[stu•dee•ow ka•ru] 🔊

Our studio is named after a cat 🐈 Karou, who sleeps most of the day, living life like it’s a Studio Ghibli film while the rest of us work, design & create. The name means “hope” and is inspired by a book our founder read a while back, the main protagonist named in the language of the chimaera who raised her.

“Reminiscent of sweet European diminutives like Lilou, Malou and Milou, but with a bit bite.”

Karou is a multidisciplinary creative studio that crafts story-rich branding, intuitive content and forward-thinking social media strategy.

Good Design:Strategy is our love language. Founded by Kryz Papagayo, the studio was initially created as a tactile expression for a love of art, design and wordplay. The studio is an imaginarium of great stories, films that pass the Bechdel test, and indie magazines we’ve scoured from thrift bookstores. These influences are partnered with the goal to translate great copy + design into something with a purpose.

We understand that it’s a crowded place out there. Our mission is to translate your vision into a brand identity that stands out—may it be creating the name for your business, designing a logo, or posting an Instagram story.
Whether you’re an owner of a small business or managing an established brand, we’ll deep dive into your goals and vision to create a voice, visual and language that your viewers will love.