ABOUT 3x3: I like information in clusters of three. I’m a generalist by nature so this helps me look into things on my mind and frame them. It’s useful for me to dip in and catch up. It could be brand design, NBA fashion or the latest comics creators.

Yo, let’s talk about some studios that are out here doing things. big things. The kind of things that make you want to frame a website just because it looks so damn good.here are some studios worth checking out whether you’re just trying to up your mood board game or straight up rethink your career path.

Studios That’ll Make You Rethink Everything

1. DIA Studio (New York, NY)

You know how sometimes you see motion-heavy branding, and it’s like, "Wow, that’s slick," but also, "I need to sit down for a second"? That’s DIA. These folks are the masters of kinetic design that doesn’t just look cool—it moves cool. Their work for Nike and Squarespace is like watching typography run a perfectly choreographed relay race. Transitions so smooth they might make you cry a little.

Portfolio: dia.tv
Instagram: @dia_studio

2. SPIN (London, UK)

SPIN is the type of studio that makes your favorite font look like it’s been working out for months—clean, minimalist, but somehow packed with energy. These are the folks Apple and Samsung call when they need branding that looks like it’s from five years in the future. Their recent interactive campaign for a global tech giant? Chef’s kiss. It’s proof that less is more, but only when it’s done this well.

Portfolio: spin.co.uk

Instagram: @spin_studio

3. Ueno (San Francisco, CA & Reykjavik, Iceland)

Ueno’s whole vibe is like if the cool kid from art class got a job at Google and somehow convinced them to let them keep the skateboarding ramp in the office. They specialize in sleek, user-first design that’s as playful as it is professional. Their branding for Uber and Airbnb makes you want to buy a plane ticket just to appreciate the interface. Oh, and their work for a certain tech unicorn? Pure magic.

Portfolio: ueno.co

Instagram: @uenodotco

Trends That Are Taking Over Like They’re LeBron in 2013

1. Adaptive Branding for Diverse Platforms

The world’s a mess, and your branding better be ready to keep up. It’s not enough for your logo to look pretty on a billboard—it’s gotta crush it on a smartwatch, in a TikTok ad, and maybe even on a VR headset. Think logos that flex like a CrossFit champ and typography that scales harder than your favorite tech unicorn.

Spotify is a masterclass in adaptive branding. Their personalized cover art for playlists like Discover Weekly and Wrapped exemplifies how a brand identity can flex across platforms and engage users on a deeply personal level. By adapting its visuals to individual tastes and listening habits, Spotify turns its brand into a dynamic, living experience. It doesn’t just stop at playlists—Spotify’s bold typography, vibrant color gradients, and data-driven design elements ensure its branding is instantly recognizable across everything from mobile screens to billboards

Brad Dessington breaks it down in Beyond the Logo: How Adaptive Brand Identities Are Revolutionising Customer Engagement. Brands today aren’t just static logos and rigid palettes—they’re living, breathing entities that respond to their environments. Spotify’s personalized cover art? Google’s ever-changing Doodles? These aren’t just fun; they’re strategic, showing how adaptability creates deeper customer connections.

And the future? It’s wild. We’re talking real-time brand evolution, driven by AI, with logos that respond to cultural shifts or even your mood. You want a brand identity that not only survives chaos but thrives in it? Time to go adaptive.

2. Neon Gradients x Brutalist Aesthetics

If you’ve seen The Brutalist—that hauntingly gorgeous film about an architect’s postwar journey—you know the deal. I’m from Massachusetts so Brutalism immediately brings up Boston City Hall designed by Michael McKinnell. Pretty sure I love it. Brutalism is all about stark, monolithic designs, raw concrete, and a vibe that says, “Function first, feelings late.” and that could be on the Massachusetts state flag. Now, imagine all that tough, no-frills energy lit up with neon gradients, like someone threw a synthwave party in a dystopian cityscape.

This fusion of raw and electric is tearing it up in fashion and streetwear, but it’s not just limited to clothes. LA mega-agency Laundry’s ECD, PJ Richardson, has been experimenting with this exact idea in his AI playground lately, and the results? Just masterful. We’re talking about brutalist structures reimagined with vibrant, otherworldly hues that somehow make concrete feel alive. Serpenti Caldi aka Arlan Smith has been playing in a similar space. Check out this killer vaporwave animation built in AI. It’s bold, rebellious, and a little futuristic—a visual mic drop that feels like The Brutalist got invited to headline a neon rave. (Meanwhile, I have to see The Brutalist in theaters. It’s nearly 4 hours long and I need to be restricted by public group think to stay in it for that long. Looks amazing.)

3. Circular Design for Eco-Conscious Brands

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword—it’s a visual language. Packaging is going full minimal waste, and brands are finding creative ways to flex their eco-credentials. Renewable materials? Check. Branding that screams “we care about the planet”? Double check.

Take The R Collective, for example—a fashion brand rewriting the rules with circular design. Founded in 2017 by Christina Dean, also the founder of the NGO Redress, The R Collective turns unwanted fashion waste into high-end clothing. Their Refashioned initiative offers an on-demand service where customers can choose from a curated collection and tailor it to their size and preferred fabric. Beyond this, they source true waste materials, such as excess fabrics that brands no longer want due to being off-season, the wrong quantity, or material type, and transform them into stylish garments. Recently, they even upcycled materials from a warehouse shut down due to rent issues, showcasing how unused stock can avoid landfills and instead fuel sustainable innovation. (link?)

Christina Dean’s mission extends beyond just creating clothing—she’s shifting global consumer culture and raising awareness of the waste the fashion industry produces. Millennials and Gen Z, with their strong values, are driving demand for sustainable and ethical fashion, inspired in part by incidents like the 2013 Bangladesh garment factory tragedy. Christina firmly believes this generation is changing the narrative around fast fashion, valuing meaningful impact over mindless consumption.

Looking to the future, The R Collective is expanding its ambitions, experimenting with upcycled end-of-roll waste from luxury brands and even tackling the challenge of reusing materials like yarn and military jacket waste. It’s a bold vision for a sustainable industry that proves caring for the planet is not just impactful—it’s incredibly stylish.

It’s all about making the Earth feel as cool as you look.

So there it is—a rundown of studios that are changing the game and trends that are making branding more than just a logo. These are the ideas that’ll have you squinting at your own work like, "Okay, maybe I need to step it up."

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3 Studios, 3 Trends, All Fire