Brand strategy, design, and innovation firm creating breakthrough brands through consumer insight and creative excellence.
Sterling Brands is a branding and package design agency that designs living brands. They create brands that respond, challenge, and engage consumers through a human-centric approach, linking every inspiration back to the consumer's lives and passions. With locations in New York City, San Francisco, and Cincinnati, Sterling offers design, strategy, and innovation services to make brands come alive and thrive.
Our take on Sterling Brands
Sterling Brands specializes in brand strategy, design, and innovation, with particular strength in consumer goods and retail sectors. Now part of Omnicom's DAS Group, Sterling brings deep expertise in understanding consumer behavior and translating insights into compelling brand experiences.
The agency's approach integrates consumer research with creative strategy, ensuring that brand solutions resonate with target audiences. Their expertise spans brand strategy, visual identity, packaging design, and brand innovation across product categories.
Sterling's portfolio includes work for major consumer brands, demonstrating their ability to create differentiation in competitive markets. Their focus on consumer insight distinguishes them from agencies that lead primarily with aesthetics.
For companies in consumer goods, food and beverage, beauty, and retail seeking brand partners who deeply understand shopper behavior and can translate that understanding into effective brand solutions, Sterling Brands offers proven expertise combining strategic rigor with creative excellence.
Verified credentials and recognition earned by Sterling Brands
Verified
This agency has a verified website presence.
LinkedIn Verified
This agency has a verified LinkedIn company page.
Top Rated
This agency has an exceptional AgencyCluster score of 80+.
15+ Years
Established in 1978. Over 15 years of experience.
Mid-Size
Medium (51-200)
Rankings earned on AgencyCluster
Common questions about Sterling Brands.
Sterling Brands has earned rankings on 3 AgencyCluster lists: Top 25 Branding & Creative Design, Top 25 Branding & Creative Design in New York, Top 50 Branding & Creative Design. Their highest AgencyCluster Score is 91/100. Rankings are merit-based and determined by evidence across six evaluation pillars — agencies cannot pay for higher positions.
In our evaluation for Branding & Creative Design, Sterling Brands scores 91/100 overall. Their strongest areas are Proof of Work & Outcomes, Reputation, Category Fit, Credibility, Delivery Maturity, Freshness. A high Outcomes score means they have verifiable case studies with measurable results — the most heavily weighted factor in our methodology.
Sterling Brands was founded in 1978, giving them over three decades of experience in branding & creative design. In an industry where many agencies are less than 5 years old, 48+ years of sustained operations signals stability, client retention, and the ability to adapt through multiple technology cycles. Today, the team is mid-size.
A comprehensive brand identity project (strategy + design) costs $30K–$150K. Logo and visual identity alone ranges from $10K–$50K. Brand guidelines and asset system creation costs $15K–$60K. Enterprise rebrands can exceed $250K. These are industry benchmarks for branding & creative design agencies at the level AgencyCluster curates. Actual pricing for Sterling Brands will depend on project scope, timeline, and complexity — contact the agency directly for a custom quote.
Yes. Sterling Brands has been vetted and verified by AgencyCluster's editorial team through a rigorous, multi-factor review process. Unlike self-serve directories, AgencyCluster does not accept automated submissions — every agency is evaluated manually before being published. Our vetting covers identity verification (website, LinkedIn, domain age), business legitimacy (years of operation, team size, registered presence), evidence of work (case studies, portfolio, client outcomes), reputation checks across third-party platforms, activeness and freshness of their online presence, and screening for red flags including misconduct, fraud, or misleading claims. Agencies that fail any critical check are not listed. For Sterling Brands, verified signals include a functioning website, LinkedIn company profile, 48+ years of operating history (founded 1978), 3 earned rankings on curated top lists.
