and drink, architecture, hospitality, tourism, retail, energy and engineering sectors in the UK and internationally.

Product overview

FortyTwo Studio is a Scottish brand and digital agency offering integrated creative services. Their core portfolio comprises strategic brand services (positioning, naming, tone of voice), brand identity and creation (visual identity systems, logos, custom typefaces), packaging design, web design and development including eCommerce, marketing strategy and campaigns, print and graphic design, content creation (copywriting, storytelling, animations), and art direction. The agency serves diverse sectors including food & drink, tourism, architecture, retail, energy, and hospitality across Scotland, the UK, and international markets. Their 35 Creative Hub in Aberdeen also provides co-working space for the creative community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 35 Creative Hub: Co-working creative hub at 35 Mid Stocket Road, Aberdeen — a space where creative students, practitioners and organisations can co-exist, collaborate and help create a commercial creative community in the region.

Products and services

• Brand Strategy Services Strategic brand consulting including brand positioning, naming, tone of voice, internal engagement, brand implementation planning and marketing & comms strategy for business clients.
• Brand Identity & Creation Design and development of visual brand identities, logos, custom typefaces and comprehensive brand systems for new and established brand clients.
• Packaging Design Product packaging design services including label design, sustainable packaging solutions and premium finishing such as foil stamping and embossing for spirits, food and consumer brands.
• Web Design & Development Website design, development and build services including eCommerce solutions, UI/UX design, experience planning and digital experience delivery for business clients.
• Marketing Services Marketing strategy, campaign development, social media strategy, content creation and marketing communications support across digital and traditional channels.
• Print & Graphic Design Print design, graphic systems, advertising materials, exhibition design, wayfinding, signage and artwork production services.
• Content Creation Copywriting, storytelling and messaging development, graphics creation and animation production services.
• Art Direction Art direction services for brand campaigns, photography, videography and multi-channel content production.
• 35 Creative Hub Co-working creative hub at 35 Mid Stocket Road, Aberdeen, providing a collaborative workspace for creative students, practitioners and organisations alongside FortyTwo Studio's own studio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Teasmith sold 560 bottles in 8 days including selling out first batch within a week of launch
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lateral NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Glasgow-based research and design collective. Collaborated with FortyTwo Studio on SnowRoads brand development project for Cairngorms Business Partnership. Partnership created to combine Lateral North's research and design capabilities with FortyTwo's brand development expertise for real impact on Scotland's tourism industry.
• Cairngorms Business PartnershipcoreOthersCommissioned FortyTwo and Lateral North for SnowRoads brand development. Secured Scottish Enterprise funding for two-year project to promote the scenic route.
• Edinburgh College of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship relationship providing guidance and support to emerging creative talent.
• TechXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean energy accelerator program. FortyTwo provides creative support as part of startup ecosystem.
• Grays School of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt education institution. FortyTwo supports students and benefits from fresh creative perspectives.
• TEDx AberdeenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and supporter of TEDx Aberdeen events and brand initiatives.
• RGU Entrepreneurship and Innovation GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobert Gordon University group supporting entrepreneurial activity. FortyTwo participates in innovation ecosystem.
• Conscious Leaders ScotlandminorOthersLeadership network promoting conscious business practices.
• Scotland Food & DrinkminorOthersIndustry body for Scottish food and drink sector. Important for sector expertise and network given FortyTwo's specialization in food & drink branding.
• Scottish Chamber of CommerceminorOthersBusiness network providing connections and support across Scottish business community.
• Aberdeen Chamber of CommerceminorOthersRegional business chamber supporting local companies.
• Dundee Chamber of CommerceminorOthersRegional business chamber supporting local companies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wolff Olins: Global brand consultancy part of Omnicom, offering brand strategy, identity, and experience design at enterprise scale. Represents the broader incumbent competition FortyTwo faces for larger food, drinks, and corporate brand transformation briefs.
• Pentagram: Global independent design partnership with multiple partners across brand identity, packaging, and digital. Operates as a much larger, multi-discipline incumbent; competes with FortyTwo at the upper end of brand strategy and packaging engagements.

Regional players

• Whitespace: Edinburgh-based creative agency with brand, digital, and packaging capabilities. Direct Scottish competitor for the same pool of food & drink, tourism, and enterprise clients FortyTwo targets across Scotland and the UK.
• Freytag Anderson: Edinburgh-based brand and digital agency working across food & drink, hospitality, and cultural sectors. Closest geographic peer in Scotland with comparable services, premium positioning, and similar award-driven portfolio.

Direct peers

• SomeOne: London-based independent brand and design agency with strong food, drink, and lifestyle credentials. Comparable integrated strategy-design-digital model and reputation-driven new business approach.
• Pearlfisher: London-based brand and packaging design agency with strong food and drink credentials (Coca-Cola, Diageo, innocent). Comparable in integrated brand/packaging/design offering, with larger scale and broader international reach.
• Ragged Edge: London-based independent brand design agency with a similar integrated brand identity, packaging, and digital offering. Comparable size and boutique studio ethos focused on ambitious challenger and heritage brands.
• B&B Studio: London-based brand design agency with deep food, drink, and hospitality specialism (Fever-Tree, Pukka, Jimmy's Iced Coffee). Closest UK analogue to FortyTwo's craft spirits brand and packaging focus, serving similar client profile with overlapping creative disciplines.
• Robot Food: Leeds-based brand and packaging design agency serving food and consumer brands (Asda, Brewdog, Huel). Directly comparable on food & drink vertical depth, integrated brand-plus-packaging-plus-digital delivery, and mid-sized studio operating model.
• Established: London-based brand and design agency with a comparable integrated brand-and-digital model, working with ambitious consumer and cultural brands. Operates at similar team scale and creative-led positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fortytwo_studio
• Facebookfacebook.com/FortyTwoAberdeen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10412951
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortytwo_studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 FortyTwo Studio