What Six Cinquième does

Six Cinquième is a privately held, Montreal-based strategic brand consultancy founded in 2017 by Ash Phillips and Miro LaFlaga. The firm builds "impact-led" brand identities for mission-driven organizations, with particular depth in BIPOC, cultural, and social-impact sectors. Its services are organized into four integrated phases: Strategic Sprints (1–4 weeks for rapid problem-solving), Strategic Planning (6 months of foundational brand strategy), Brand Communication (3 months of identity, copy, and design execution), and ongoing Brand Management, supplemented by Workshops & Speaking engagements. The offering is entirely professional services with no proprietary technology platform; production relies on conventional creative tooling across visual identity, web design, copywriting, motion design, key artwork, and creative direction.

The go-to-market is sales-led and direct-to-client, targeting enterprise and growth-stage organizations with project budgets ranging from $10k to $250k+, billed on multi-year contracts or annual subscriptions for ongoing engagements. There is no public ticker, no institutional funding, and no disclosed revenue; the firm is wholly owned by its two co-founders and appears to operate as a lean boutique team. Distribution is generated through direct outreach, website contact, professional referrals, and an active earned-media presence in design and advertising press (Adweek, Creative Boom, Print Magazine, DIGIDAY, It's Nice That, LBBOnline). Named client engagements span nonprofit cultural institutions (CCAD, Phi Centre, 1001 Colors, Design Montreal, Never Was Average), government and public-sector bodies (Michaëlle Jean Foundation, National Film Board of Canada, CBC Gem), educational institutions (McGill Desautels), entertainment companies (Westbrook Inc.), and commercial mid-market firms (Masla Empathy Lab, Home + Space), with project footprints that reach Canada, the U.S., and Europe.

The firm has accumulated industry recognition including Applied Arts and RGD awards, an ADC Awards shortlist for Design for Good, and multiple CSS Design Awards in 2023, alongside the proprietary "In Perspectives" methodology co-developed with Never Was Average for Design Montreal. Operating geographies span Montreal (HQ), Canada-wide projects, Cincinnati, and Copenhagen via conference presence, with a self-claimed global footprint anchored by a small core team and partner network.

Name

Six Cinquième

Legal name

Six Cinquième

Website

https://sixcinquieme.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Six Cinquième is a Montreal-based strategic brand consultancy that builds impact-led brand identities for mission-driven organizations, spanning nonprofits, cultural institutions, government, and select enterprise clients. Services include strategic planning, identity design, brand management, and workshops, priced from $10k to $250k+ per project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Consulting Services

NAICS

Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand & Portfolio Strategy Consulting (MPAAAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Campaign & Integrated Communications Agencies (MPAAAAAC), Digital Marketing Strategy & Channel Mix Advisory (MPAAAFAF), Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting (BPAHACAG)

Keywords

• Brand strategy consulting
• Visual identity design
• Creative direction services
• Brand positioning
• Stakeholder alignment

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Brand Strategy Consulting Services: Strategic brand consultancy providing services including brand strategy, positioning, identity design, and creative direction for mission-driven organizations. Project-based engagements ranging from strategic sprints (1-4 weeks) to comprehensive planning (6 months) to ongoing brand management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Six Cinquième is a strategic brand consultancy providing four integrated service phases: Strategic Sprints (1-4 weeks), Strategic Planning (6 months), Brand Communication (3 months), and ongoing Brand Management. Services include brand audit, market research, positioning, naming, visual identity design, copywriting, storytelling, web design, campaign design, motion design, key artwork, and creative direction for mission-driven organizations.

Product overview

Six Cinquième is a Montreal-based Strategic Brand Consultancy offering a unified suite of professional services rather than a software product. The core offering consists of four integrated service phases: Strategic Sprints (1-4 weeks) for rapid problem-solving, Strategic Planning (6 months) for foundational brand work, Brand Communication (3 months) for identity and expression, and Brand Management (ongoing monthly) for sustained support. Additionally, the firm offers Workshops & Speaking engagements. Projects span visual identity, branding, web design, copywriting, motion design, key artwork, stakeholder alignment, and creative strategy across diverse client sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Sprints

Quantifiable outcome

• CCAD rebranding enabled successful advocacy leading to city acquisition of historic NCC lot for community use
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and key.

• Never Was AveragecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on inclusive design initiatives including the In Perspectives project - a year-long collaboration for Design Montreal developing a guide and video series on valuing underrecognized perspectives in design. Six Cinquième handles branding and design while Never Was Average produces video content. Partnership selected through Design Montreal's call for proposals supported by Quebec and Montreal governments.
• Michaëlelle Jean Foundation (FMJF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix Cinquième developed brand identity for National Black Canadians Summit 2025 organized by the Foundation. Partnership involves annual event branding with long-term vision for evolving visual identity.
• BeCurious StudiosupportingTechnology or IntegrationWeb development partner for Delve by McGill project, providing technical implementation of Six Cinquième's design work.
• Francorama (Franco Egalité)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultidisciplinary Montreal artist commissioned to create main artwork for National Black Canadians Summit 2025. Artwork titled 'Unreality Of Time' served as foundation for event brand identity.
• TD Bank GroupmajorOthersPresenting sponsor for National Black Canadians Summit 2025. Summit mobilizes 1200+ Black Canadians annually across diverse sectors.
• McGill University Desautels Faculty of ManagementkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient partnership for Delve thought leadership publication redesign. Six Cinquième redesigned online platform to match modern magazine design.
• Phi CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership including In Flux: Poetry Films creative accelerator program supporting Black filmmakers. Six Cinquième provides creative strategy, branding, and mentorship. Multiple collaborative projects spanning several years.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Koto Studio: Global brand design studio with offices in London, New York, and Sydney, working across identity, strategy, and digital design. Comparable in brand strategy scope and creative ambition, with broader geographic reach.
• Bruce Mau Design: Canadian design and strategy firm specializing in impact-led brand systems and creative direction for cultural and institutional clients. Directly comparable in mission-driven positioning and full-service brand methodology.
• Order Design: Brand and design studio providing strategy, identity, and digital design to mission-driven organizations. Comparable boutique scale and impact-led positioning with overlapping client verticals.
• Civilization: Montreal-based brand and design consultancy serving mission-driven and impact-focused organizations. Closest geographic and category peer, with comparable scope spanning strategy, identity, and digital execution.
• Gretel: Brand design consultancy offering strategy, identity, and creative direction to mission-driven and cultural clients. Comparable in studio size, service offering, and emphasis on narrative-driven brand systems.
• Manual: Brand design and strategy firm working with mission-driven and cultural clients. Comparable service portfolio spanning brand strategy, visual identity, and digital execution at boutique scale.

Broad incumbents

• Red Antler: Larger Brooklyn-based brand consultancy serving high-growth startups and consumer brands. Comparable brand strategy and identity offering, but broader commercial focus and significantly larger scale.
• FutureBrand: Interpublic-owned global brand consultancy with full-service strategy, identity, and design capabilities. Overlapping methodology in brand strategy and positioning, but significantly larger footprint and enterprise focus.
• Siegel+Gale: Global strategic branding firm part of Omnicom, offering brand strategy, identity, and naming. Comparable in core brand strategy offering but at much larger scale with broader commercial client base.

Emerging players

• Sister Midnight: BIPOC-led creative studio offering branding, strategy, and creative direction with a focus on cultural and impact work. Highly comparable in ownership profile, target client verticals, and mission-driven positioning, but at earlier scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sixcinquieme
• Facebookfacebook.com/sixcinquieme
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sixcinquieme
• Instagraminstagram.com/sixcinquieme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Six Cinquième