YouSayTomato

What YouSayTomato does

YouSayTomato (legal entity: You Say Tomato Limited) is an independent boutique branding and creative agency headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom (Studio 217, Scott House, The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4AA). The firm is privately held, registered in England and Wales (Company Registration Number 12443190), and operates without venture capital or institutional backing. Its core proposition is a senior-only service model: three named senior practitioners (Damian Howell leading creative direction and partnerships, Emma Woolley leading art direction, and Andy leading client care and partnerships) collectively staff every engagement alongside Sarah, who manages finance and operations. The agency explicitly positions itself around the absence of departmental layers, with the value proposition emphasising protection of the creative idea from first thought to final deliverable.

The firm's service portfolio comprises six integrated offerings: Brand Strategy (positioning, architecture, naming, messaging), Brand Identity (logos, systems, guidelines, toolkits), Campaigns & Rollouts (concepts, art direction, multi-channel execution), Digital & UI (website design, UI kits, component libraries, product visuals), Motion & Content (film, motion design, social creative, 3D), and Creative Direction (end-to-end oversight). These are delivered as bespoke professional services rather than as packaged or templated products. The customer base spans enterprise multinationals and independent brands across the EMEA region, with documented work for Subaru UK, Saint-Gobain (across Abrasives and CCM Europe divisions), Okarno, William Hackett, Bailey Group, CCF, LDNY, and Birmingham BIDs (place branding). Segments are split between enterprise clients, independent brands, and a smaller public-sector / place-branding vertical.

The business model is professional services, project-based and retainer-engagement, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is relationship-led and direct: the senior team personally manages client engagements from initial contact through delivery, supported by a multi-channel marketing presence (Instagram @yst_brandingagency, LinkedIn, YouTube, an email newsletter, and a Studio Notes content blog). Distribution is direct — no resellers, marketplaces, or third-party channels are used. The technology stack is not publicly disclosed beyond the use of industry-standard creative production tools. The agency operates from a single studio in Birmingham with stated hours of Monday–Friday, 9am–5:50pm.

Name

YouSayTomato

Legal name

You Say Tomato Limited

Website

https://yousaytomato.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YouSayTomato is an independent, senior-only boutique creative agency in Birmingham, UK, delivering brand strategy, identity, campaigns, digital/UI, motion, and creative direction services to enterprise and independent brands across EMEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Branding and Creative Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Boutique Agencies (MPAAAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD), Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Branding agency services
• Brand strategy consulting
• Creative campaign production
• Brand identity design
• Digital UI design

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Project-based professional services for brand strategy, brand identity, campaigns, digital/UI, motion/content, and creative direction. Services are bespoke and tailored to each client. Likely operates on fixed-project fee and/or retainer basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

YouSayTomato is a boutique creative agency based in Birmingham, UK, founded in 2020, that delivers brand strategy, brand identity, campaigns and rollouts, digital and UI design, motion and content, and creative direction services. The agency operates a senior practitioner model in which three senior people — strategy, creative, and client — work together on every project from concept to delivery. It primarily serves clients across the UK and EMEA, ranging from multinational brands to independent businesses.

Product overview

YouSayTomato is a boutique creative agency offering a unified suite of brand development services centered on three senior practitioners. The core service portfolio consists of Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Campaigns & Rollouts, Digital & UI, Motion & Content, and Creative Direction—each delivered as an integrated component of the agency's collaborative, human-first approach rather than as standalone software products. The agency applies these services across portfolio work including Okarno Rebrand, Birmingham BIDs, Subaru UK, and William Hackett brand projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy Brand strategy services that shape positioning, direction, and messaging foundations for clients undertaking brand development or transformation work.
• Brand Identity Brand identity design services delivering visual identity systems and brand expression assets for organisations.
• Campaigns & Rollouts End-to-end campaign development and rollout services for activating brand work across channels.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• &Walsh: Independent New York/London brand and design studio by Jessica Walsh, working on identity, branding, and digital experiences. Comparable founder-led boutique positioning and integrated service suite.
• Pentagram: Pioneering partner-led design and branding agency operating globally with multiple independent partners. Directly comparable as a senior-led, multi-disciplinary boutique creative firm serving enterprise and institutional clients with brand strategy, identity, and digital work.
• Carter Wong: London-based brand and design consultancy offering strategy, naming, identity, and digital services. Comparable boutique scale and integrated brand offering for enterprise and cultural-sector clients.
• B&W Studio: Small London-based branding and design studio focused on brand identity and digital design for challenger and enterprise brands. Closely comparable boutique scale and integrated brand + digital offering.
• Mother Design: Design arm of the Mother creative network, offering brand identity, campaign work, and creative direction. Comparable in creative positioning and enterprise client mix, though structurally part of a larger network.
• DesignStudio: Independent brand and design agency with offices in London and beyond, working on brand strategy, identity, and digital experience. Comparable integrated boutique model targeting ambitious enterprise and cultural clients.
• Ragged Edge: London-based independent branding agency delivering brand strategy, identity, and campaigns for ambitious brands. Highly comparable as a small, senior-led boutique serving a mix of challenger and enterprise clients.
• Koto: London-based brand and digital studio focused on brand identity, strategy, and digital experience design for tech-forward and consumer brands. Comparable in size and boutique positioning, with a similar integrated brand + digital offering.

Broad incumbents

• Brand Union (Superunion): WPP-owned global brand consultancy delivering brand strategy, identity, and experience design. Comparable full-service creative offering but at significantly greater scale and with parent-network distribution.
• Wolff Olins: Global brand consultancy owned by Omnicom, offering brand strategy, identity, and experience design at scale. Comparable service offering but larger footprint and broader institutional client base; represents the networked incumbent YST positions against.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCglpsu74GNhZ4Ggt-hwHjLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yousaytomato
• Instagraminstagram.com/yst_brandingagency

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 YouSayTomato