Whipsaw

Whipsaw is a product design and branding agency founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The agency defines, designs, and creates innovative products, experiences, and brands for the future. With over 350 global client partners, Whipsaw has designed more than 1,000 products and earned over 325 design awards.

The agency works with two primary client types: funded startups ready to build and launch their first commercial product, and established companies evolving an existing product, entering a new market, or building a new sub-brand. Whipsaw shapes its team and engagement around each client's specific requirements, whether the project involves a physical product, a product and brand, or the full journey from concept to campaign.

Whipsaw's capabilities are organized into four areas: Physical (industrial design, human factors, CMF, prototyping, design engineering, and DFM), Digital (UX/UI, human-machine interaction design, connected product platforms, and design systems), Brand (strategy, positioning, naming, identity design, visual brand language, and guidelines), and Growth & Market Activation (go-to-market strategy, website design and development, 3D product visualization, launch campaigns, and ongoing managed services including social, paid media, SEO, and analytics). The agency practices product-led branding, where the physical product's form, materials, and character shape the brand identity, resulting in cohesive experiences across every touchpoint.

Whipsaw serves a wide range of industries including design, consumer goods, health care, electronics, wellness and fitness, manufacturing, beauty, gaming, and automotive. The agency's client types include startups, small businesses, medium businesses, and enterprise or corporate organizations. Notable clients include Google, Uber, Nike, Samsung, TCL, Ford, Tile, Cisco, Brita, and Tonal.

Google reviews give Whipsaw a 5.0 rating based on five reviews. Reviewers describe the agency as delivering "great work" and being "easily the best industrial design agency in San Francisco and a pleasure to work with." The agency's portfolio includes notable projects such as Uber Beacon, Google Trekker, Tonal Strength Training System, Tile Bluetooth Trackers, Koda Robot Dog, Bear Robotics Servi Food Service Robot, Cisco Meraki MV Security Cameras, PacBio, Fluidigm Biomark, and KabataSmart Weights.