17 
WILLOUGHBY DESIGN GROUP
KANSAS CITY, MO, USA
ANN WILLOUGHBY
Ann is the president and creative director of Willoughby Design Group, a brand innovation and identity design firm she founded in 1978. Willoughby Design Group has developed brand identity systems for numerous groundbreaking retail start-ups as well as creating innovative products, communications, and brand experiences through its holistic approach to design and business. A former board member of the AIGA National Board of Directors, Ann is a founding member of the national board for the AIGA Center for Brand Experience and is an AIGA Fellow.
I DON’T THINK OF DESIGN AS BEING OUTSIDE THE REST OF LIFE. IT’S JUST PART OF LIFE.
I like to keep my inspiration tank full. My sketchbook is a touch point in my life. I tend to use it when I’m traveling because all my senses are open and I’m able to get outside myself and experience the world. Also, I try to find a way to meditate and get out of myself as many times a week as I can—it allows my brain to not concentrate on getting something done. I like my inspiration to come from direct experience. I like to read and travel. I like to experience culture and people. Art, geography, history, politics—all of these things come together to inspire me at any moment.
I don’t think of design as being outside the rest of life. It’s just part of life.
Whenever we start a new project at my firm, we have a brainstorming session with all the designers. We always try to understand the audience so that we can create a story they will connect with. We come up with a lot of ideas, and everyone will go off on their own and work on it and then we’ll meet the next day. It’s truly collaborative. Designers are writers and writers are designers. And together we’re doing what none of us can do alone. This collaboration allows people to really let go, and we have complete faith that we can get there.
I had traveled to China and watched the ancient culture of Beijing transforming. It was mesmerizing—just to experience that many people and the food and culture and traditions.
I have a wonderful employee, Stephanie Lee, from Hong Kong. We traveled together to China, where I met her parents, and she really helped us soak it all in and learn.
We created inspiration boards and sat down and talked about the brand attributes. We discussed the kind of imagery and words we wanted to use to create this experience. How could we do this without using the traditional reds and golds? (Photography by Dan White)
Stephanie was able to help us develop the brand language with calligraphy, symbolism, and poetry.
There is a tearoom where they sell special teas that the owner creates throughout the year. We had an opportunity to not only design the tea packaging but also to name the teas.
Traditional Chinese stores do not merchandise the way we do it in the United States, so we needed to combine that essence with an American sensibility.
One of the things I have learned over the years is how to bridge this communication gap with our clients and how to present. You tell stories. You talk about where you’ve been and where you’re going to take them. Great design is about storytelling.
What’s so great about this project is that we were able to understand the vision and then create the whole brand, including the website, packaging, and collateral.