Design studios reveal what's got them energised and excited about 2025

Feeling uninspired? Take heart! The design industry is charging forward into 2025 with excitement and renewed purpose. So why not join them in their enthusiasm and optimism about the coming year?

We've been speaking to creative minds from across the industry to find out what trends, technologies, and movements are igniting their enthusiasm. The vast majority of them told us a positive story about how the industry is working to build a future that balances global impact with local relevance.

From sustainability strategies and AI-driven creative processes to fostering new talent and redefining brand simplicity, these thought leaders have shared their visions and strategies for 2025 with us. And we reveal some of their best insights in the article below.

So read on to see what's coming next and discover how the industry is tackling some of the most pressing issues in design today.

1. Sustainability takes centre stage

Growing demand for sustainable packaging and the upcoming EU legislation in 2025 is catalysing a wave of eco-conscious design initiatives right now. And that means Alexander Rexworthy, design director of Outlaw, is excited about leveraging new technologies and sustainability-focused strategies. "We're keen as mustard to partner with packaging producers to create industry-leading solutions and collaborate with printers to ensure inks and finishes are eco-friendly," he says.

Of course, this commitment to sustainability extends beyond client work: it also means making sure your own house is in order. That's why Perniclas Bedow, creative director at Bedow, is excited about their own journey toward B Corp certification. "It's been a long process, with hundreds of hours spent overseeing, reviewing, improving, and documenting," he says. "But it's been incredibly inspiring, and we're excited to hopefully achieve certification next year."

2. Brand innovation with purpose

Sustainability is only one element in a growing trend for agencies to want to go good. The days of taking the money and running are clearly over, as studio after studio expresses its wish to do meaningful work with clients that drive meaningful change.

Sunny Bonnell, co-founder and CEO of Motto, tells a typical story. "The industry is moving from brand-building to brand innovation," she declares. "That means challenging everything we thought we knew and redefining what's possible. In 2025, we're excited to lead our team and our clients through more revolutionary work.

"We're here to build brands that challenge industries, spark movements, and improve the world. The brands that dare to stand for something bigger are the ones that will win in 2025. And we want to be at the frontlines, pushing the boundaries of what a brand can be."

3. Technology is an enabler, not a replacement

The conversation around AI has evolved significantly. Mike Perry, founder and chief creative officer of Tavern Agency, observes a crucial shift. "We're excited to see how AI continues to be integrated into the design industry as a behind-the-scenes tool, enabling creativity rather than replacing it," he explains.

"Now that AI is everywhere, it's less of a novelty, and people are starting to more deeply explore where its capabilities are actually most useful," he adds. "How the AI is used is now more important than simply using it at all. There's going to be a lot of crap from lazy brands and designers hoping to short-cut the creative process. But at the same time, there will also be some really interesting, innovative and creative new ways of using AI that we're looking forward to seeing."

This sentiment is echoed by Jan Eumann, executive creative director at Wolff Olins. "I believe that most designers, most creatives, are driven by curiosity," he maintains. "Curiosity for the clients they work with, for our industry, for advancing society. So as overwhelming as some of these seismic shifts in tech might feel, they'll be providing us at Wolff Olins with a meaningful opportunity to make our work more effective, imaginative, iterative and impactful."

Many also point to a counter-movement against AI in the form of a pull toward in-person experiences. As Ben Mottershead, founder and strategy director at Never Dull, puts it: "In-real-life is on the rise. More people are looking for that human touch. So we're looking forward to working more and more with our clients and their audiences in-person."

4. Nurturing next-generation talent

Another theme we've heard from many creative leaders is a growing commitment to developing future creative leaders. Take, for example, Roly Grant, creative director at Without. "We're excited about supporting the next generation of creative leaders," he says. "It's hard for founder-led agencies to focus on their own business rather than client work. But this holds talent back. Strengthening our offer by creating new opportunities is what we're most looking forward to in 2025. "

And you don't have to be a studio boss to do the same. For instance, freelance media consultant Katie McIlvenny plans to launch a mentoring scheme in 2025.

"Both the PR industry and the creative industry are sadly still quite infamous for bullying, nepotism, classism and so on," she reflects. "I'm really passionate about changing this, so in 2025, I'm hoping to start a mentoring scheme for junior PRs or interns to have 'buddies' they can speak to within their industry who are well-versed in their sector and have faced similar challenges. The goal is to create a system where these seasoned professionals can help guide the next creative generation out of any uncomfortable work scenarios that HR may be unable to solve."

5. Motion as the next frontier

Motion design is fast emerging as a crucial element of brand expression, and Mike Perry believes that can't come soon enough. "Brands can and should move and respond to their audience," he says. Yet, many of us design as if brands are still static, treating motion as an afterthought."

He adds that many companies have already integrated sound into their branding lexicon, considering everything from audio logos to which genre of music best complements their 360 experience. "Why not motion? We've been seeing more design agencies bringing motion capabilities in-house over the past few years, and we have as well. There's some really exciting experimental creative starting to emerge, especially from the smaller studios. And we're really excited to see how both brands and creatives continue to integrate motion into their work over the next year."

6. Internal experimentation and creative freedom

Right now, we're hearing that many studios are prioritising internal creative experiments to push boundaries and maintain creative vitality. And Red Antler is one of them, says partner and CCO Kiser Barnes.

"I'm really energised by some of the internal creative experiments we're running," he enthuses. "I believe that to encourage our clients to take risks, we must get comfortable with experimentation. We're working on a range of initiatives: everything from launching a Red Antler store to developing our own product, creating a zine, and building an AI module that tests out quirky brand product ideas.

"This approach keeps our creativity alive and evolving, fostering bold thinking and exciting collaborations with our clients. It's not just about staying ahead of the curve; it's about actively shaping what's next and sharing that journey with the creative community."

7. A new simplicity

It often feels like the creative landscape and the world in general is getting increasingly complicated all the time. But in a counterintuitive way, this is leading to a greater emphasis on simplicity in branding, believes Sarah Williams, co-CEO of Beardwood&Co.

"Today there are more than 328+ touchpoints in the brand experience, and only 30% of marketers feel equipped to deal with the exponential complexity, according to a recent Harvard Business Review Survey," she says. "A simple recipe for building a Brand World can help everyone stay sane in the process: a 'big brand idea', core principles, and a palette of distinctive brand assets.

"This way, everyone creates from the same ingredients while staying dynamic and relevant in culture. We've been on the road speaking on this topic and are getting an incredible response from audiences — seeing it drive growth for our clients in the real world."

To this, Boma Krijgsman, brand manager at JDO, adds: "The shift to premiumisation excites me. The fact that people are gearing towards buying less but focusing on more premium items which I find interesting. A lot of FMCG brands are looking to 'premiumise' their products to stay relevant in this movement."

Looking ahead

Whether you're excited or nervous about the year to come, one thing's for sure. After 20 years in the industry, Simon Manchipp, founding partner at SomeOne, reflects that "running a creative practice has never been dull".

"That theme appears to be enduring," he adds. "And I fully expect next year to continue the roller coaster. Beyond tech, messaging, optics and channels, 2025's deeper challenge lies in the creative industries' quest to demonstrate the value of a product, organisation or service disposition over its more obvious positions. Far harder to measure, but arguably far more important."

This sentiment is echoed by Graeme McGowan, co-founder of Jamhot, who, approaching the studio's 17th year, maintains an optimistic outlook. "I'm very thankful to still get to do what we do for a living," he says. "It's not always easy running a studio, but for sure, there's nothing else we would rather do."