The Business of Design

This week’s lecture included a conversation with four different approaches to design business models: independent creative, work co-op, agency.

STUDIO MOROSS & USTWO … THE AGENCY APPROACH

The creative powerhouse behind Studio Moross is Kate Moross. A talented designer, illustrator, creative thinker, Moross has build a multidisciplinary agency in London built upon the approach of direct connections with clients and providing exceptional, memorable creative by surrounding themselves and working with as many like-minded people as possible. Collaborating with some of the creative world’s best young illustrators and designers to give brands a fresh, unexpected and totally unique lease of life. Moross also demands work-life balance and equity for her employees and partnerships. They are selective in how they work with clients — choosing to work with clients whose values align with those of Moross and her agency.

UStwo is a global agency that designs and builds digital products and services that make a tangible difference to people’s lives. Founded by two best friends, “Mills” & “Sinx” in London in 2004, they set out to create a “Fampany”, marrying the best of family and company.

They believe that by caring deeply for their people, clients, and partners, they can unleash our “collective genius”. By mastering the art of collaboration, crafting the optimal conditions for a team to perform at its absolute best, in an environment of diverse backgrounds, thoughts, views, opinions and life experiences they are able to realize their mission and find the work that aligns with that mission.

LOVERS … THE CO-OP APPROACH

London-based creative agency, Lovers only takes on clients it’s head over heels about. Creative Director Alex Ostrowski says when assessing potential work, his policy is, “no bread and butter, only pudding. It’s not always possible in life, but at Lovers, it’s the law.”

The creative supergroup is actually a collective of designers that fluctuates from three to ten core studio members, to upwards of 90 collaborators. It’s only been operating for a few years, but in a short amount of time has produced rebrands and campaigns for the British Film Institute, Greenpeace, and the Royal Court Theatre to name a few. “We’re independent practitioners from different fields,” says Ostrowski of Lovers’ diverse portfolio and flexible studio team. “This shows our multidisciplinary hands, often bringing together animation, code, writing, design, illustration, film, and other practices.”

THEO INGLIS … THE INDEPENDENT FREELANCER

Theo Inglis is a design writer and graphic designer who specializes in post-war design. Aside from writing for many magazines and websites, including Grafik, Eye and Creative Review. Inglis has found his niche and builds his business around that niche. He spent many years working in publishing designing book covers and layouts only to find that he doesn’t necessarily like working for other companies. He found a steady and reliable client base out of is dark days working in publishing and now they are some of his biggest, most “bread and butter” clients. This funds his passion for writing about and designing books that focus on mid-century design. Sometimes great opportunity is born out of the challenging of experiences.

REFERENCE:

Falmouth University (2018). The Business of Design | Lecture. Studio and Entrepreneurship GDE730 19/20 Part-Time Study Block S2 (Falmouth, UK: Falmouth University)

Andersen, M. (2017, May 28). Falling Hard for Lovers, London's Romantic Creative Agency. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/falling-hard-for-lovers-londons-romantic-creative-agency/

Crawford, T. (ed) (2008) AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design, New York: Allworth Press.

Mallalieu, A. (2019, May 07). Theo Inglis takes us on a visual journey of Mid-Century Modern Graphic Design. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://www.creativeboom.com/features/theo-inglis-takes-us-on-a-visual-journey-of-mid-century-modern-graphic-design/

DBA Design Business Association – https://www.dba.org.uk/

CSD Chartered Society of Designers – https://www.csd.org.uk/

Institute for Experiments with Business – https://fo.am/activities/ibex/