AkzoNobel
Colour Futures
Global Trends Forecast
Colour Futures is an annual trends forecast, created by AkzoNobel Decorative Paints to inspire their customers and consumers. It is translated into multiple languages and drives media coverage in more than forty markets around the world. I was lucky enough to work on this project for many years.
Role
Senior Designer
Responsibilities
Trend Forecasting
Art Direction
Shoot Management
Project Management
Copy Writing/Editing
Public Speaking
Date
2010-2019
Image rights belong to to AkzoNobel
Trend Forecasting
During this first step in the trend forecasting journey, I worked with colour and design experts from the Netherlands, India, China, Australia and the US, to analyse colour, design and social trends. My role was to present new ideas and social shifts from a UK perspective. I then collaborated with the group over two days, at the end of which we agreed on the big ideas for the forthcoming year that would resonate globally.
Concept Development
At this stage, I worked with my global colleagues from across the decorative paints and powder coatings businesses to translate the big ideas from the trends forecasting group into colour stories and interior concepts. During this two day ideation phase we discussed and debated the outcomes of many different ways the trend ideas could be visualised within interiors and architecture. Finally we agreed on the trend stories and colour palettes we all felt would resonate globally.
Image rights belong to to AkzoNobel
Image rights belong to AkzoNobel
Trends Photography
Once the trend stories had been given senior sign off, I worked along side the Creative Director and Design Agency to agree shoot locations and a shot by shot plan for how we would bring each interior trend to life. I then designed colour combinations for each shot, briefed the stylist and communicated between the agency and Creative Director to manage the shoot.
Content Creation
The focus of the project evolved over time from physical to digital assets but having a book you could touch continued to be important for press events. I was lucky enough to copy write two of the publications myself and had a lead role on every element of the design process. In later years I returned to the team as a freelance consultant and advised the comms team on digital communication.
Image rights belong to AkzoNobel
Press Events
At the end of all our hard work, it was a great pleasure to present the trends for the following year to press and interior designers. During my time with AkzoNobel I was key note speaker at some extradentary events in London, Prague, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine
