By Jon Springer | July 23, 2026
Whether branding a forgotten Manhattan neighborhood, introducing a new pet product or turning a functional alcohol-recovery drink into something people would proudly order at a bar, Six+One used design as a transformative business tool rather than a finishing touch.
The New York agency’s work is guided by what it calls a “Truth, Tension, Transformation” framework that seeks to uncover what makes a brand matter before determining how it should be expressed.
That approach earned Six+One the title of Design Agency of the Year, Gold at the 2026 Ad Age Small Agency Awards.
The agency’s signature project rebranded Hudson Square, the lower Manhattan district tucked between SoHo, Tribeca and the West Village. Although home to thousands of residents and businesses, the former Printing District lacked a recognizable identity or even broad recognition as a neighborhood in its own right.
