Creative Lives in Progress

Why digital clutter builds up by stealth Rarely offensive enough to get dealt with, digital clutter has a habit of disappearing into the background. It’s not loud enough to force a clear-out, but noisy enough to drain you every day. A lot of digital overwhelm isn’t about volume so much as curation – deciding what actually deserves space in front of you. Let’s be real: no one needs those old project files saved “just in case,” or 10 QR code screenshots for a parcel sent last October.

Jamie Thorp is a senior copywriter at Reed Words, where he produces work for the likes of Virgin, Sony and Wagamama – often alongside brand strategists. Over time, he’s noticed the lines between their roles aren’t always clear-cut. To explore this, he spoke with three strategists, Molly Rowan-Hamilton, Ashleigh Steinhobel and Emma Hopton, on where their roles overlap, how they differ and why the best work happens when copywriting and strategy come together.

The new year always marks a surge in job-hunting, so if you’ve been deep in applications and landed an interview, congrats! If there’s one thing we know, it’s that preparing for interview questions is your best friend. This is where AI tools can become a great help – especially if you don’t have someone IRL available to practice with. We’ve rounded up some of our top resources to help you refine your answers, boost your confidence and get interview-ready in no time. 1.

We’re back this February to bring you another jam-packed IRL Networking event in partnership with Affinity! Register now for the chance to join us and network with emerging creatives, industry professionals – and get stuck into a range of creative activities. Networking is a term that can make many of us shudder: bad jokes, name badges, forced or awkward conversation. But it doesn’t have to be this way...

For studio Buttercrumble’s founders, creativity runs in the family. Growing up in a seaside town, twin sisters Abigail and Chloe Baldwin transformed their lifelong passion for art and design into building their own thriving creative studio. With a love for mid-century modern aesthetics and a playful approach to their craft, the duo have collaborated with clients ranging from local nurseries to large-scale businesses.

Lánre Adeleye’s journey shows that a successful design career is possible without formal education. After teaching himself skills online, completing D&AD Shift in 2022 opened doors to work on briefs for major clients like Adidas and Penguin. Driven by his belief in creativity as a force for change, Lánre went on to co-found 'The Junior' – a community supporting aspiring creatives. Today, as a brand designer at HSBC, he uses creativity to communicate on a global scale.

After graduating with a Graphic Design degree in 2022, Solly Sperber dove head first into the world of branding and packaging design. He's now thriving as a designer at Elmwood, a top agency based in London's Covent Garden. Solly spends his days crafting bold visual stories and solving creative problems. Here, he shares more about his role at Elmwood, his approach to collaboration and why embracing new opportunities is essential for budding designers.

Looking for some extra inspiration this month? If you’re London-based and in need of a creative pick-me-up, sign up for Today at Apple’s upcoming event, spotlighting brilliant rising artist Hannah Lim. In time for Lunar New Year, expect an enlightening session exploring identity, heritage and personal expression.

On Thursday 20 February, we’re hosting a Portfolio Review for US-based creatives in conjunction with the Creative Fellowship at Google! The event is open to emerging creatives across a range of creative specialisms– from design, social content creation and writing to production, UX design and creative technology. So if you’re based in the US, and interested in finding out more about the Fellowship, make sure you apply for the chance to join us.

Looking to join our Portfolio Review on Thursday 30 January? You’re in the right place! We have not one, but two Portfolio Reviews lined up for you this month, both with a focus on getting into graphic design. So if you’re a UK-based creative who is studying, recently graduated, or are within the first year of your career, this is a great opportunity to meet experts and get feedback.