Visual design is such an important part of the work we do, whether we’re trying to fill customers with delight or inspire action on critical issues in society. But even the heaviest topics can find their breakthroughs when we remember to bring playfulness and lateral thinking into our creative work.

BBMG’s new Senior Designer, Annie Yang, brings a welcome injection of fun and play into our team’s work together. Her experience working with nonprofits in her own community combined with professional experience at Conran Design Group working with clients across food, pharma, higher ed and more have given her a diverse look at the ways design can unite people and inspire action. We’re excited that BBMG gives her a place to flex her creativity in service of regenerative brands!

Let’s meet Annie.

Your graphic design training started in high school when you attended the LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts in NYC as an art major. What drew you to art at a young age? (no pun intended)

My older sister, Lily, was a major influence on me growing up. She actually went to LaGuardia as an art major, which is why it was on my radar in middle school. When we were young, she used to love horses and I would watch her draw them whenever she had the chance. The more she drew them, the more they started to come to life and escape the pages of her sketchbook. Her ability to transform a blank page into anything she wanted was magic. Our traditional Chinese parents were always against us pursuing art and often accused my sister for influencing me to follow in her footsteps, but Lily always did what she wanted which gave me courage to do the same.

How do you find creative inspiration?

As a brand designer, I see myself as somewhat like a fashion stylist that puts together a visual aesthetic for clients using colors, typefaces, graphic elements, and imagery that are authentic to their personality. This means I often find inspiration from other fields like interior design, architecture, illustration, fashion, collage art, furniture design, photography, and film to ensure the visual narrative I craft feels cohesive and authentic. What kind of chair would this brand love to have in their home? What would be some patterns or fashion pieces they would love to wear? What are some of their favorite movies? Thinking through how this brand lives and acts as a person helps inspire what the final brand might look like.

Now that you’ve been a graphic designer professionally for several years, what do you find is your favorite part of the process when working with clients?

My favorite part of the process will always be in the early phase of projects after the creative brief is set where I am researching, pulling inspiration and getting down all the potential ideas I have. Once there are a clear set of parameters and boundaries to work within, I feel the most focused and am able to play productively. Sometimes this means getting all the fun, but cliche ideas out of your system, or getting to a dead end before landing on that million dollar idea.

Describe the future you want.

I see a future led with love and empathy, qualities we all possess as individuals, but more challenging to apply when it comes to a larger collective. In this future we approach problems with an open heart and a willingness to listen, understand, and recognize that even if we do share different experiences and values there is something to learn from each other.

What do you see as the role of brands in making that future possible?

Well, as people creating for people, brands should be expected to prioritize the well-being of their customers, employees, and communities above profits. We see today that those who lead with love and empathy by engaging in socially responsible practices, supporting causes that benefit humanity and our environment, and addressing issues that are overlooked by the majority are the ones with a loyal customer base. When customers feel like their needs and concerns are met and who they are spending money with really listens and cares, that interaction becomes more of a connection than a transaction.

And how can brands help create that connection?

Good design can create awareness, drive understanding, and shape perceptions. As a designer, I recognize the power and influence of design and am passionate about using design as a language to help brands bring like-minded people together and inspire meaningful action. This is what brought me to BBMG and the fuel that drives me to show up everyday.