As a designer, you work on different stages of a campaign or project. If it’s a branding project, the process might start by developing and ideating a campaign with strategists, creative directors, and copywriters. Then, this develops into a brand identity for a refresh of an already-known brand or a new product.

What does your role involve day-to-day?
When I come into work, I’ll be briefed on what I have to do that day, whether we’re at the early stages of the project or further along the timeline.

My day might include tasks like ideation, finding reference images to help creatively push an idea to the client, designing things in Adobe programs, bringing something to life through motion, or generally making sure that we’re all on top of everything.

Anomaly is an advertising and design agency. We do everything from planning and strategy to the final design. I’m based in Farringdon, London, but Anomaly also has offices in Berlin, Shanghai, New York, LA and Toronto.

The best thing about Anomaly is definitely the people. We have such a tight-knit team that all love to hang out, eat lunch and go out together. We also have a great collaborative design approach, which makes for much better work. We also work with amazing clients, including really big ones like Dove, Tanqueray, and Speedo. Seeing your work out in the world is pretty cool!

Do you do any creative work outside of your job?
I have loads of creative hobbies! Once a month, on a Sunday, my friends and I get together to draw, paint and do some crafts. I also often go to one of the amazing exhibitions we have access to in London.

There are also lots of cool creative spaces. A library in London called Reference Point is an example. It has lots of art books to look through and be inspired by. Bookstores are great for opening the horizons.

What fictional character do you think would be great at your job?
I’d choose Chihiro from Spirited Away. She’s very curious and manages to find solutions to problems in out-of-the-box ways, and leans on friends to help. She also just dives into everything.

Have you had any setbacks in your career so far?
A setback in my career was that I dove into freelance too early. In doing that, I realised I didn’t have any mentors or people helping me see the big, bad world of design. I resolved this setback by coming to Anomaly, where I have a lot of support, not just from my department of people with a lot more experience.

What three qualities do you need to do your job?
The first would be staying curious about what‘s happening in the world. You don’t design in a vacuum, and you’re not designing just for yourself. It’s good to see what external things inspire you and what inspires and moves other people.

The second is being resourceful in expanding what you can learn. Could you push yourself to unlock a creative block through some motion design or 3D?

The last would be collaborative skills. You should always lean on your peers and your colleagues. They can teach you things and also inspire you in ways that you wouldn‘t have thought.

Where’s one place you’d signpost young creatives to?
A resource that I’ve always used is It’s Nice That. I subscribe to their newsletter, which has columns written about trends and new artists. It helps you expand how you work, and get inspiration from things like an illustration, or a new typeface that’s just come out. They also have a lot of resources on finding jobs or comparing agencies to freelance life.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve received was from a mentor who said to throw yourself into things that scare you. If it’s scary, it’s worth doing, and there are always people that will want to help. You’d be surprised at how generous people can be with their knowledge and their time.

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