Interview with Bond Creative

Bond Creative ("BC") interviewed on Tuesday, 27 March.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

BC : I’m Managing Director of Bond Creative. Established in 2014, we are a visualized marketing agency in Vietnam. We built beautiful brands, packaging and website to help great companies as VinGroup, Mobifone, Vinaphone, Techcombank,… grow.

How did you become a designer?

BC : When working with local and clients, I realized that Vietnamese creative ability is completely equal to another global designers. So, I want to provide an international standard service made in Vietnam. I gather a young, dynamic and passionate team to get my achievement. We want to prove that Vietnamese people could absolutely create high-quality service recognized by international experts.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

BC : We are a passionate team — with a strong focus on integrity, creative thinking, and intentional simplicity. The most important thing for us is to fully understand the problems our clients are looking to solve so we can determine if we are the best fit to help the business grow. The best design must response to client’s business strategy and their requirements. Our secondary priority is technique. We appreciate people who have diverse skills and knowledge to meet our demands.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

BC : The diversity of projects creates our journey of design. Sometimes, it is difficult for us to educate our clients. However, the success of final artwork and the recognize of customers always make us feel happier and believe in our work. We regard each opportunity to learn more and improve our team.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

BC : Of course, we will upgrade our process to get an international standard. We also welcome any project that has more challenges. Based on the core philosophy “design is to serve our client’s business goals”, we will continue to keep working on the commercial field.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

BC : Nowadays, internet is opened to everyone. We have enough online tools to learn design ourselves. However, it is such difficult that beginners, especially non-professional designers, can pursue their long-time careers because of the lack of design thinking. I advices them never stop learning. Let’s open their eyes and horn their knowledge as soon as possible. Thinking is the fundamental to develop their career path, not only at design.

What is your day to day look like?

BC : In our casual working day, we have team breakfast and coffee talk to update the latest news and check our to-do-list per day. We usually update and manage our works on the own software. It is very clear and supportive for us to hold energy every day.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

BC : I think it is better to balance the latest design trends and each personal design style. Following design trends is the way to meet customers current demands. But traditional inspiration and material can create the personality for an artwork. We always consider both of them to consultant and give our clients the best solution they are looking for.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

BC : There is no limit for a good design. But we can calculate an effective project by customer’s response. If a design could delight target customer and create the great brand identity, it is absolutely marked high score.

What is your biggest design work?

BC : Calendar 2017 “The Year of Roaster” is our most favorite project. Inspired by colorful paintings decorated by Vietnamese families in Lunar New Year festival occasion, we turned a boring traditional calendar of numbers into vibrant pictures tell stories on the wall. According to the Vietnamese 12-year circle of zodiac, 2017 is the year of roaster, the creature is a proverbial mascot to the five virtues – responsibility, fidelity, courage, kindness, and confidence. The design concept is a combination of traditional spirit to be suitable for Lunar New Year atmosphere and modern brand visual languages. We assigned each watercolor painting in per month page to tell a bespoke story of a successful and happy moment of banking user which is a good match with a special day or a notable celebration remarked on the calendar. Developing from the bank's logo, patterns with slightly different shades subtly appear page over page to decorate as well as evoke the brand.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

BC : Music plays an important role in our office. It makes us feel more relax and inspire our work. In addition, Vietnam is a nation of wide-range history for looking for traditional and cultural inspiration. We really enjoy our fairy tale which is the best material to make specific stories. There are many international designers come and join with us for cultural exchange.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

BC : We are glad to be announced as the Designer of the Day. Our silver award of A’ Design Award last year is also our proud. It is the proof of our effort to get the international standard and recognition. We hope that it becomes the motivation for Vietnam individuals and firms to have more developments.

Bond Creative Profile