By: Patricia Lacroix + Andrea Suarez
Design Thinkers is a bi-annual conference in Toronto and Vancouver spearheaded by The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD). The largest graphic design conference in Canada, Design Thinkers, has showcased incredible design and the superstars of the industry over the last 25 years. Our team attended inspiring presentations with behind-the-scenes insights from the creative processes of top talent and agencies.
A career in design is about more than painting the roses red; we put careful thought and strategy behind everything we do. This year’s theme of Into The Rabbit Hole explored the twists and turns of experiences that lead to beautiful design outcomes and dream careers. Our team used this opportunity to gather (in person!) and take in a big dose of creative inspiration. After reflecting on all that we saw and heard, these are the themes that captured our hearts.
Be a little mad
The unforgettable opening keynote speaker, Mr.Bingo, fell into a career as an artist, creating things he thought were funny and interesting and being unapologetically himself. From his viral offensive postcards to an online shop where he’s successfully sold ‘absolutely nothing,’ he demonstrated that people are a lot sillier and weirder than you think. Proving that taking creative risks can pay off. By reaching further than you think you can or is even practical, intention and intensity can carry you to unexpected solutions.
Creativity is all about growth and pushing yourself; as James Martin said, “the creative brief is the floor, not the ceiling. I never want my clients to tell me to be more creative.” James delivered a resonant story about being resilient, bold and authentic in his approach to design and life. An unconventional path and personal challenges led to his dream agency job, publishing a book and becoming a design mentor. His (wild and optimistic) focus on connecting with people – clients, colleagues and himself – is how he closed the gap between where he was and where he wanted to be.
Create immersive wonderlands
Today, brands shape our world, expanding way beyond the page and the screen. Leland Maschmeyer outlined how agency COLLINS approaches a “Brand World System” that leverages not just the visual, verbal and sectoral territory of an organization but the ‘taste community.’ Citing an unconventional campaign for Equinox gyms, We Don’t Speak January, they harnessed the relentless attitude of the gyms’ members to define the brand. The bottom line? Your brand is the people who interact with it.
Bridging brand design with a sense of community creates an emotional connection. Bruno Regalo calls this x-factor the ‘soul of a brand.’ Forging these connections with consumers makes a brand transcend a collection of pixels or a logo. To give a brand life, both the design process and outcomes must be unique. Create brand personalities as individual as people are. That personality – the soul of a brand thrives in the streets, inspired by real-world experiences rather than behind a screen. It becomes real in how people interact with and feel about it.
Mirek Nisenbaum highlighted how websites can achieve this human connection. A philosophy he describes as ‘Digital Magnetism’ creates disruptive digital experiences, fighting back against a sea of sameness in web design. For him, pulling design inspiration from nostalgia, memory, and sensory environments captivates emotionally and translates to major engagement. This was expertly shown on the websites of The Prince Estate and The Studio Museum in Harlem. Brands that capture the heart of a community take on a life of their own.
Stop and smell the roses
Ever present was the idea that experiences, not experience, lead to great design. Leland Maschmeyer described the value of the creative studio as a home base for creative teams. His agency counts a design library on the West Coast of the USA and a vacation home on the East Coast as office spaces. He showed highlights from a team trip to Ireland, finding a change of scenery and sharing (non-work) experiences helps keep the ideas fresh and burnout at bay.
After breezing through an impressive career as a Creative/Show Director for The Spice Girls and Kylie Minogue, Aries Moross focused on the ethical considerations behind their design studio. The goal is to do fun, interesting work that also positively impacts all those who touch it. Aries posits that ‘pastoral care’ is essential to their success, celebrating a diversity of ideas, taking holistic care of people, and considering impact beyond a client’s desired outcomes. Aries amplifies their values by prioritizing the human aspect of design.
Finally, keynote speaker Christopher Doyle spoke about collaboration and the importance of being generous with ideas. Sharing some uncanny examples of how the world is full of crazy connections waiting to become ideas, he said, “Make connections. Looking. Thinking. Drawing. Writing. Making. Repeat.” When the door is open for people to contribute, many different ideas are brought to the table “like a potluck.” He described a process for incredible clients like Troye Sivan’s homewares and Theatre Royal Sydney, where his most important role was to bring the right people in, then step back and let their passion and creativity blossom.
The event highlighted a wealth of genuine insights and innovative ideas from the speakers, with slick design, resonant personal journeys and brands that connected on a deeper level. The presentations showed us much more than smoke and looking glasses. Into The Rabbit Hole left our team with renewed inspiration, and we’re eager to reference and share. RGD’s Design Thinkers was a delight, showcasing how designers are not waiting for a roadmap to guide them. Instead, creativity lives in proactively exploring possibilities and shaping the future of design through innovation and adaptability.
