Studio Kiln

What Studio Kiln does

Studio Kiln is a UK-based design studio founded in 2022 in Cornwall by Charlie Hocking, with Nathan Smith joining as Partner and Creative Director in March 2023. The firm operates as Studio Kiln Limited, a private limited company with approximately five employees, and offers a full suite of creative services including brand identity design, brand strategy, digital design, motion design, campaign services, art direction, editorial design, exhibition design, and wayfinding. Its client base is concentrated in arts, culture, media, technology, and fashion/lifestyle verticals, with named enterprise engagements including ITV, BAFTA, Vinted, Netflix, Channel 4, and the Wall Street Journal. Studio Kiln's technology stack centers on Cavalry for procedurally generated motion graphics, Adobe Creative Suite, and custom design systems, notably demonstrated in the BAFTA 2026 engagement where a procedurally generated particle-based visual system was built for real-time manipulation and scalability across all four awards ceremonies.

The studio's business model is project-based professional services, with pricing determined by quote and varying by scope and complexity rather than disclosed publicly. Go-to-market is sales-led and inbound, driven primarily by industry reputation, award recognition, referrals within the creative community, and earned media coverage in publications such as It's Nice That, Creative Boom, The Brand Identity, Brand New, and Design Week. Studio Kiln's 2024 award haul includes a D&AD Yellow Pencil, additional D&AD Graphite and Wood Pencils, an ADC Gold Cube, a TDC70 win, a The One Show Merit, and a Webby Honoree, alongside the No. 3 global ranking in D&AD Annual 2024 and the No. 1 UK ranking in The One Club Creative Rankings 2024. The studio also invests in self-initiated projects (e.g., the Waterbeing animated short film) and produces a portfolio of work featured in design books published by Victionary, Counter-Print, and Type Directors Club.

In 2024-2025, the studio has expanded service scope per engagement (e.g., commissioning custom typefaces for Vinted with Very Cool Studio) and is actively broadening into new verticals including gaming/esports (Fellowkids) and fintech (Gib Cash), while pursuing European clients such as German social agency Super Spa. Studio Kiln operates without disclosed external funding as a founder/team-owned entity, and its Cornwall-based creative hub represents a deliberate choice to relocate from London in pursuit of a different working model.

Name

Studio Kiln

Legal name

Studio Kiln Limited

Website

https://studio-kiln.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio Kiln is a Cornwall, UK-based design studio founded in 2022 that creates brand identities, motion design, and digital experiences for enterprise clients across broadcasting, fashion, technology, and culture. The firm is ranked No. 3 globally by D&AD 2024 and No. 1 in the UK by The One Club.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cornwall

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design Services: Project-based professional design services including brand identity, brand strategy, digital design, motion design, campaign work, art direction, editorial design, exhibition design, and wayfinding. Revenue generated through client engagements for specific creative projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Studio Kiln is an independent design studio that creates brand identities, motion design, digital experiences, and campaign work for enterprise clients. Its core services include brand identity design, brand strategy, digital design, motion design, campaign design, art direction, editorial design, exhibition design, and wayfinding. The studio delivers these as project-based engagements, often producing scalable visual identity systems and motion libraries that extend across client touchpoints.

Product overview

Studio Kiln is a design studio offering creative services rather than a software product platform. The studio's core service offering comprises brand identity design, brand strategy, digital design, motion design, campaign services, art direction, editorial design, exhibition design, and wayfinding. These services are delivered through client collaborations rather than a software platform architecture. The studio also produces self-initiated creative projects including animated films. The portfolio of named projects demonstrates cross-industry expertise spanning entertainment (ITV, BAFTA, Netflix), technology (Vinted, Mayda), media (WSJ+), culture (RTS Cambridge), gaming (Fellowkids), and non-profit (D&AD New Blood).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Identity Design

Quantifiable outcome

• No. 3 design studio globally - D&AD Annual 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• 4creative (Channel 4)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Kiln was commissioned by 4creative (Channel 4's creative arm) to create the brand identity, motion graphics, event graphics and programme design for the RTS Cambridge Convention 2023. The project involved close collaboration with Channel 4 executives and 4creative team members including Rob Boon and Katie Jackson.
• BAFTAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Kiln partnered directly with BAFTA to create a procedurally generated visual identity system for all four awards ceremonies. Collaboration included BAFTA's Head of Marketing Natalie Paszkowski and design team.
• VintedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Kiln worked side by side with the internal design team at Vinted to translate their brand idea 'New Again' into a refreshed visual identity, collaborating on design direction, strategy, and implementation with Vinted's internal team including Petras Navickas, Emma Sullivan, and others.
• BabyteethcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor Netflix Generation N project, Studio Kiln co-created the visual identity with creative agency Babyteeth, working alongside Babyteeth partners Lynsey Atkin and Rebecca Lewis.
• D&ADcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Kiln created the brand identity and motion design for D&AD New Blood 2023 awards ceremony, working with D&AD's existing creative and photography team.
• Royal Television SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Kiln created brand identity and event graphics for RTS Cambridge Convention 2023, an annual two-day event bringing industry leaders together to discuss the future of media.
• Very Cool StudiosupportingTechnology or IntegrationFor Vinted brand refresh, Very Cool Studio created a new weight of VC Honey typeface specifically for the brand, chosen for its vintage warmth and versatility.
• Cliff StudiosupportingTechnology or IntegrationCliff Studio provided development services for Mayda project as noted in project credits.
• Existential PleasuressupportingTechnology or IntegrationExistential Pleasures provided 3D design services for Super Spa brand identity project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pentagram: Pentagram is a partner-led design consultancy renowned for high-end brand identity, motion and campaign work for marquee clients. Like Studio Kiln it competes for flagship enterprise identity briefs (e.g. brand systems, motion graphics, exhibition design) and operates on a partner-driven creative model.
• Mucho: Mucho is an international brand identity studio creating visual identity systems, editorial and motion design for cultural and enterprise clients. It shares Studio Kiln's multidisciplinary identity-plus-motion positioning and award-driven reputation.
• Universal Favourite: Universal Favourite is a brand and experience design studio building identity systems, digital products and campaigns. It overlaps with Studio Kiln across brand identity, motion and digital work for ambitious consumer and tech clients.
• Manual: Manual is a brand design studio focused on identity, strategy and digital design for ambitious companies. It competes with Studio Kiln in the same enterprise identity, motion and digital experience space with a comparable boutique positioning.
• Studio Dumbar: Studio Dumbar is an award-winning Dutch identity studio known for distinctive brand systems, motion graphics and wayfinding. It is highly comparable to Studio Kiln in craft focus, motion/identity integration, and award-led positioning.
• Ragged Edge: Ragged Edge is a London-based brand identity studio creating visual identity systems, motion and campaign work for ambitious brands. It is closely comparable to Studio Kiln in size, creative reputation, and focus on emotionally resonant identity design for enterprise clients.
• Koto: Koto is a brand identity studio working with tech, culture and consumer clients on visual identity systems, motion design and digital brand experiences. It directly competes with Studio Kiln for the same enterprise brand identity, motion and digital briefs across UK and international markets.
• Collins: Collins is an independent brand and experience design agency delivering strategy, identity, motion and digital design. It competes with Studio Kiln across the same enterprise client segments and creative disciplines.

Broad incumbents

• Mother Design: Mother Design is the design arm of the broader Mother creative agency network, offering identity, motion and campaign services at greater scale than Studio Kiln. It competes for the same enterprise clients but offers integrated creative advertising alongside design.
• Wolff Olins: Wolff Olins is a global brand consultancy delivering large-scale identity, motion and brand strategy engagements for enterprise clients. It overlaps with Studio Kiln in enterprise identity work but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studio-kiln
• Instagraminstagram.com/studio__kiln

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 Studio Kiln