AOD launches ‘Design Wire’, supporting design innovation in industry

Design Wire kicks off with first talk geared for the advertising industry

Presented in collaboration with British Council and Daily FT, Design Wire is a monthly talk series hosted by AOD to support design led innovation within industry

Design can be used strategically in a commercially focused business to create everything from consumer electronics to modern apparel to corporate identities, interiors to interactive interfaces, and furniture to classic album covers. Today, within the new digital world order where change is fast and inevitable, disruption has become a fact of life. This means that doing things creatively is essential for businesses to remain competitive.

Creative thinking only flourishes when diverse perspectives, opinions, and ideas are shared. It needs to be nurtured in individual minds by providing environments and open platforms where ideas are discussed and curiosity is instilled. The need for an on-going platform where creative insight is shared with working professionals has long been felt in Sri Lanka. It is in this light that AOD launched Design Wire as a new knowledge sharing talk series devoted to inform, inspire and ignite design thinking within business, industry and related creative communities. 

These talks by speakers from across the world aims to bridge the gap in creative thinking that exists between emerging economies such as Sri Lanka and those that have made more advanced use of design for their growth and progress such as the UK and the British Council have been invited to partner to share some of this knowledge with Sri Lanka. The UK has a long and successful creative industries and it’s a huge trade success story, delivering exponential creative services exports and accounting for more than one tenth of all UK exports.  

Every business wants to keep up with its industry’s latest trends and stay ahead of its competitors. Creative thinking – that is, the ability to think laterally and to imagine new possibilities where others see the impossible – is an essential part of that process.  The first ever session was held at AOD presenting Joanna Perry – the award winning chief creative officer of the legendary ad house Leo Burnett. The Design Wire series is also presented by AOD as a networking opportunity to meet young design talent, supporting the business world’s growing interest in recruiting creative thinkers who can enrich their work with cutting-edge design. The next session of the series will be held early July and will be announced through public media.

Launched in June, the first talk of AOD’s Design Wire series hosted Leo Burnett’s Chief Creative Officer Joanna Perry, whose decades’ worth work in the ad industry has involved the top ten agencies in London alongside the legendary art director Damon Troth and has won her the prestigious Cannes gold and silver awards. Perry discussed some of her groundbreaking campaigns such as the much-talked-about ‘Watch your own heart attack’ campaign and the first ever completely interactive TV commercial that she designed for the DePaul Trust. Providing a rare insight into the thinking patterns of highly acclaimed creative geniuses, Perry also discussed the ways in which she brainstormed ideas and worked with the likes of Damon Troth. Given how creative development for business is often collaborative effort where ideas and processes need to be openly discussed, the talk proved to be a valuable opportunity for professionals, marketing executives and entrepreneurs alike. It also attracted an audience of several local advertising veterans as well as many young designers and students looking to deepen their insights into the industry and the ways in which winning ideas are conceived and worked out despite challenges. The talk was freely open to AOD’s design alumni which made the networking session following the talk, a fantastic opportunity for industry professionals to meet fresh talent and connect with like-minded creative thinkers.

The talk series will continue every month in collaboration with the British Council and Daily FT, and aims to provide a continuous platform for creative thought leadership that benefits brands, businesses and entrepreneurs as well as designers and other creative professionals.

AOD is Sri Lanka’s pioneering design campus. AOD hosts Design Wire to instil and inspire industry to use design in a modern context. Working across many industries and supplying the design talent of tomorrow to Sri Lanka, AOD is in a unique position to inspire design innovation across the various sectors. For more information about Design Wire or for a discussion on design led projects for industry, design careers or design education reach AOD on 011 58677722 or visit AOD at 29, Lauries Road, Colombo 04.