What Bigfish DESIGN does

Bigfish DESIGN is a privately held, founder-led design and technology studio headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, founded in 1993 and operating continuously for over 30 years. The studio delivers integrated brand, digital, and campaign services — including brand identity design, website development, motion design and animation, integrated campaigns, design systems, storytelling, and graphic design — to enterprise, government, and cultural-institution clients primarily across Queensland and broader Australia. Its core proprietary technology is Tank CMS, a custom-built content management platform deployed across multiple enterprise client websites (Hutchinson Builders, Thiess, Queensland Ballet, UAP), which provides configurability for client publishing workflows.

The business model is project-based professional services delivered via direct client engagement (sales-led GTM), with quote-based pricing rather than disclosed rate cards. Revenue is generated from large enterprise and institutional clients across diverse verticals: arts and cultural institutions (Queensland Ballet under a 14-year partnership, Brisbane Festival 2022-2024, HOTA, BIGSOUND annually since 2017, The Tivoli since 2016, The Empire Theatre), construction and infrastructure (Hutchinson Builders, Thiess under a 10+ year relationship with three website iterations, BMD, Durack Civil, UAP), financial services (Suncorp Group, BCU Bank, Gadens), healthcare (QIMR Berghofer, Gallipoli Medical Research), education (Brisbane Girls Grammar School), government and city tourism campaigns (Brisbane city brand, Brisbane Favours The Bold 2025/2026, Queensland Music Trails, Inland Rail), and emerging verticals including wellness (Soak Bathhouse), real estate (URBAN X), and modular construction (Saltair).

The studio is recognized with a 2022 Webby Nominee for the Queensland Ballet website and a 2017 AGDA Award Finalist designation for BIGSOUND, and maintains WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility compliance. Bigfish operates without external institutional investment, M&A activity, or parent company involvement based on available data, with founder Sheldon Lieberman continuing in an active Founder/Content Director role. Distribution is supported by an active website portfolio, Instagram (@designbigfish), LinkedIn (Bigfish-tv), and YouTube (bigfishtv) channels, and a 20+ person cross-functional team spanning design direction, animation, development, production, and general management.

Name

Bigfish DESIGN

Legal name

Bigfish DESIGN

Website

https://bigfish.design

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bigfish DESIGN is a Brisbane-based design and technology studio, founded in 1993, that creates brand identities, websites, campaigns, motion design, and design systems for enterprise, government, and cultural-institution clients primarily across Queensland, Australia, powered by its proprietary Tank CMS platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design Services: Professional services revenue from brand design, website development, motion design, animation, campaigns, and design systems. Services are delivered directly to enterprise, government, and cultural organization clients through project-based engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bigfish DESIGN is a Brisbane-based design and technology studio delivering premium brand identities, custom websites built on its proprietary Tank CMS platform, integrated marketing campaigns, motion design, brand strategy, and design systems for enterprise, government, and cultural-organisation clients. Engagements are delivered as project-based professional services, frequently evolving into long-term partnerships (e.g., 14-year relationship with Queensland Ballet, 10+ year relationship with Thiess).

Product overview

Bigfish DESIGN is an experienced design and technology studio offering premium brands, powerful websites, and effective campaigns. The core product is Tank CMS, a custom-built content management system that powers their website development work. The portfolio spans Brand Design, Website development (using Tank CMS), Motion Design, Campaigns, Graphic Design, Brand Strategy, Storytelling, Design Systems, and Custom CMS implementation. The Tank CMS serves as the foundational platform for website projects, while the various design services (brand, graphic, motion, storytelling) are delivered as distinct but often integrated offerings. Projects typically combine multiple services—for example, a website project may include both Custom CMS development and Design Systems work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tank CMS: A custom-built CMS platform developed by Bigfish to make websites easy to manage and update. Used as the foundation for client websites including Hutchinson Builders, Thiess, and Queensland Ballet.

Products and services

• Tank CMS Bigfish's proprietary, custom-built content management system that enables clients to easily manage and update their websites through a flexible, scalable publishing platform.
• Brand Design Visual identity development including logos, typography, color palettes, and brand guidelines that establish a distinct brand presence for organisations.
• Website Design and Development Custom website design and development services built on Bigfish's Tank CMS, delivering responsive and accessible digital experiences for enterprise, government, and cultural-sector clients.
• Motion Design Animation and motion graphics services including traditional cel animation, character animation, and motion graphics for digital and broadcast applications.
• Campaigns Integrated marketing campaign development including concept creation, creative production, and multi-channel rollout across digital, social, and traditional media.
• Graphic Design Visual communication design covering print materials, publications, posters, signage, and environmental graphics for brand and campaign needs.
• Brand Strategy Strategic brand consulting including market positioning, brand architecture, and long-term brand development planning, typically preceding visual identity execution.
• Storytelling Narrative content creation including animated films, documentary-style videos, and character-driven storytelling for brand communications.
• Design Systems Comprehensive design system development creating scalable component libraries, style guides, and visual language frameworks for consistent brand application across touchpoints.
• Custom CMS Implementation Tailored content management system development built on the Tank platform, customised for specific client workflows, content models, and integration requirements (e.g., Hutchinson Builders, UAP).

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% increase in festival participation for BIGSOUND 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pentagram: Pentagram is the world's largest independent design studio, operating a partner-led model analogous to Bigfish's founder-led approach. Both offer premium brand identity, web design, and integrated creative services to enterprise and institutional clients.
• Thinkerbell: Thinkerbell is an Australian creative agency combining brand, PR, and marketing services. Comparable size and mid-market positioning, with similar integrated marketing emphasis to Bigfish's campaign and brand work.
• Anomaly: Anomaly is a global independent creative agency offering brand strategy, advertising, and digital product development. Comparable independent studio model and integrated creative offerings with similar premium positioning to Bigfish.
• Hulsbosch: Hulsbosch is a Sydney-based independent brand and packaging design studio with a comparable Australian mid-market profile. Targets similar enterprise and institutional clients with premium design work spanning brand identity and visual systems.
• Custance: Custance is an Australian brand strategy and design consultancy with comparable service offerings including brand identity, digital design, and strategic positioning. Similar studio scale and Australian mid-market focus as Bigfish.
• Frost Collective: Frost Collective is a Sydney-based independent design and brand consultancy offering brand strategy, identity, and digital design services. Similar studio model and enterprise/cultural client profile to Bigfish's Australian operations.

Broad incumbents

• Landor & Fitch: Landor & Fitch is a global brand consultancy with Australian operations, providing brand strategy, identity design, and experience design. Operates at significantly larger scale than Bigfish but with overlapping core service offerings in brand and design.
• Interbrand: Interbrand is a global brand consultancy offering brand strategy, naming, identity design, and experience services. Operates with broader geographic and service scope than Bigfish while competing for similar enterprise brand engagements.
• DDB: DDB is one of the world's largest advertising and creative networks with significant Australian operations. Overlaps with Bigfish in creative campaign work, branding, and digital services but operates at substantially larger scale with network resources.
• M&C Saatchi: M&C Saatchi is a global creative network with Australian offices providing brand strategy, advertising, and digital services. Overlaps with Bigfish in brand and campaign work at considerably larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/bigfishtv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bigfish-tv
• Instagraminstagram.com/designbigfish

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Bigfish DESIGN