Instrument was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2008 and has grown into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most prominent digital agencies. They combine brand strategy, product design, and technology development under one roof.
Their client list includes Google, Nike, Sonos, Levi’s, and Patagonia. For Google, they’ve built multiple consumer-facing experiences and internal tools. The Nike work spans digital retail experiences and brand campaigns that blend physical and digital touchpoints.
Instrument’s team of roughly 250 people works from studios in Portland and New York. The agency attracts talent that wants to do meaningful work outside of the typical New York or San Francisco agency grind — Portland’s creative culture and quality of life are genuine recruiting advantages.
The agency is organized around interdisciplinary teams rather than departmental silos. Designers, engineers, strategists, and content creators collaborate from project kickoff through launch. They’re particularly strong at building design systems that help large organizations maintain brand consistency at scale.
Instrument has been recognized by the Webby Awards, Communication Arts, AIGA, and the FWA. They’ve also built a reputation as a genuinely good place to work, with transparent compensation practices and a commitment to diversity that goes beyond surface-level statements.
