Best Brand Design Agency

Red Antler vs Koto

Both build brands for startups and platforms. Their records point to different stages.

Updated By the Best Brand Design Agency deskHow we scoreDisclosure

This guide is free, and no agency pays to be listed, ranked or linked. How the site is funded.

Short answer

Koto ranks #7 at 7.6 and Red Antler #8 at 7.5. Koto has the bigger global identity record, from Amazon's first logo update in over 20 years to Instagram's wordmark 12 9; Red Antler has the deeper launch record, from naming Allbirds to a dedicated pre-launch team 8 22.

Pick Red Antler if
you are launching a new company or product and want naming, strategy and identity from a team that works with founders before launch 22.
Pick Koto if
you run a platform with many sub-brands or markets: Koto's Amazon program covered 15 markets and more than 50 sub-brands 12.
Red Antler and Koto compared
Red AntlerKoto
Our score7.57.6
Based inNew York1London, with studios in Los Angeles, New York, Berlin and Sydney2
Founded2007120152
OwnershipPrivately held; part of Red Antler Group 13Founder-led; private equity firm WestBridge invested in April 20254
Notable workAllbirds, Casper 5, Hinge 6, Ramp 78Amazon, Instagram 9, WhatsApp 10, Call of Duty 1112
Client stageEnterprise, growth-stage or pre-launch, chosen on the inquiry form13From De-Extinction at its earliest stage to Amazon14
D&AD76th design agency in 2026; a Wood Pencil for Tendril 151636th design agency in 2025; two Wood Pencils that year 17 1819
People named on its site13 leaders1152 people20
Published minimum budgetNot published; the inquiry form has no budget field13Not published21

Scores by criterion

Red Antler

Score breakdown for Red Antler
Body of work 30%8.5
Recognition 20%5.5
Strategy depth 15%9.0
Access and fit 15%7.0
Range of delivery 10%8.5
Transparency 10%6.0

Koto

Score breakdown for Koto
Body of work 30%8.8
Recognition 20%6.5
Strategy depth 15%8.5
Access and fit 15%6.0
Range of delivery 10%8.5
Transparency 10%6.0

Visit Red Antler (opens the Red Antler website)Visit Koto (opens the Koto website)

Questions people ask

Is Red Antler or Koto better for a startup?

Red Antler for a launch: it runs a dedicated pre-launch team and asks your stage on its inquiry form 22 13. Koto also takes early-stage work, such as the De-Extinction name, and fits better once the company runs many products or markets 14 12.

Who owns Koto?

Its founders and private equity firm WestBridge, which invested in April 2025 and says the founders kept a major shareholding 4 2.

Sources

  1. Red Antler. About | Red Antler: NYC Creative Agency founded in 2007. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  2. WestBridge. WestBridge invests in global creative agency. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  3. LinkedIn (company page). Red Antler | LinkedIn. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  4. WestBridge. WestBridge backed Koto makes first acquisition as it accelerates global growth. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  5. Red Antler. Casper. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  6. Red Antler. Hinge. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  7. Red Antler. Ramp. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  8. Red Antler. Allbirds. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  9. Koto. Instagram. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  10. Koto. Whatsapp. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  11. Koto. Call of Duty. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  12. Koto. Amazon. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  13. Red Antler. Contact | Red Antler. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  14. Koto. De-extinction. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  15. D&AD. Tendril (D&AD Awards archive). Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  16. D&AD. Red Antler. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  17. D&AD. Faculty (D&AD Awards archive). Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  18. D&AD. Google Fitbit Ace LTE (D&AD Awards archive). Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  19. D&AD. Koto. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  20. Koto. Who we are at Koto: our team, our story, our values. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  21. Koto. Contact Koto: Get in touch with our team. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
  22. Red Antler. Clients | Marketing Agency for Startups at Every Stage. Checked 9 Nov 2026.