'We need more designers evolving into super creatives’: how to build a future proof brand

Ricardo: My first step is getting to the core of who the brand really is. That means looking both outward and inward.

Outwardly, we dive into the world the brand lives in. We study cultural movements, analyse competitors, track trends, and centre everything around what people need. Looking inward, we uncover the brand’s identity: its challenges, tensions, aspirations, and most importantly, its history.

I truly believe that great branding reconnects a brand with what it’s built over time. It doesn’t erase the past, it reframes it to shape a future that feels both desirable and authentic. When you bring those internal and external perspectives together, you can see the path forward clearly. We want to find the “brief inside the brief."

Ricardo: I love this question because I believe a brand’s authenticity lives in the tension between its past and future.

The past is a place of reference, reverence, self-recognition, and deep learning. Every brand has something special, whether it’s the name, the logo, the colours, the stories of its founders, or even the myths that have grown around it. These assets, both tangible and intangible, are rich with potential during design exploration.

But it’s not just about pulling things from the archive and polishing them up, it's not a copy-paste exercise. We have to imagine what’s next and find inspiration from that. That means evolving those assets, keeping their original spirit while creating new meaning and emotional connections.

When we explore the friction between origin and originality, we create sparks, and if we're lucky, sometimes even fire. That’s where true creativity is born.

Nothing alive is static, everything is in constant motion.

For a brand to stay relevant, it must continuously "read the room," looking at the world with a holistic, curious, and courageous lens. It’s about understanding that today’s challenges can be prototypes of tomorrow’s vision.

The brand needs to define and pursue that vision, and pursue it with clarity.

For me, the best way to build a future-proof brand is to double down on what makes it distinctive – recognize it, embrace it, and reimagine it.

Today, as ECD at JKR, I feel more inspired than ever to bring my Brazilian roots into the work and to encourage both brands and people to embrace their true selves, everywhere and at every moment. After all, the journey of evolution never really ends.

Stuart: I’d like to see the branding industry continue to evolve into a more integrated, holistic discipline, where the traditional boundaries between design, branding, and advertising are no longer treated as separate worlds, but as interconnected parts of a broader brand experience.

As brands increasingly need partners who can think across the whole journey, from identity and voice to campaigns, activations, and digital touchpoints, there’s a real opportunity for agencies and creatives to step up and meet that need.