Imaginary Forces Receives Prestigious 2021 National Design Award for Communication Design

Top Row (L - R): Chip Houghton, Peter Frankfurt, Karin Fong, Anthony Gibbs, Grant Lau

Bottom Row (L - R): Michelle Dougherty, Ronnie Koff, Tosh Kodama, Linda Nakagawa, Alan Williams

Creative company Imaginary Forces (IF) has received the prestigious 2021 National Design Award for Communication Design, one of nine official design categories. Organised by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Awards are bestowed annually in recognition of design innovation and impact. The Communication Design Award is given to an individual or firm for the design of information and messages.

The National Design Awards were launched in 2000 as an official project of the White House Millennium Council, with the goal of increasing awareness and understanding of how design improves everyday life. Nominations are made by the general public, and winners are selected by a diverse jury of design leaders and educators. 

Imaginary Forces became a title design powerhouse in the late ‘90s, sparking an industry-wide renaissance of the art form not seen or celebrated since the days of Saul Bass. IF would go on to expand its motion design expertise to new realms spanning advertising, architecture, gaming, and documentary film production. 

View a selection of Imaginary Forces’ work here. 

“For more than two decades, putting design into motion has always been our driving force,” says Chip Houghton, IF co-founder/managing director. “To see this manifest through this special moment and recognition from Cooper Hewitt, as a studio, has made this journey all the more worthwhile. Whether we’re working in movies, TV, gaming or pop culture, or pushing work for social good through the NRDC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to be able to bring together our roots in entertainment and design to create work of impact -- and to be a force of good -- is a huge honour every day.” 

This year, as Imaginary Forces embarks on its 25th anniversary, the company has already done signature projects for BET’s 'True Black Impact' campaign; the Leading Edge initiative celebrating women leaders; an animated short series for SK-II featuring female Olympic athletes; main titles for Lisey’s Story and Supervillain; and the main titles and graphics package for the 2021 Oscars.

“We’re accepting this award on behalf of every single person, artist, collaborator, and client that has moved through our doors over the years and slingshotted IF around the world,” concludes Peter Frankfurt, IF co-founder/executive creative director. “They have all influenced our company in invaluable ways and pushed us to design excellence. We’re so thrilled to receive the National Design Award and be recognised for our work in communication design. We are even more inspired to continue creating powerful design and cinematic experiences that resonate emotionally and culturally.”