CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF BRAND AND DESIGN

JOAN CREATIVE, NEW YORK NY/LONDON ENGLAND

Anjela Freyja is the Creative Director of Brand and Design at JOAN Creative. Working across New York and London, she has been shaping visual identities and building brand worlds for over fifteen years. Her work as a director is multidisciplinary, overseeing multiple creative specialities to ensure the highest quality of storytelling.

Anjela’s practice extends into writing and content creation where she analyzes art, design, and fashion, continuously engaging in cultural dialogue with her audience of over 200k.

Between now and 2030, which specific skills, technologies, or priorities will matter most in shaping the future of graphic design?

There is no question that artificial intelligence is going to greatly influence our industry but fundamentally, I believe the same skills required now will only be heightened in 30 years and that is the ability to 1. Storytell and 2. Craft Exquisitely. As the world fills with clutter and noise from the internet, that ability to pull back and communicate something clearly, consistently, and beautifully only stands to become more important. And although it may sound easy, the simplest things are often the toughest.

How do you stay relevant in an industry that changes so quickly?

It’s much easier to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry when your approach is not trend based. In my work I always aim to understand what a business or project stands for, what its story is, and then to translate that into an authentic and symbolic brand world. This type of storytelling transcends trends and gives brands a timeless foundation. Certainly this foundation can be adapted to trends, whether on social or advertising, but at its core, it knows what it is and that never changes. This is also important for customers today who are really craving authenticity from businesses. Brand loyalty starts with consistency and trust.