Wish List Speakers

It’s that time again! As we tick off the talks to see at this year’s Offset, we thought we’d make our own wish list of speakers who haven’t yet graced the stage. From a long list of inspiring individuals and studios, here are some of the names that made the cut. (Soz Pentagram, you’ve had your turn ;P):

1 THE THINKER

Writer for The New Yorker, author and TED speaker, Malcolm Gladwell provokes us to think and challenge typical understanding or assumptions. One of his notions, that spontaneous decisions can be as relevant as – or better than – considered ones is in line with what we know as designers. He teaches us to pay attention to intuition. Strategy and thinking is as creatively rich and inspiring as image making and listening to some of the questions dissected by some of the great minds on the circuit can be profoundly educational.

2 THE MOTION MEN

Man Vs Machine were unanimously elected as a must-see, given their position as a constant source of awe inspiring motion graphics. Interestingly, their work is possibly the most likely to have featured in the average household – on More 4, Syfy, TV3, MTV to name just a few of their clients and exquisite executions. We’d like to hear what makes them tick and just how they did that.

3 THE SPACE DESIGNER

Challenging how we approach a given space saw architects like Thomas Heatherwick, artists such as Olafur Eliasson and designer of installation and super graphics master, Morag Myerscough feature on our list of desirables. Morag aims to turn every space into a story – with thrilling and eclectic narratives of colour, big type and geometric patterns. She creates drama on a large scale and her work questions the typical limitations of the graphic designer role, breaking out and inventing experiences and stories, something bigger. Morag has worked with The Tate, Design Museum, Barbican, Design Council, British Council, Wedgwood, V&A, Vintage at Goodwood and many more. 

4 THE IMAGE MAKER

Nick Knight OBE (Oooh, get you Nick!) is a legendary fashion & documentary photographer and web publisher best known for his hugely influential and visionary work with designers including Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior and music artists like Bjork, Lady Gaga and Kanye West. Knight’s iconic work consistently challenges conventional notions of beauty and his often surreal photographic style is instantly recognisable, always inspirational. His work has been published in British Vogue, Paris Vogue, i-D and Dazed & Confused and has exhibited in international art institutions such as the V&A, Saatchi Gallery and the Hayward Gallery but to name a few. We assume he’d have some entertaining stories as well as knowledge to impart. 

5 THE STUDIO

In collecting inspiration from artists and studios around the globe, you may find your mind wonder how those in a similar vein really do it. For us, one of those yet to grace the stage at Offset is Scandinavia’s BVD. Their aesthetic is best described by their own mantra, “Simplify to Clarify”. Strong thinking, simplified, across solutions for Coca-Cola, H&M, 7 Eleven and a horde of Scandinavian clients. For pared back packaging, slick retail solutions, impactful branding and the Scandinavian touch, we nominate a talk by BVD.

And just a few more from our long list who we’d love to see:

Chris Ware, Geoff McFetridge, Jim Sutherland, Michael Jager, Sean Perkins, Mike Dempsey, Vince Frost, Made Thought, Stockholm Design Lab, John Ellery, Stranger and Stranger, The Guerilla Girls, Tyler Brule, Build, Thonik, Raymond Pettibon, Simon Synek, Ken Robinson, Barbara Kruger, Tim Brown, Signalnoise, Anagrama, Bompas & Parr, Digital Kitchen, Róisín Heneghan, Irma Boom, Rose Design, Purpose Studio, Richard Baneham, John Crowley….

Who would make yours?

(You can thank us later Offset 2016.)