Doberman Review 2026: Digital Products and Brands From Stockholm and Oslo

Introduction

What happens when a well-known design studio gets bought by one of the world's biggest consulting firms? Some fade away. Others keep their name and their style, and gain a much larger network behind them.

Doberman is an example of the second kind, at least so far. It's a design studio founded in Stockholm in 1998. In 2020, the global professional services firm EY bought it, and today it works as EY Doberman from studios in the Nordics, including Stockholm and Oslo. It designs digital products, services and brands, with recent work for a pension startup called Kassa, a clothing repair service called Fikse and the farming tech company Agronod.

I'll admit I was curious about this one. Most studios I review are independent. Doberman is a design team living inside a giant, and that changes what you're buying.

Quick Answer: Should You Hire Doberman?

Yes, if you're a Nordic or international company that wants design and business strategy together, with EY's reach behind it. If you want a small, independent studio or a fixed price, it may feel like too much.

How I Researched Doberman

Disclosure: my own service appears first in the alternatives table. Doberman and I live in very different worlds, though. It works on large business and product programs, and I build websites for small businesses and agencies.

I haven't worked with Doberman. On November 2, 2026, I read its website and articles from Consultancy.eu, Realtid, Scan Magazine, Dezeen and The Brand Identity. Its sources don't agree on how many studios it has, so I've noted that below.

What Is Doberman?

Here's the short story:

• 1998: Doberman starts in Stockholm, founded by Lisa Lindström, with Elin Ankerblad described as a co-founder.

• 2018: a Swedish business paper reports revenue of about SEK 116 million.

• 2020: EY buys Doberman, which then had more than 100 people in Stockholm and New York.

• Today: it's called EY Doberman and works from Nordic studios.

The studio count depends on where you look. Its about page names Stockholm and Oslo. An article on its own site mentions Copenhagen and Helsinki too, and EY's page lists Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. I'd ask which studio would handle your project.

Leadership has also shifted since the deal. The founder moved into a global design role at EY, and other long-time leaders took over the Nordic studios. That's normal after an acquisition, but it's worth knowing.

Recent projects covered by design media include:

• Kassa, a pension brand for Oslo Pensjonsforsikring, from strategy and name to the digital product,

• Fikse, a clothing repair service, longlisted at the Dezeen Awards 2023,

• Agronod, a brand identity that followed its climate calculation app Agrosfär,

• Mojo, a male fertility testing service.

What Does Doberman Do?

What makes Doberman different is how it connects brand and product. For example, with Kassa it shaped the business idea, named it, designed the brand and designed the app. Most studios only get one or two of those jobs.

What Does Doberman Charge?

The catch to plan for

Being part of EY can mean bigger contracts and more process. You may get legal paperwork, procurement steps and senior consultants in the room. That's great for a large bank. For a startup that wants to move in a week, it can feel heavy. Ask early how a typical contract and team look.

A real-world scenario

Imagine a Norwegian pension company that wants to reach younger savers. It needs a new brand that doesn't feel like a bank, plus an app that makes saving feel simple.

That's very close to what Doberman did with Kassa. It could help define the business idea, create a name and brand, and design the app so it all feels like one thing. If I were that company, I'd ask to see the Kassa project in detail and meet the people who led it.

What Are Clients Saying About Doberman?

I couldn't find Clutch or Google reviews, so I looked at how others describe the work.

• Dezeen longlisted its Fikse project in the 2023 Dezeen Awards.

• The Brand Identity featured both its Kassa and Agronod work.

• Agronod came back for more after its first app project, which is a quiet sign of a happy client.

• EY said buying Doberman would strengthen how it helps clients rethink their businesses.

Repeat work and design press are good signals. But I'd still like to hear from clients directly, so ask for two references.

Can You Trust Doberman?

Yes. It's a 28-year-old studio owned by EY, one of the largest professional services firms in the world. The real questions are about fit and cost, not whether it's legitimate.

What I Think as a Designer

I like how Doberman treats a brand and a product as one job. Too often, one agency makes a pretty logo and another builds an app that ignores it. Kassa looks like the opposite of that.

I see this problem a lot on a smaller scale. A client will come to me with a nice logo but a website that feels like a different company. Fixing that gap is often the most useful thing I do.

My worry is size. Big firms can lose the spark that made a studio special. Doberman's recent design press suggests it hasn't, but I'd check who exactly would design your project.

What Doberman Does Well

• Brand and product together.

• EY's network behind it.

• Nearly 30 years of history.

• Design press coverage.

• Sustainability focus.

Where Doberman Falls Short

• No public prices.

• No independent reviews.

• Studio count unclear.

• Corporate process possible.

• Leadership has changed.

Who Is Doberman Right For?

Doberman is a good match if you're:

• a Nordic bank, insurer or pension company,

• a company launching a new brand and app together,

• a large business already working with EY,

• a startup with a sustainability mission and funding.

Who Should Skip Doberman?

Choose another partner if you need:

• a small website or landing page,

• a fixed, low price,

• a fully independent studio,

• a team based in the US.

What to Ask Doberman on the First Call

1. "Which studio and which people would lead our work?"

2. "How does EY's process affect the contract?"

3. "What did the Kassa team look like?"

4. "What's a typical budget for a brand and app project?"

5. "Can we talk to a client from the last two years?"

6. "How long does a first phase usually take?"

Other Studios People Ask About

I don't rank these. My service appears first for transparency, followed by studios from this same review batch.

Who's Behind This Review?

I'm Subarno, a self-taught designer who works solo on brands and no-code websites. Helping a logo and a website feel like the same company is a big part of my job.

My $1,000/month retainer covers:

• website design in Figma,

• website builds in Framer or Webflow,

• branding for smaller businesses, like logos, colors and brand guides,

• small website animations and interactions,

• banners, posters and social media content.

Book a free 30-minute call or message me on my contact page. If you need a new business idea, brand and app shaped together with consulting support, Doberman is the stronger choice.

Bottom Line: Is Doberman Worth It?

Doberman is a long-running Stockholm design studio that now works inside EY. Projects like Kassa and Fikse show it can still shape a brand and a product as one idea, which is rare and valuable.

The trade-off is size and process. Ask who'll do the work, how the contract works and what it costs. If those answers suit you, you get a creative studio with a very large support system behind it.

Questions People Ask About Doberman

Is Doberman part of EY?

Yes. EY bought Doberman in 2020, and it now works as EY Doberman.

When was Doberman founded?

In 1998, in Stockholm.

Where are Doberman's studios?

Its site names Stockholm and Oslo. Other sources also mention Copenhagen and Helsinki.

What has Doberman designed?

Recent examples include Kassa, Fikse, Agronod and Mojo.

How much does Doberman cost?

There are no public prices, so ask for a quote.

Is Doberman good for startups?

It has worked with startups like Agronod, but its EY setup suits larger budgets best.

Sources

• EY Doberman official website

• Consultancy.eu, April 2020

• Realtid article on the EY deal

• Scan Magazine profile

• The Brand Identity features on Kassa and Agronod

• Dezeen Awards 2023 entry for Fikse

• EY consulting page

Studios update their prices, people and services often, so confirm every detail directly before you hire.