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Alive with inspiration

“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.”

Leo Burnett

 

Inspiration is a peculiar and powerful concept. It’s something almost all of us need in our daily lives to survive and thrive. Here at Alive, things are no different. Inspiration is the lifeblood of our creativity.

Inspiration can come from many different places, things, people and scenarios. It has many forms and there is no one size fits all answer. In fact, in recent years even experts have been trying to understand the science behind inspiration and creativity.

Our talented team draws from a diverse array of sources, each contributing to the unique array of ideas that fuels our projects. Let’s take a closer look at where our design studio team find their spark!

Rob Leech: The power of connection

Rob believes that inspiration often strikes from connections between ideas. He likes to get a head start on projects, allowing thoughts to marinate and build awareness around a subject. His explorations in the world whether it’s through the latest design blogs like Brand New and Creative Review, or the unexpected encounters of everyday life (think shop displays or public transport ads) keep his creative batteries fully charged. He steers clear of trend-focused content, valuing originality and authenticity in his work.

Masons inspiration

Mason Latter: Nature’s classroom

For Mason, nature is a rich source of inspiration. His walks with his dog, Stanley, remind him of the wonders of the natural world and its inherent beauty. Photography has also shaped his perspective, teaching him to seek balance and tranquillity. It’s this calmness that fuels his creativity, allowing him to think freely away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Rebecca Simmonette: A digital wonderland

Rebecca’s go-to sources are a treasure trove of design inspiration. With a penchant for Pinterest and Behance, she explores various visual styles and typography. Her Muzli Chrome extension keeps her updated with fresh ideas, while design books and the works of established designers like Jessica Walsh and Paula Scher further ignite her creativity.

Laura Saitch: Exhibitions and visual treats

Laura dives into the art world, frequently attending exhibitions that showcase the brilliance of established artists. From the Helmut Newton exhibition in Berlin to installations at Le Bon Marché, she draws inspiration from the physical and visual experiences that art provides. Platforms like Behance and Creative Boom also feed her creative appetite.

Kats inspiration

Kat Hassell: Everyday wonders

Kat’s inspiration is a delightful mix of the ordinary and the extraordinary. She finds beauty in the simple things, music, quirky conversations with her kids, and even the colour of her socks! When seeking inspiration online, she turns to her usual favourites but prefers the organic feel of DIY art markets, illustration fairs, and graduate shows, where creativity thrives in its rawest form.

Amy Betts: A design magpie

Amy loves collecting random scraps of paper that she’s picked up when she’s out and about, anything from magazines to drinks bottles and packaging. Rather than finding inspiration on the web or in curated design books, she finds it extremely rewarding to find inspiration in the things around her. Over the years she’s come to appreciate the typography, colours, patterns and illustrations of the mundane things she used to collect, and this adds fuel to her creative fire.

Stan Stanley: An eclectic mix

Stan finds inspiration in the unlikeliest of places, but his background in design means he still visits favourite sites like Behance for visual stimulation. Now more client-facing, he draws insight from various podcasts that cover a spectrum of topics – from innovative thinking to sports performance and examines how this could be applied to business. This blend of information helps him stay versatile and informed in his approach.

Andys inspiration

Andy Davies: Collaboration and environment

Andy’s creativity is ignited by the talented individuals he works alongside. The energy of the team inspires him to push his boundaries. He values the atmosphere of the workplace, often finding that fresh air and interaction spark new ideas. His Instagram inspiration folder is filled with design gems, tips, and tricks, keeping him attuned to the latest in design software and trends.

Valentina Zagaglia: The balance of research and intuition

For Valentina, inspiration is a nuanced journey. Depending on her mood and the project at hand, she indulges in deep research or steps back to clear her mind. She enjoys exploring books and social channels but knows when to switch gears, seeking out unrelated content to spark fresh ideas. Her methodical approach to branding projects involves extensive research and brainstorming, allowing her creativity to flow in unexpected directions.

 

So, there you have it! The Alive design studio team embodies a vibrant mix of inspiration sources, each member bringing their own unique perspective to the table. Whether it’s through nature walks, art exhibitions, or everyday encounters, we believe that inspiration is everywhere, it just takes a keen eye and an open and creative mind to recognise it. As we continue to create, we’ll always appreciate these diverse inspirations that fuel our passion for design.

If you want to hear more from our studio team and others at Alive, you should definitely check out Spark Off – a new and exciting podcast talking about the world of design, animation, inspiration and creativity.

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“I feel like they own and care for the project as much as we do! I would not use anyone else for my creative work and think Alive is ahead of the game.”

Jo Hobbs — Communications Manager

“Thanks for all your help. We are delighted with the campaign, both in terms of the creativity and messaging but also the thought taken over the rollout of the materials. All looks absolutely fabulous!”

Sarah Crowdy — Campaign and Media Officer Communications, South East Water

“We went to ‘Alive’ for ideas on how to run a specific employee program in Europe. Alan and his team were brilliant in coming up with fresh, creative and practical approaches. The team took charge and executed brilliantly. We are pleased with the progress made so far and hope to have the same level of partnership and commitment going forward.”

Sobha Varghese — Tata Consultancy Services

“Alive helped us create a video of our response to the floods of winter 2019. Our Chief Officer received messages from all round the country praising us for it and was really pleased with both the video and the response to it.”

Alexander Mills, Communications Manager — South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

“We had the privilege to work with the Alive team. It was our first time to be involved in creating an animation for our patients within paediatrics. The team were approachable, friendly, creative and very accommodating. Your vision for what you want to create, is at all times acknowledged, appreciated and accommodated by the team. They worked effectively and with great passion towards our project and worked not only alongside health professionals but also our patients who really enjoyed the experience of working with the Alive team. It has given our team the confidence and inspiration to do further projects in the future. We highly recommend Alive and their exceptional team.”

DR ELENI ATHANASAKOS, Lead Paediatric Clinical Scientist — NHS Barts Health

“‘The short animation developed in co-production with clinicians and young people is outstanding! Informative, developmentally appropriate, vitally fun and engaging. We are really grateful for the expertise of the Alive with Ideas team for their innovative approach in building children’s health literacy.'”

Kath Evans — Director of Children’s Nursing at Barts Health

“Our mission was to update our brand visuals to better reflect our innovative and forward-thinking organisation. After receiving numerous pitches from different branding agencies, Alive stood out with their clear passion and understanding of our identity and goals. We thoroughly enjoyed working with the Alive Team to create an engaging new brand that we are immensely proud of.”

Lianne Springer — Communications and Engagement Lead

“Alive wowed us during the pitch process and they didn’t stop wowing us throughout the whole project. Every person we worked with at Alive were so friendly, knowledgeable and clearly passionate about what they do. They have worked with us to really understand what we do and have created a new brand and website that really stands out from our competitors. Thank you!”

Louise Burnard, Head of Marketing and Communications UK — Be | Shaping the Future

“I think the team have done such a brilliant job, particularly with responding to our requests. It's one of the best mental health videos I've ever seen. Very proud to be associated with your exemplary work. Thank you so much.”

Dr Anna Batho — Clinical Psychologist – Critical Care, UCLH

“We have worked with Alan, Caroline and the wider Alive With Ideas team for many years. In that time, they have provided a dedicated service that is second to none. We appreciate their attention to detail and creative approach to bringing our brand, communications and stories to life. And would recommend them to anyone looking for creative communications support.”

Georgia Beech — Internal Communications Specialist, Ocado Group

“This is brilliant. I wanted to give my heartfelt thanks to all of the team who worked on this. You all understood exactly what we wanted to communicate and why, and then managed to do it in a way that was far better than anything I could have imagined. I’m a bit choked up to be honest!”

Sarah Wright, Head of Communications and Campaigns — NEA

“Each time I work with the team, I am always stunned at the effort and creativity that goes into each detail and am always eager for the end result. The team is extremely accommodating and always provide a fresh approach to our projects that elevates our communications materials!”

Alana Khaytin, Communications Specialist — Braskem America

“What I really appreciate about Alive is that they work with us as partners, and care as much about getting it right for our patients as we do.”

Sara Langston, Patient Engagement & Marketing Manager — italk

“Alive are unique in how much they deeply listen and invest in you and your ideas. I have not come across a company that listens as much as they do to ensure your needs are understood and met (actually - they always exceed my needs and expectations). Everyone I recommend Alive to has an equally brilliant experience. When you work with Alive, you are not only getting some genius creativity brought into your life, you are also hanging out with some of the best examples of human beings I’ve ever known.”

Steph Tranter, Hybrid Exec Coach & Psychologist — StephTranter.com

“The (Alive) team were able to creatively pull together and document (in just over 2minutes) everything our service has achieved over the last few months, from thousands of prescriptions deliveries to hundreds of phone calls made to the vulnerable. The final product was so powerful and reflective of what our service has and continues to achieve. It couldn’t have been better received within the service – thanks Alive for once again helping us to communicate our vision!’”

Emma Wright — South Yorkshire & Rescue

“We worked with the team at Alive to create our staff recognition video.
At a time like this, its never been more important to share the amazing work that our staff have done and continue to do on a daily basis under very difficult circumstances. We wanted to shout about this and recognise that when the time came, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue stepped up to the plate. We didn’t want an ordinary thank you post on social media or a basic email sent out internally, we wanted something special. Enter Alive. ”

Emma Wright — South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

“Our company is fun, we have great brands, but most importantly we’re all about our people – and I wanted an agency who would understand that and help us bring it to life through our website and other comms. Straight away I felt that Alive ‘got’ us and provided the creative inspiration exactly where we needed it, as well as the technical expertise to deliver a well-functioning website.”

Keren McCarron, Head of Corporate Affairs & Communications — KP Snacks

“Boom!
Thank you so much. Incredible work done at incredible speed by incredible people.
Outstanding work as ever and what a turnaround. As for the concepts – wow. These are that good it would be an insult to describe them as just good. It’s a joke, quite frankly. This is exactly the Alive effect I was after. Right now I feel like I am living in an Alive With Ideas wonderland. Thank you!”

Jack Grasby, Campaigns Manager — SYFR

“If you are looking to improve creativity and build teamwork, I highly recommend a session like this for your team. No matter where you are in your creativity journey, a workshop like this can give your team a boost of energy and ideas to invigorate their creative thinking.”

Amy Lilja, IC Manager — Hennepin Healthcare

“Alive were there to help when we were working every hour to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. They gave us the creativity, ideas and support we needed to deliver campaigns which empowered our residents in the most difficult time most of us have ever seen, personally and professionally. The team understood what we needed, worked closely with us and delivered fast without any compromise on quality. Working with Alive has been a joy in the darkest of times and I have no doubt will have helped to save lives. Thanks team x”

Julie Odams, Assistant Director of Communications & Customers — Derbyshire County Council

“We got 'Alive' involved to help us shift mindsets across our organisation and they delivered! Using simple, clear and creative ideas the team have delivered us a campaign which has seen a dramatic increase in idea sharing and development. They’ve also played a significant role in creating a culture of shared success. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with again, in fact, we already are!”

Gavin Buckle — B&Q
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