Koto
London-founded global brand studio behind identities for Amazon, Instagram and Tripadvisor
- Founded
- 2015
- Team size
- 51-200
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
Overview
About Koto
Koto is an independent brand and digital design studio founded in London in 2015, now with studios in London, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin and Sydney. It handles brand strategy, identity, digital product design and campaign assets, mostly for technology and consumer platforms such as Amazon, Instagram and Tripadvisor.
Koto is a brand and digital design studio that started in London; the footer dates the studio to 2015, and Companies House lists Koto Studio Ltd at The Works on Great Suffolk Street, Southwark, incorporated in late 2014. CEO James Greenfield is based in London, and the business has since opened studios in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin and Sydney. Its team page lists around 148 people, and in September 2026 Koto announced it had acquired Stereo Creative, a 60-person studio with teams in London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Dubai.
The studio works in four areas: strategy (positioning, research, naming, architecture and messaging), brand (visual, verbal, motion and sonic identity), digital (UX, interface design, prototyping and design systems) and campaign (activations, content, video and social assets). That spread lets a client move from a new positioning to a working product interface and launch campaign with one partner, which is the main reason buyers looking for a London branding agency with digital depth shortlist it.
The work is well known. Recent projects on Koto’s site include a new Instagram wordmark in 2026, a global brand system covering more than 50 Amazon sub-brands in 2025, a community-led refocus for Tripadvisor, identity work for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs and the Fitbit Ace LTE watch for Google. The client wall also shows startups and scale-ups such as Pleo, Qonto, Dojo and Back Market, alongside Netflix, Spotify and Airbnb. Testimonials come from Call of Duty and Riot Games creative leads.
Koto suits ambitious companies that treat brand as a strategic asset and can fund a premium studio. It is not a marketing performance shop, so ongoing SEO, PPC or social management belong elsewhere. Pricing is unpublished, and with no single designated headquarters, London buyers should confirm which studio will lead the work.
What they do
Services
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Naming and brand architecture
- Visual, verbal, motion and sonic identity
- Digital product, UX and interface design
- Design systems and prototyping
- Campaign, content and video production
- EVP and culture propositions
Specializations
Industries served
Ideal client
Who they help
Venture-backed startups and large tech or consumer platforms planning a rebrand or new identity system that must work across digital products, motion and campaigns in several markets.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Portfolio of high-profile rebrands, including Instagram's 2026 wordmark, Amazon's sub-brand system and Tripadvisor
- Covers strategy, identity, digital product and motion in one studio
- Five studios across three regions, expanded further by the 2026 acquisition of 60-person Stereo Creative
- Logo wall spans startups (Pleo, Qonto, Dojo) and giants (Google, Netflix, Airbnb)
Cons
- Premium positioning; budgets are likely out of reach for small businesses
- Pure brand and design studio, not a performance or SEO partner
- No public review score; HQ is not formally designated across its five studios
Pricing
Notable clients
Common questions
FAQ
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What services does Koto offer?
Koto offers Brand strategy and positioning, Naming and brand architecture, Visual, verbal, motion and sonic identity, Digital product, UX and interface design, Design systems and prototyping, Campaign, content and video production, and more.
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Where is Koto based?
Koto is headquartered in London, United Kingdom and works with clients remotely worldwide, with additional offices in New York, NY, United States, Los Angeles (Culver City), CA, United States, Berlin, Germany, Sydney, Australia.
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How much does Koto cost?
Koto operates on a project-based model.
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Who is Koto best for?
Venture-backed startups and large tech or consumer platforms planning a rebrand or new identity system that must work across digital products, motion and campaigns in several markets.
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What industries does Koto serve?
Koto serves clients in Consumer technology, Social platforms, Fintech and crypto, Travel, Gaming, Ecommerce, among others.
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How big is Koto and when was it founded?
Koto was founded in 2015 and has a team of 51-200 people.
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How do I contact Koto?
You can visit koto.com, or email london@koto.com.
Editor’s take
Hire Koto for a high-stakes brand identity or rebrand where digital and motion matter. Skip it if you need ongoing lead generation, SEO or a low-cost logo refresh.
