5 Minutes with… Kirsty Minns
Mother has a pretty great guiding philosophy: “Doing the best possible work, having fun, making a living (always in that order).” It’s concise and balances fun with work, without letting one take precedence over the other. What’s not to love? It’s clearly serving Kirsty well too as she occupies not one but two roles within the independent Mother family: as ECD at Mother and partner and ECD at Mother Design, the branding and design arm of the business.
Both roles are a natural fit for Kirsty who first got a taste for what great design really looks and feels like aged 13, attending a Mulberry show at London Fashion Week. “Watching the power of design disciplines interacting” made Kirsty realise that she wanted to be someone who made that kind of magic. And today she does, like in the latest autumn/winter campaign for M&S – a collaboration with Lope Serrano – and the immersive fragrance retail pop-up she got to design when she was at The Future Collective.
“Design is not just an aesthetic exercise,” says Kirsty, having studied the subject at Goldsmith University, a degree she describes as “very conceptual.” For her, understanding cultural context is key to design that resonates with people and makes a mark, and therefore has to be rooted in the “nuances of the social, cultural, and historical environments in which it operates.”
Today, LBB’s Zhenya Tsenzharyk caught up with Kirsty to learn more about the difference in her two roles, how she approaches the questions and challenges of good design today, and what career lesson she wishes she’d learned earlier in her career.
LBB> What first drew you to a career in creativity? Did you have an ‘a-ha!’ moment that made you realise you’d found your calling?
Kirsty> I was drawn to a career in creativity at quite an early age; it was a combination of curiosity, a love for problem solving, and a passion for visual storytelling that really attracted me; that, and an excitement for an industry where I could ditch my school uniform for a pair of jeans.
At 13, I was lucky enough to go to a Mulberry show during London Fashion Week, with the incredible international ballerina Darcey Bussell taking centre stage. It was from that moment that I fell in love with the way creativity can communicate ideas and evoke emotions; it was watching the power of design disciplines interacting - the invitation, the music, the product, the choreography, the set, the lighting - this gave me the drive to want to be part of making magical brand worlds that consumers could get lost in.
LBB> You’ve been with Mother as ECD for six years and a partner and ECD at Mother Design for almost four. How do the two roles differ?
Kirsty> My role is split between the two; running and building Mother Design, our branding and design business, and creatively leading some accounts for the Mother Family, where we take a truly cross discipline approach. At Mother, there is a deep understanding of the power of collaboration, innovation and pushing the boundaries of traditional design and advertising to create something new and impactful, so being able to flex across roles and different businesses makes it incredibly rewarding.
LBB> Understanding cultural context is Mother Design’s speciality. What does that mean to you and what nuances go into it?
Kirsty> In short, if you want to make design that is relevant, distinctive and true to the brands you are building, you have to be obsessed with cultural context.
I believe great design work comes from being deeply informed by the nuances of the social, cultural, and historical environments in which it operates. This is the foundation of all our work. Design is not just an aesthetic exercise.
To resonate meaningfully with audiences, you have to understand the values, trends and lived experiences of a particular time and place. To understand cultural context rigorous research and insight goes into the design process. We observe societal trends, historical references and pop culture. We analyse how people think, behave, and communicate to ensure the work feels relevant. This means looking at language and tone, social norms, emerging subcultures, and global/local nuances to create design solutions that are culturally sensitive and authentic. We understand and respect local differences and adjust design thinking accordingly.
So much of what we do comes with an emotional intelligence and sensitivity; you must understand how people feel in a particular time or context. Cultural context is also about adapting to change; with the speed of technology and globalisation we must keep on top of the shifting landscapes to ensure we are building brands that are fit for the future.
Since graduating from a very conceptual design degree at Goldsmiths, I have been obsessed with cultural context, as you might be able to tell from my nerdy response above!
LBB> What are some standout projects from your career and what makes them special/memorable to you?
Kirsty> This is such a tricky question. I’ve been lucky enough to work with so many amazing businesses and brands over the last 20+ years. My earliest highlight would be my very first music video experience with Goldfrapp, where I oversaw styling the dogs.
Aside from that, one of my favourite stand-out projects was during my time at The Future Laboratory where alongside the founder Chris Sanderson I led an immersive fragrance retail pop-up for Selfridges. This project explored the outer reaches of scent and pushing the boundaries of where retail could go. Visitors underwent a sensory journey, exploring their preferences and personality traits. The experience culminated in the creation of a custom fragrance, blending emotion, design, and technology to create a unique, immersive retail experience. Like my inspiration at 13, it’s memorable in the way I directly experienced the power of design elements interacting. Every element of the senses was considered: the design of the scent, the experience, the sound, the graphic language, the materiality. It was emotive design at its best and was incredibly successful in showcasing why businesses need to care about multi-sensory branding.
LBB> What are some current creative trends that you think have staying power? And which ones are a fad?
Kirsty> Obviously, technology is playing a huge part in the rapid evolution of creative trends and visual parameters, and I’m excited to see them progress to their next phase. I’m a massive fan of embracing technology in the creative process.
From a visual point of view, I find the current fad that is coming from the early infancy of AI-generated visuals of hyperrealism - sci-fi with surreal twists - a bit boring now. It just feels devoid of emotion in places for me.
I hate when brands use tech for tech’s sake. Technology should be there as a tool to build deeper connections with audiences. All good work should have a clear idea behind it and the tech should never be the starting point.
LBB> Mother has a guiding philosophy, ‘Doing the best possible work, having fun, making a living (always in that order).’ Can you elaborate on it – when did it crystalise for you and how are you applying it?
Kirsty> I have a firm belief that if you focus on doing great work, the rest will come! Working for an independent business like Mother is key, because we have the freedom to make decisions that allow us to really put this into practice.
From the moment I walked into the building and sat in reception for my interview six years ago, I could really feel that creativity was at the heart of the business. I observed how people interacted, the body language of the building itself, and the intrinsic sounds of excitement that seemed to come from rooms looking at the work.
Having fun is always important. I want people to show up to work each day and enjoy what they do; I believe the best work is created in nurturing environments, not from fear. With a focus on those two components in mind, making a living follows. Clients will always get the best results from an agency that values good work and its people above all else.
LBB> Are there any career lessons you know now that you wish you’d learned earlier?
Kirsty> Learning how to sell an idea is as important as the idea itself.
LBB> Finally, what are some of your current cultural and creative highlights at the moment?
Kirsty> From a Mother point of view, my highlight has to be the work from M&S. I’m really enjoying the journey we are on creatively; the clothing and home brand is going from strength to strength and getting to work with such a talented marketing team is amazing. We recently launched the brand’s Autumn/Winter campaign working with the talented Lope Serrano. The perfect example of doing great work and having fun.
Outside of that, I loved the ‘Bundles of Joy’ campaign that Burger King brought out recently. It’s amazed me that the campaign, which features a series of images and film footage of real mothers enjoying a Whopper post-birth, has proved exceptionally divisive. Some of the arguments I’ve read are a stark reminder that maybe in some parts of culture we are not as progressive as I would have hoped.
