Too normal? No one notices. Too weird? No one understands. The sweet spot? That’s where culture shifts. A talk about the creative framework that’s shaped much of my work over the past two decades: 👉 Weird the Normal — making the everyday feel strange, delightful, or uncanny. 👉 Normal the Weird — taking complex or unconventional ideas and making them feel obvious.

It happened! 4AM and fully caffeinated with the brilliant Creative Boom crew, talking about how to Weird the Normal & Normal the Weird. Big thanks to Katy Cowan for the invite — we covered everything from AI to aesthetic intelligence to how creative thinking can reframe what culture calls “normal.” It even ended in a manifesto (of course it did).

Using AI to Build Aesthetic Intelligence was a 12-week course for creatives ready to think with, not just about, AI. Co-led with GP LeBourdais, we explored how tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Claude can sharpen taste, accelerate thinking, and deepen creative intent. From AI-aided research and image systems to custom GPTs and legal grey zones, each session built toward a capstone project rooted in strategy, craft, and curiosity. This wasn’t just a class — it was a community. Huge thanks to ELVTR and every student who showed up, shared honestly, and reminded us that creativity is still very much a human superpower.

What a joy to be part of Superside Summit—an incredible gathering of bold, inspiring thinkers pushing the boundaries of creativity. It was an absolute honor to share the stage with so many remarkable voices. Huge thanks to Tess Bemporat Paiewonsky for the thoughtful write-up, and to Lucas Yu for being such a sharp, generous sparring partner on stage (we missed you, Sam Oshin!). This summit left me with so much to reflect on: Natalie Nixon reminded us that the best creative work happens at the intersection of wonder and rigor; Ryan Hammill warned that an over-reliance on data often leads to incremental tweaks rather than breakthrough ideas; Adam Morgan made the case that emotionally resonant storytelling fuels long-term brand success; and Tom Fishburne’s sharp take on the four common marketing myopias was a standout moment. Superside, thank you for curating such an energizing, thought-provoking experience. Creativity isn’t just alive—it’s evolving in the best possible ways.

Design legend John Maeda recently featured Use Design to Design Change and described it with words that genuinely moved me. He wrote: “James has a rare gift: he makes creativity feel both deeply personal and refreshingly practical… he’s always been a beacon for what bold, resonant design can achieve.” Coming from someone who has influenced generations of designers, technologists, and creative leaders, this means the world. You can read the full post on the link below. Grateful. Humbled. Inspired to keep designing change.

A course I created and teach, designed for creative professionals who want to work smarter with AI. The course explores how to use AI as a strategic and creative partner — from brand storytelling and visual research to forecasting trends and generating original design concepts. It’s hands-on, conversation-led, and grounded in real-world creative challenges, helping students sharpen their taste, expand their imagination, and build better ideas — faster.

From debunking industry myths to championing storytelling and intuitive feedback, Use Design to Design Change challenges conventional branding wisdom and repositions design as a strategic force for transformation.

Use Design To Design Change – Second Edition is out now! This refreshed edition takes the original ideas further, offering fresh insights and powerful frameworks to help you leverage design as a tool for meaningful change. In this book, design transcends aesthetics—it becomes a catalyst for transformation. Discover how daring to launch, embracing the power of “and,” and scaling without compromise can revolutionize your brand and community. Every page reflects my personal journey and deep passion for creative leadership. If you’re a creative director, founder, or marketeer looking to challenge the status quo, this book is your guide to innovative, actionable change.

Always a pleasure sharing why Punk Works exists and the importance of People & Planet thinking in building Profitable brands. Want to eavesdrop on old friends catching up on why good design means doing good? Tuck into the latest episode of Nicki Trott's wonderful podcast Going Conscious where she was kind enough to let me drone on.

Alex Poots, the Shed’s artistic director, said in an interview that as he worked with Stockhausen earlier in his career, they often talked about the Kugelauditorium and about “centering the auditory experience.”

A luminous, spherical concert hall will float inside the shed in new york.

Punk Works results from Hurst's career-long mission to empower companies to live out their values and build their own brands. Hurst told Creative Boom that the studio is "built on a belief in DIY culture and the idea that clients can build strong brands on their own, with the right tools and support.

Thrilled to be working with the Mentoring Black Businesses (MBB), a resource for Black Business to thrive. The platform gives businesses connections with industry professionals, change makers and leaders to unlock value and realize potential.

The foundation of a six-week program crafted to expand a brand and amplify its impact. Through facilitated workshops and exercises, leaders discover their Unfair Advantage, equip teams with essential skills to listen and communicate effectively.

The foundation of a six-week program tailored to help realign a brand and maintain its relevance in the ever-evolving market landscape. With facilitated workshops and practical exercises, leaders remodel business models, envision their brand's future.

The foundation of a six-week program designed to guide leaders in building a robust and enduring brand. Through a series of facilitated workshops and interactive exercises, you learn to envision the long-term scope, articulate your value proposition.

Creative Boom asked if they could do a profile piece on me. I obviously assumed they'd got me mixed up with someone worth profiling, but took the call to be sure. The write up is lovely, hope you enjoy it!

Trend reports that look back are so last year. Pinterest Predicts used Pinterest’s forward-looking data to give advertisers the insights they need… from the future. Pinterest Predicts equipped advertisers with a secret weapon they've never had before—a window into the future. With a strong mix of online and offline multi-channel experiences, advertisers were fully immersed into our not-yet-trending report that helped them get ahead of future trends and strategically plan their upcoming marketing efforts. Thrilled it got picked as a nomination for: Editorial Design & Art Direction, and humbled it has been highly commended for Design Impact in the 2022 Drum Design Awards.

A Cresta Award is one of the world’s most prestigious creative accolades. The annual online festival attracts work from over 70 countries, and from many of the global industry’s most respected creative companies. It's an honor to be asked to judge.

Good artists borrow, great artists steal. The irony in the theft of that stolen quote is something special. It is with pleasure to introduce a digital interpretation of Damien Hirsts Spot Paintings. Hirsts' work with those spot paintings have come to define the superficiality of our superficial age. Art theft has a way of elevating what it steals, to that end I'll be donating a percentage of the funds to art education initiatives to further the debate on the role (and relevance) of art today. This is part of a collection of NFT's celebrating great art, online.

Years ago I was asked to write a book to share how I helped make the impact on the brands I have. Fast forward many years, and i've written it! There are now a series of tools, that can be used by anyone, right now to equip teams with dumb questions that shape smart answers.

The Drum have long held onto their view that good design is problem-solving balancing aesthetics & effectiveness. It's an honor to work with them and an all star line-up (with many faces I haven't seen IRL for far too long!) as we work through the Drum Design Award entries for 2022. The awards are open to anyone using design thinking to make a difference, and hats off to the inspirational Natasha Chetiyawardana for her leadership in bringing such a wonderful crew together to ensure we give that work the attention it deserves.

The crew at Hoo Koo E Koo live in the future, and I feel lucky to work with them as they pop back to give the rest of us the directions about where we're going.

I’m delighted to be supporting The Arena’s Mentoring Programme this Autumn, as a mentor for emerging creatives. To apply, or get more information, all you need to do is visit their site.

Creativity at its best gets your heart racing. This year's Cresta cohort is packed with powerful lateral thinking bringing to life ideas that matter. It underscores the importance of bravery for brands today. That bravery came through with compelling points-of-view and real confidence (and responsibility) to respond to the context work lives in.

It's been an absolute pleasure talking to Armin Vit as he pulled together a Follow-up podcast going deeper on our (recently reviewed) work at Pinterest! Huge thank you to Simon Blockley, Noel Leu for bringing the wise words and hoping we did you proud Andreas Helin! It takes a village to build a brand, so while we are the voices (this time) huge thank you to the many many hands building a brand that matters and Pinterest deserves!

In it to Pin It.

Pinterest’s New Brand Identity Focuses on the ‘Endless Inspiration’ of Pinners

Pinterest unveils an eccentric new brand identity

Moloney spoke to 21 creatives from the industry for the project, whose quotes have been turned into 21 animated typographic posters. “The purpose of MakingIt21 is to spread some optimism off the back of a terrible year, a series of messages to graduate designers who missed out on the typical opportunities, or to be honest anyone who is looking for a moral boost,” Moloney tells us. “The aim is creativity for positivity. I know for myself, 12 years into my career, I’ve taken loads away from designing the posters and working with the quotes throughout the duration of this project.”

When David Maloney asked 21 people for 2021 advice, it focussed hearts & minds around creative leadership lessons for today. Thanks to David for pulling us all together, and Its Nice That for helping amplify the story!

Unstuck has been recognized in the SF Independent Film Festival in the Short Narrative category.

It's been an honor and privilege to work with Peter Ukhurebor and the One Block Village crew on how Pinterest could (and should) mean something meaningful.

Having been lucky enough to have Ben guide me through the process of Neuroplasticity, I couldn't vouch for it more, and it's a real honor to help them as they define the brand that is going to give them the audience they deserve.

The 6 dumb questions you should ask to get smart

It seems bananas now — a physical event — but in January, we brought Pinterest to life IRL for CES. It's heartening that the work won Gold in the Event Marketer EX awards.

Lock Down has been picked up by a number of festivals, getting into the official selction in 4 categories in the Indie Fest awards: Best Production Design, Best Editing, Best Microfilm, Best Sound Design.

My first outing on Instagram live, part of the fantastic initiative Live Talk From.

Keynote talk pulling apart the 6 questions that ensure design thinking is meaningful.

An interview about my background, why I started, how I got here (where am I?) and what i've learn't (cough).... sadly not much clowning around.

Helped the founding team define and shape how they could introduce a brand that hope to address male toxicity.

The Typodarium accompanies you through the year with 366 new fonts, I was lucky to have some of my work from The Type Foundry included.

It's the biggest event in the world, and one of the most recognisable brands. So what goes into designing for the Olympics?

It’s encouraging to see that the Design Indaba stage was used for more than a portfolio show-and-tell and that Natasha was able to voice an important point of view. Personally, I both disagree and agree with her.

Selected in the Design – Brand Identity category in The Annual 2018, CR’s award scheme celebrating the best in commercial creativity.

Our work makes the Brand Identity category.

Deliveroo wins best overall visual identity!

Our retail work for Depop is recognized with a gold.

And we won Gold for food and beverage.

The Typodarium accompanies you through the year with 366 new fonts, and this issue has a couple of the faces from The Type Foundry.

DesignStudio’s guide to creating great brand identities.

"an expert panel discussing the thinking behind a brand identity and when it's the right time to rebrand."

Combining the head, heart and hand is the key to creating a really meaningful brand.

The new WorldFirst branding is based on the concept of a “kit of parts” rather than a traditional logo, centred around an ellipses device of three dots. “Do More” was chosen as a “refreshing and optimistic proposition” that aims to ensure clarity for internal teams, and align that with the external design expression of the brand.

Online shop Depop rebrands to take on “f*ck it” attitude.

Food delivery startup Deliveroo’s new branding features a minimal kangaroo logo, colourful rider jerseys and photography that captures the ‘messiness’ of food.

Deliveroo redefines what retail means.

For a mad minute I dabbled with electronica toys. Its been called discordant, noise and ‘interesting’. It doesn’t go down well at weddings, it has never been played at a funeral.

Five golden rules for dealing with social media comments on high-profile branding jobs.

Design is now a key driver for businesses and organisations looking to innovate, differentiate themselves from competitors and get closer to their users. But what do these organisations mean by design and how are they using it?

Judging typographic awards for the 2016 annual.

Reinventing renowned identities for the likes of the Premier League and Deliveroo involves high stakes and lots of public pressure, but the London-based team took it in their stride, creating thoughtful, fun and, above all, bold new looks for both.

How brands and agencies can thrive in the age of design.

Brand in the age of social media.

They’re worth more than £80bn a year to the economy – so why are the UK’s creative industries undermined by an education system that regards artistic subjects as second class?

When we talk about brands with purpose, we’d do well to learn lessons from this bunny rabbit anthropomorphised with a bow tie.

The anticipation builds. You find your seat, nestle into the chair, wrestle the coat into submission. With popcorn propped precariously between the knees, the curtains open that little bit wider and the 360º sound rips through the cinema as the ROOOOOOAAAAAAAARR of the Metro Goldwyn Mayer lion lets you know it is all about to begin.

Executive creative director at DesignStudio, James Hurst, says: “We’ve filled this little red dot with a peskiness that grabs attention, getting in your way until you wake up to the opportunity to own something original.”

DesignStudio has unveiled a new visual identity for Future Finance, which looks to reconcile serious subjects such as student loans, with an attention grabbing new look.

DesignStudio used this vibrant display as a basis for its graphic design concept, which is hooked on the phrase Shape Music, and turns the gestures into painterly dots and brushes of colour, or “light trails”. This idea went on to influence a feature of Blocks’ final interface, as “light trails” became part of the instrument’s display.

Gone are the days of waiting until lunchtime so you can make a quick call to a salon to book a hair appointment.

Beauty booking company Wahanda has changed its name to Treatwell as part of a major rebrand. Treatwell is the name of the German rival company that Wahanda acquired last June for a reported €34m. The name change is part of Wahanda’s plan to unify its business, which has become increasingly multi-pronged.

Health and beauty services booking website Treatwell (formerly Wahanda) has launched a new advertising campaign following its rebrand earlier this year. The campaign features a series of three un-stylised images that aim to capture movement. The company describes the “spirited” images as a departure from the illustration-based format of its previous campaigns.

Wahanda, the European hair and beauty marketplace that Japan’s Recruit Holdings majority acquired last year for $117 million (at a $240 million pre-money valuation), is getting a makeover of its own. Today the company has rebranded to Treatwell. The name comes from an acquisition made in June 2015 to expand its services in Holland, Germany and Belgium.

After a major acquisition and expansion during the past year, the website offering reductions for hair & beauty products and services has undergone a major rebrand with a new name: Treatwell.

Online hair and beauty booking service Wahanda has undergone a make over of its own and rebranded as Treatwell to realise its growth ambitions.

Wahanda was set up in 2008 and has recently acquired a number of competitor businesses in the UK and Europe. One of the businesses it has bought is Treatwell, and the company is now unifying all of its businesses under the Treatwell brand.

It’s like OpenTable but instead of making a restaurant reservation, you make a spa or salon reservation.

Fashion has a new cult item: the Deliveroo jacket, which streetwear fans are buying up on vintage resale sites and wearing to raves.

An angular new kangaroo, designed to be internationally recognisable.

As part of a major rebrand, Deliveroo has introduced a more minimalist kangaroo character while overhauling typography and staff uniforms with colourful new designs.

Food delivery company Deliveroo has rolled out a new brand identity, refreshing the logo, wordmark and providing an equipment refresh to help its its riders (more often than not cyclists) stand out more on the street.

It’s not only the uniforms that have received a makeover. Deliveroo’s logo has also been revamped. The emblem still retains the kangaroo motif that’s recognized globally. However, it has been remodeled to be a little more minimalistic.

Deliveroo has become the latest company to scrap its complicated logo in favour of a flat design.

Talking about who owns Rhianna’s face.

Electronic toys used to make sad songs.

New Blood Awards is open to advertising, design, digital and marketing students, recent graduates and young creatives worldwide.

Wednesday’s design director James Hurst explores the importance of new Arabic domain شبكة, or dot shabaka, and predicts that it could become even more integral as artificial intelligence develops.

With a heavy heart we announce type is dead. The improvements in voice-operated user interfaces renders redundant buttons, signage, poetry anthologies and council tax reminders!

So, how much did Microsoft pay?

Cure Studio is set to close next month, with consultancy founder James Hurst joining Figtree as a senior creative.

We wanted to create something beautiful each time with nice print processes, but when we knew the first eight were mapped out we wanted to tie them all together.