Events
November 20, 2024
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Questioning Tomorrow:
Design Thinkers, Toronto 2023

Design Thinkers is quickly becoming a calendar highlight for us at Kenshō. The conference organised by the RGD (Registered Graphic Designers of Canada) takes place annually in both Vancouver and Toronto, the latter attracting over 2,000 multi-disciplinary creatives from across North America and beyond, all coming together under one roof to explore topics surrounding the conference theme ‘Question Tomorrow’.

Our industry currently finds itself shrouded by uncertainty and rapid change. We operate in a crowded, fast paced and increasingly competitive environment, one that challenges designers to innovate, pivot and diversify in order to maintain a competitive edge.

So what were our takeaways from the conference, how do we best navigate this landscape in order to thrive in such an unpredictable world?

Embrace Change

As expected AI was a big topic of conversation, we’re at a point where the majority of us have integrated both AI Chatbots and Generative AI into our daily workflow, and guess what… it’s not actually that scary! This technology has streamlined repetitive tasks, allowing us to allocate more time and energy to what really matters; conceptualisation, ideation and creation.

Renato Fernandez of TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles aptly described AI as ‘the end of the blank page’ AKA a designers worst nightmare, whilst Hajj Flemings of Rebrand Cities confidently stated that in a world full of questions ‘the best way to predict the future is to create it’.

Ultimately, we need to fully leverage all the tools at our disposal in order to stay ahead. AI is here to stay, it can do incredible things and free up copious amounts of precious time. In such a rapidly evolving industry those who don’t adopt new technology will inevitably find themselves being overtaken.

Nurture your Creativity


As designers we all share a common affinity for simply being creative. Many of us experience a moment or period within which we discover that we are innately creative individuals, a realisation that opens up a world of possibility and opportunity. But the question begs, once your passion has become your career, how do you maintain or reignite that spark and curiosity?

Emmi Salonen of Studio Emi spoke on ‘how to nurture and sustain creative wellbeing’, within which she explored her own struggles with burn out and creative block. She attributes a resurgence in her career to a period of time in which she took a step back from work to explore her relationship with nature. Tina Roth Eisenberg, founder of Creative Mornings, took us on a journey to explore how creativity might be a discipline of optimism. Her mission to create organic community has been a driving force in allowing her to lead an incredible career, spanning 25 years and positively influencing thousands in the process.

Creativity is our currency, sustaining and nurturing it is our responsibility. Each individual will have their own means of doing so, be it through sketching letterforms, photographing interesting compositions, writing poetry, reading books, listening to podcasts, finding community or simply being in nature, the list goes on. We often find ourselves consumed by our work and lose sight of these small rituals or habits that truly keep us curious. Make time for them, nurture them, enjoy them.

Advocate for Design, Advocate for Yourself


Design is often an undervalued service, incorporated as a second thought and with limited budget. In an overly saturated industry many of us may resort to underselling ourselves in order to try and maintain a competitive edge.

Emily Cohen of Casa Davka was very vocal on her position, we must collectively advocate both for ourselves, and for our industry. Competitive edge is not gained by underselling our services, but by educating on the value we provide, quantifying the positive results of our efforts, and standing together to move past bad practices that hold our collective industry back. It is imperative that we prioritise ourselves, our staff and the integrity of our work above all else.

Design Thinkers also quite simply allowed us to spend time in the presence of some truly great individuals; Chris Do’s ‘Natural Born Seller’ talk was a masterclass in the business of design, the enigma that is Stefan Sagmeister captivated us with a look into his data-driven design practice, and Paula Scher, the certified Queen of Graphic Design, demonstrated at her 75 years of age that she’s still at the very top of her game.

We want to extend a huge thank you to the RGD for their hard work behind the scenes to put this all together, we’ll see you in Vancouver in May!

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Founder Story: Stelios

KENSHŌ AGENCY — A FOUNDER STORY

Kenshō Agency wasn’t built just to make better brands.

We kept seeing potential clients come to us, both small and large, with the same issue.

They’d invested real money into branding, and were getting very little back from it. Not because the work was bad, but because it had no real connection to how the business actually ran, its values, or where it was trying to go.

Strategy sat in one place. Execution in another. And the brand ended up somewhere in between, looking right, but not doing much.

We’d both seen this play out repeatedly. Just from different sides of it.

That’s where Kenshō Agency started.

STELIOS' FOUNDER STORY

Stelios grew up around design.

Aesthetics, craft, visual storytelling. That was always there.

But his career took him into operations, finance, and risk, working at director level in environments where decisions had real consequences and there wasn’t room for guesswork.

That changes how you see things.

Brands stop being about visuals, and start becoming about clarity. About trust. About giving people a way to make decisions with confidence.

When Stelios came back to design, he didn’t leave that behind.

He brought it into the work.

So creative decisions aren’t treated as subjective. They’re treated as business decisions. The kind that need to hold up under pressure, not just in a presentation.

WHY KENSHŌ AGENCY EXISTS



Most branding doesn’t fail because of a lack of creativity, it fails because it’s built in isolation.



The people shaping the brand aren’t always close to the business. And the people running the business aren’t always working from a clear brand.



So things drift.



Messaging becomes inconsistent. Decisions take longer. Teams pull in different directions. And money gets spent without real return.



Kenshō Agency exists to fix that.



We work across four areas, culture, business processes, narrative, and visual expression, because that’s where brand actually lives.



Not in a deck.



In how a business communicates, makes decisions, and shows up every day.



When those things are aligned, things start to move.


Decisions get clearer. Execution gets faster. And the brand starts contributing commercially, not just visually.



That’s the role Kenshō Agency plays.



Not just to create brands that look right.



But to build brands that work.

News
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Founder Story: James

Kenshō Agency — A founder storyKenshō

Agency wasn’t built just to make better brands.

We kept seeing potential clients come to us, both small and large, with the same issue.

They’d invested real money into branding, and were getting very little back from it. Not because the work was bad, but because it had no real connection to how the business actually ran, its values, or where it was trying to go.

Strategy sat in one place. Execution in another. And the brand ended up somewhere in between, looking right, but not doing much.

We’d both seen this play out repeatedly. Just from different sides of it.

That’s where Kenshō Agency started.

James’ founder Story

Environments with targets, complexity, and constant pressure to deliver.

You learn quickly in places like that.

Good ideas aren’t enough.

What matters is execution. Consistency. Alignment. Getting people, channels, and decisions moving in the same direction, even when things aren’t simple.

James understands how marketing works from the inside. Not how it’s presented, but how it operates day to day inside a business.

He focuses on closing the gap between what a brand is supposed to be, and what actually gets delivered in the market.

WHY KENSHŌ AGENCY EXISTS Why Kenshō Agency exists



Most branding doesn’t fail because of a lack of creativity, it fails because it’s built in isolation.



The people shaping the brand aren’t always close to the business. And the people running the business aren’t always working from a clear brand.



So things drift.



Messaging becomes inconsistent. Decisions take longer. Teams pull in different directions. And money gets spent without real return.



Kenshō Agency exists to fix that.



We work across four areas, culture, business processes, narrative, and visual expression, because that’s where brand actually lives.



Not in a deck.



In how a business communicates, makes decisions, and shows up every day.



When those things are aligned, things start to move.



Decisions get clearer. Execution gets faster. And the brand starts contributing commercially, not just visually.



That’s the role Kenshō Agency plays.



Not just to create brands that look right.



But to build brands that work.

News
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Kenshō Agency & Ads.gi Joins Forces with the Capurro Group

Kenshō Agency & Ads.gi Joins Forces with the Capurro Group

After several years of collaboration, we’re thrilled to announce that the  Capurro Group has acquired a majority stake in Kenshō Agency &  Ads.gi, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership that will  propel us to new heights.

INTRO

After several years of collaboration, we’re thrilled to announce that the  Capurro Group has acquired a majority stake in Kenshō Agency &  Ads.gi, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership that will  propel us to new heights.With over 150 years of business  expertise, the Capurro Group brings an extensive network and deep  industry knowledge, enabling Kenshō Agency to operate on a more global  scale.

This partnership strengthens our ability to serve our clients,  unlocking new opportunities, markets, and strategic connections that  will enhance the value we deliver to them.

Having worked  together for nearly a decade, this move is a natural evolution of our  shared vision. With Capurro Group's backing, Kenshō Agency is poised for unprecedented growth while continuing to innovate and push boundaries.

We’re incredibly excited for this next chapter and the possibilities it  brings, not just for us but for our clients, partners, and the  industries we serve.

Stay tuned for what’s next!

News
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