Last week, my colleagues in the creative team and I participated in the 6th annual RDV Design. The day’s programming included numerous speakers who shared their vision of design, collaboration and creativity in a business context. As designers, we are always interested in a better understanding of how to be creative in a large-scale project. Here are five highlights that made our experience worthwhile, presented via five quotes.
“The devil is in the details.”
According to designer Jesse McMillin, each point of interaction with the user is an opportunity to bring the brand’s personality alive. Whether it’s a printed promotional piece, microcopy on a website or even choosing the font colour for a call to action, each element contributes to the overall brand experience.
– Jesse McMillin, Creative Director, Lyft
“Design is an opportunity to introduce diversity.”
Matali Crasset believes that designers must systematically refuse to engage in pre-set creative protocols. Rather, they should propose creative solutions based on the client’s specific needs.
– Matali Crasset, multidisciplinary designer
“Come together.”
Designer Laura Stein states that face-to-face meetings are frequently more productive than video conference calls, for example. She also notes that having all key figures play a role in the creative process increases creativity and makes everyone feel more responsible for the result.
– Laura Stein, Creative Director, Bruce Mau Design (Toronto)
“Power is influence.”
According to Moira Cullen, Pepsico’s Chief Design Officer, although some ideas may be excellent and revolutionary, if they don’t have the power to influence, it will be difficult to communicate this idea across an organization. As an “influencer”, it is thus crucial to understand the strategic and organizational stakes involved in order to effectively express your creative vision.
– Moira Cullen, Chief Design Officer, Pepsico (New York)
“What we considered science fiction 10 years ago is kind of happening today.”
Technology’s accelerated evolution is fuelling one of the largest cultural shifts since the industrial age. Designer Endre Berentzen posits that users now wield true influence and that as a result, brands must adjust their messaging to provide an experience that’s aligned with this new paradigm.
– Endre Berentzen, Anti Agency (Norway)
What did we learn from the experience?
Of the many topics presented, one continues to stand out: the question of how design culture can fuel creativity, innovation and collaboration within an organisation. Whether we talk about full-service creative agencies, start-ups or global corporations, there is increased recognition of the value generated by an approach that places design at the centre. In the web world in which we work, the only constant is change. “Design thinking” thus enables us to attain our strategic, technological and even human goals by centralizing design.
Before we let you go, here are three inspiring projects presented during the RDV Design event:
- Brand imaging for Lyft, a new ride-share concept.
- Cossette’s Heart of the Arctic campaign for the Royal Canadian Mint.
- Endre Berentzen’s advertising campaign and branding for Bergen International Festival, which won a Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2014.
Image : Marc-Antoine Roy
