Fresh from launching his own studio after leaving Wolff Olins, Deakin – who is our jury president for design in this year’s CR Annual Awards – explains why both brands and designers alike need to embrace change, and prepare for it
“In this age of complexity and uncertainty, simplicity is the key. And just being incredibly brave by being simple.” I’m talking to designer Wayne Deakin about navigating change, a subject that formed the basis of a talk he gave in autumn last year, which went on to prove pivotal in a period of flux in his own working life.
Deakin had recently left Wolff Olins, where he had been global ECD and principal for the past four years, and was exploring life as a freelancer. This had proved a slightly bumpy journey at first, with his experience being a surprising obstacle. “I would talk to people and they’d go, oh no, we can’t get you in because you’re too senior, or you’re going to be too expensive, or our team will be intimidated by you. And I was like, ‘oh my God, really? I am the least intimidating person in the world, I look like a teddy bear.’
“And then what happened is I ended up luckily being invited to do some talks. I did one talk and at the end of it four clients from pretty major brands came out of the woodwork and said, ‘can you come and work with us?’ So I’ve accidentally started a business.”
Top: Ubisoft Anno by Wolff Olins; Above: Lloyds by Wolff Olins
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