Let's talk about Brand

... a little bit more about working in the Brand department at XING. How would you describe the working atmosphere in your team? 

The brand department has recently grown due to an internal team transformation, and I have been amazed at how great everyone is at supporting and learning from each other. I love the spirit in our team and how we all show up and give a damn.

Please describe a typical day at XING. 

In the morning, I answer all the waves of requests and questions that have accumulated since the last time I checked in. In the brand department, a lot of our work is about enabling everyone to work with our brand and its assets. Then it's meeting time, where we joke around and then get to work (in that order). We also often have spontaneous conversations to clarify things, get creative or give each other feedback. The afternoon is often the best time for me to get into my "zone" and work on my designs.

From your perspective: What are the key factors that make a Senior Art Director a good one? 

Apart from starting projects with sound research, strategic thinking and an eye for the bigger picture (no pun intended), you should always know and anticipate your audience (both internal and external) as well as you can. I also think it's important to be able to give good and helpful feedback. A good sense of humour also can't hurt, but I suppose that's true for all jobs.

Can you give us some insights on that project? 

It was a lot of fun and a really great opportunity to flex my creative muscles, but also to work with our amazing content team. They created all these engaging, inspiring and funny articles, which I then had the pleasure of interpreting visually. The team has been an absolute joy to work with, everyone has been so enthusiastic about giving birth to this baby. I hope readers enjoy it.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during this project? 

We only had 12 weeks from the initial idea to the finished product. This meant we had to create quick and immediate feedback loops to respond to changes and challenges. It was also important to me to transport the XING brand while still giving it its own editorial flavour.

What was the best incentive so far you have received during your time at the New Work Group? 

For me personally, it comes down to great training and learning opportunities. My brain is always hungry for more input and inspiration. Attending the Brand New Conference in Chicago was a personal highlight. Inspiring talks in a culturally engaging city!