Strategy Creative

Tell us about where you are today and what you love about your job!

I’m Design Director at Strategy Creative in Christchurch, New Zealand. What I love is seeing ideas come alive and adding value for clients. We are very fortunate to have a talented team and exciting clients that are constantly pushing us. I’m a big believer in clarity and simplicity in whatever it is you are doing. I really enjoy the energy of the studio and the chance to collaborate with the other 4 studios in the Strategy network. And you never go hungry at Strategy as the cooked lunches make sure of that.

What have been your highlights since you started out?

Early on I did a project at Strategy when I was fresh out of design school. It was called ‘Santa vs Jesus’. The Sunday Star Times had asked some of the top agencies in New Zealand to rebrand Christmas for an article they were publishing on the modern concept of Christmas. My idea was very simple: a boxing match. The Father of Xmas vs the Son of God. Religion vs commercialism with the reader deciding the outcome. All executed in a contemporary illustration style. The Sunday Star Times liked it so much they ended up running it on their cover. For me, it had the perfect blend of idea, craft and execution. I still talk about it 10 years on — the true test of timeless design.

More recently it’s been projects that get people excited or have a cultural perspective. To help launch 2016’s TEDx event in Christchurch we put over 1000 red ping pong balls in a large bin, blew them up and filmed it in slow motion. It got the event off to a bang!

On the more cultural side, I’ve been really proud of the work we have produced for the Christchurch Art Gallery and CoCA (Centre of Contemporary Art) in Christchurch. These partnerships have led to a varied body of work — including custom illustrations, balanced geometric shapes, chalk shadows depicting famous statues and recently a dynamic design and bold typographic system.

On a personal level, it would be the internship programme we have recently established across the network. I got the privilege of coordinating, writing and managing the programme. The team have thrived on seeing the interns grow and learn while they are with us. I believe it's important to give back and provide opportunities for a transitional education platform.

What qualities and skills do you look for in a graduate?

 
A tight portfolio is a must. After that it comes down to what we call ‘fit’. What I mean by this is how they fit into the culture at Strategy. We work in a fast-paced and demanding industry and we don’t have time to deal with ‘Prima Donnas’. I’m a big fan of designers who know when it's time to knuckle down and when it's time to have a laugh. I always look for energy, hunger and design thinking. As it’s a lot harder to train designers to think than it is to design. I like designers who take initiative and make things happen, so personal projects along with passion and a love of the craft help graduates to stand out. We take graduates through a self-directed learning programme at our studios focussing on the core competencies that we believe make a great designer – typography, image making and craft.

What advice would you give students starting out?

“You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take!” — Wayne Gretzky.

Get involved, ask questions, create opportunities, smile and ring your mother. If you want something, ask for it. If you make a promise, follow through. Don’t make stupid promises!