Central Office
Central Office is an independent, Portland-based creative studio founded in 2013 by Max Erdenberger and Megan McGinley, delivering strategy, branding, content, and digital services to legacy brands and startups through a network of specialist collaborators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersPortland, Oregon, U.S. Outlying Islands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Central Office does
Central Office is an independent creative studio founded in 2013 by Max Erdenberger and Megan McGinley in Portland, Oregon, both CalArts graduates (2004). The studio delivers four interconnected service lines — Strategy (audience analysis, research, naming), Branding (art direction, design systems, packaging), Content (creative concept, copywriting, photography, animation), and Digital (social strategy, prototyping, web design) — to a mix of legacy brands and emerging startups. Its underlying production process integrates drawing, prototyping, and filming as core creative methods rather than relying on purely digital workflows. The studio operates on a network-based collaboration model: an internal core (two founders) is supplemented by a curated set of external specialists — photographers, typographers, muralists — engaged per project.
The business model is project-based professional services, with work quoted per engagement rather than via disclosed pricing tiers. Revenue is generated through direct client engagement on brand strategy, identity systems, campaign development, and digital platform builds. Notable long-tenured clients include Walker (music supervision, 10+ years), Public Coast Brewing Co. (beverage, since 2016), Rapha Travel (sport/experiential, since 2017), onsemble (climate-tech, 2023), Industry Standard (production, 2024), and Mostly (cosmetics). The studio is privately held with no disclosed funding, institutional investors, or parent company, and maintains global client reach from its single Portland base.
Central Office's portfolio spans commercial and independent projects across short films, campaigns, commercials, film titles, graphic design, digital, and animation. Marketing is conducted through a portfolio website, project case studies, and a Substack newsletter. The firm is actively operating as of 2025, with no public listing, no disclosed financial figures, and no pending M&A, regulatory, or restructuring events. The studio positions itself around purpose-driven brand expression rather than technology-led differentiation, and there is no evidence of AI/ML tooling or proprietary technology platforms in the available materials.
Central Office firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Office
- Legal name
- Central Office
- Website
- https://centraloffice.work
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Central Office is an independent, Portland-based creative studio founded in 2013 by Max Erdenberger and Megan McGinley, delivering strategy, branding, content, and digital services to legacy brands and startups through a network of specialist collaborators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Office industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Design Services
- NAICS
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Workplace & Collaboration Consulting (BPAHAEAH)
Keywords
Where Central Office is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland, Oregon
- HQ country
- U.S. Outlying Islands
Offices1 record
Markets served
Central Office business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Creative Services: Project-based creative direction services including strategy, branding, content, and digital work for clients ranging from legacy brands to visionary newcomers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Central Office product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Office is an independent creative studio that delivers project-based creative direction services spanning Strategy, Branding, Content, and Digital work. The studio creates purpose-driven brand expressions including visual identity systems, design systems, packaging, campaigns, and interactive digital experiences for clients ranging from legacy brands to visionary newcomers. Work is executed from concept to completion, integrating drawing, prototyping, and filming into the creative development process.
Product overview
Central Office is an independent creative studio providing four interconnected service offerings: Strategy (research and audience analysis), Branding (visual identity and design systems), Content (campaign development and photography/animation), and Digital (web design and user experience). The studio works from concept to completion, serving clients ranging from legacy brands to visionary newcomers, with portfolio spanning commercial and independent projects including short films, campaigns, commercials, film titles, graphic design, digital, and animation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategy Strategic consulting services including audience analysis, design principles, naming and nomenclature, and research and insights for brand clients.
- Branding Brand identity creation services including art direction, graphic design, design systems, and brandwork and packaging design for clients.
- Content Brand storytelling and campaign development including creative concept, copywriting, photography, and animation for client campaigns.
- Digital Interactive online experience creation including social media strategy, prototyping, user journey mapping, and web design for client digital presence.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over decade-long client partnerships (e.g., Walker - 10+ years)
Companies that use Central Office
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Central Office technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Central Office partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Travis Emery HackettminorPhotographer collaborator on Industry Standard project
- Abstract OfficeminorCustom typography collaborator on Industry Standard project
- Kyle PerominorPhotography work for Public Coast Brewing Co. brand identity
- Zach YarringtonminorMural artist for Public Coast Brewing Co. project
- Cait OppermannminorCollaborator on Rapha Travel creative direction and global activation project
- Kyle Pero, Ben Sellon, Remy GomezminorPhotographers for Walker music supervision brand identity and packaging
- Jens TrumbellminorPhotographer for Mostly cosmetics design system and brand experience
- Expert Partners NetworkcoreNetwork of expert partners brought in for specialized work when project needs exceed internal capabilities, selected for likeminded approach
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Central Office competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mother Design: Design-focused extension of the Mother creative network offering branding, content, and digital for cultural and commercial clients — strong overlap with Central Office's craft-forward positioning.
- Buck: Independent design and animation studio known for brand expression, motion, and interactive work — overlaps with Central Office's content, digital, and film/animation capabilities.
- Pentagram: Independent, partnership-structured design firm offering brand strategy, identity, and creative direction across categories — the most direct comparable to Central Office's model, at a much larger scale.
- Gretel: Independent brand and design studio working across identity, digital, and content for legacy and emerging brands; comparable in service breadth and selective enterprise client base.
- Manual: Creative studio offering strategy, brand, content, and digital work for legacy and challenger brands; directly comparable in service mix and client-type targeting.
- COLLINS: Independent brand strategy and design studio working with legacy and challenger brands across strategy, identity, and digital — closely mirrors Central Office's four-pillar service mix and project-based delivery.
- Instrument: Independent creative agency delivering brand, digital, and content work for enterprise clients — comparable in the integrated Strategy/Branding/Content/Digital mix and selective client roster.
- Mucca: Boutique independent design studio focused on brand identity and packaging for mission-driven brands — comparable in size, craft emphasis, and selective enterprise/startup mix.
- Order Design: Small independent creative studio focused on brand identity and visual systems for emerging and established companies — comparable in size, mission-driven positioning, and project-based creative services.
Broad incumbents
- Wieden+Kennedy: Large independent creative agency offering brand strategy, campaigns, and digital across enterprise clients — overlaps with Central Office at the brand-and-campaign level but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Central Office social profiles
Digital presenceCentral Office financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Office leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Central Office funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Central Office M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Central Office
What does Central Office do?
Central Office is an independent creative studio that delivers project-based creative direction services spanning Strategy, Branding, Content, and Digital work. The studio creates purpose-driven brand expressions including visual identity systems, design systems, packaging, campaigns, and interactive digital experiences for clients ranging from legacy brands to visionary newcomers. Work is executed from concept to completion, integrating drawing, prototyping, and filming into the creative development process.
Is Central Office a public or private company?
Central Office is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Central Office founded?
Central Office was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Central Office based?
Central Office is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, U.S. Outlying Islands.
How does Central Office make money?
One revenue line is on record: creative Services.
Who are Central Office's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mother Design, Buck, Pentagram, Gretel, Manual, COLLINS, Instrument, Mucca and Order Design. Wieden+Kennedy is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Central Office have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Office.
What industry is Central Office in?
Central Office's product category is Creative Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAEAH, Digital Workplace & Collaboration Consulting. Its NAICS code is 71151 and its SIC code is 8742.