Full Circle: From Art School to Building Brand Systems
Years ago, seasoned creatives and designers would nervously glance over their shoulders at the next wave of talent emerging from the UK’s art schools - wondering who might soon be nipping at their heels.
Today, it’s AI that’s supposedly chasing us down for our jobs.
At TWIN-Associates, we see both differently. Not as threats, but as allies - forces we’re happy to walk alongside, or even get behind. Because without fresh creative thinking and emerging technology, our industry simply doesn’t move forward in ways that surprise us.
We believe in young talent. We believe in new tools. We believe progress sits at the intersection of both.
That belief is why we continue to attend D&AD New Blood, a barometer for where the next generation of designers are pushing boundaries. In our previous roles, we’ve not only spotted (and hired) exceptional talent there, we’ve also reconnected with the university tutors shaping it.
One of those reconnections led to me being invited by Marion Morrison to speak at Arts University Bournemouth, where I shared my journey - from BBC Broadcast to Red Bee Creative and now co-founding TWIN-Associates. I loved it; it felt both reflective and energising.
I spoke about being interviewed and offered my first internship at the then BBC Broadcast by Ian — a moment that sparked a creative partnership now spanning over 20 years. I also highlighted the full-circle twist of TWIN-Associates later consulting back in on BBC channel brands — proof that early opportunities, relationships and shared standards of excellence endure.
The talk focused on how broadcast brands are no longer just a logo, an on-screen presentation system and a few well-crafted idents. Today, they are dynamic brand systems that must move fluidly across every platform and touchpoint. The aim was to educate, reframing what broadcast branding truly means, but also to inspire.
That inspiration came through stories: international travel to work with clients such as NBCUniversal, Abu Dhabi TV in the UAE, and even the Russian state broadcaster, launching its first free children’s channel, Bibigon. Experiences that underline how far a creative career can travel when curiosity, adaptability and craft combine.
For us, this is more than a philosophy - it’s how we work.
At TWIN-Associates, we build brand systems designed for exactly this intersection: where experience meets emerging talent, and where strategic thinking meets evolving technology. Whether refreshing a broadcast identity, developing a motion-led brand world, or helping a growing business sharpen its positioning for scale, our focus is the same - ensuring brands are built to move confidently across every platform and every moment that matters.
Because progress doesn’t come from standing still. It comes from embracing what’s next, and designing for it.