James Greenfield
@gradiate
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CEO & Founder @studiokoto .
BRN | LDN | LA | NY | SYD
Joined October 2007
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Every time I open Twitter there is another version of Bolt. I really wasn’t expecting for this identity to get so heavily memed. It’s a fascinating experience being on the end of it again.
This is really awkward but I'm excited to share some of my latest work
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This new
@Instacart
logo is a winner. Lovely evolution, giving the carrot that meaning. Strong work from
@WolffOlins
👏
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2023 hasn't been the easiest year, but the team have smashed it and we've come out the other side stronger.
Koto 23. 130 clients. 260 jobs. 100 excellent people. More in 24.
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Two years ago my brother died of cancer. My learning has been to always try to say yes to social time when you can. I let my life and in particular my work get in the way too much at times. And now, when it is too late, I’d really love to go for a pint with him.
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2019 was a year of two acts for me. One of worry and one of joy. Worry about my partners pregnancy and my health. A cancer diagnosis, surgery and becoming a father, all happened in four mad weeks. I’m now cancer free, have a little IVF miracle and I am changed forever. 🙏🏻
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For 18 years I finished for Christmas with a few drinks in a London pub, ending the year on a high. For the last 2, closing a laptop and that being it has been utterly depressing.
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The Vision Pro, like a lot of technology, asks the questions of how we want to spend our lives/time. Personally? I want more time outside, less plugged in, this exaggerates that feeling. I found the person coming into view a little sad.
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Stepped out of my paternity leave to drop into our new
@studiokoto
London studio. We're investing in our space as we're bullish the best work is made together as a team.
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These new BBC App icons feel overly fussy. Trying to squeeze logo and form with meaning, into that size just doesn’t work. They fall into the same trap as Google, thinking the app branding needs a system. And the system overrules the function. You end up with a mess of similarity
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Three years in, we're onto the next step in the Koto journey 🚀 Designers, writers, strategists in Berlin and LA 👋🏼
Feels like a good day to open some new studios. Say hello to Koto Berlin and Koto Los Angeles. →
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In July 2019 we sat down to start a new
@studiokoto
website. Our old one was made in the days when we were a team of 6. No we are 60 across Berlin, LA & London, it was time to better represent ourselves and our work → .
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Today is
@studiokoto
fifth birthday. Thanks to the team and every freelancer, client, supplier, family and friend who has made the last five years so rad. 💛 Berlin, London and Los Angeles
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A year ago today my 2nd son was born. Conceived via IVF, I was told 15 years ago my chances of being a Dad would have been close to zero. That science changed my life. If you or anyone is going through
#IVF
and has questions, or just wants to talk, my DMs are open.
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We come together every day
@studiokoto
, to make the world's best brands, and it felt like New York was a city we had to continue that vision in. I am proud to say
@arthurfoliard
will be launching our fourth studio there next week.
Time for something new.
New Studio. New People. New York. 🗽
Want to work with us?
Want to join us?
⤵️
nyc
@koto
.studio
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3 years ago me and
@joweyroden
sat down with two laptops and started Koto. Some days it's a tough job of endless flights, hustle and headaches. Other days 100,000s of people look at the brands our team of 25 built and I feel 👌🏼. The best bit is we've just got started…
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If you're a recent graduate or young designer looking for a job in 2020 I'd recommend dropping the gimmicks. Free chocolate bars, fancy newspapers and quirky mailers are a lot of money and effort and don't really work. Focus instead on great ideas on a website or in a folio.
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Like all agencies we lose pitches and projects to others. TBH I’m often gutted at the quality of the work and the wasted opportunity, but in this case Ragged Edge have done a great job. 👏🏻
Bayzat are out to redefine generations of entrenched workplace behaviours in the UAE, and beyond. With a 200+ team, and a next-level tech platform built for businesses and their employees, they’re changing the way work works.
Check out the rebrand here:
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Pretty amazing in 2019 that studio Founders are still not self aware enough to realise that making your studio about your own ego, from name to image, must be pretty unmotivating for your team. It's a collective effort, brand it like that, regardless of your own sense of genius.
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Nike’s design is increasingly poor. What’s with the random Blackletter E and D? Totally unnecessary and adds nothing.
The Alcaraz Era is upon us.
An age in which age doesn’t matter and impossible shots are served with a smile 😏
Congrats Carlos Alcaraz, youngest world no.1, on major no.2.
Your time has only just begun.
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I've done 42 Zoom calls since Monday 9am. 3/4 of those interactions would be in person normally. I feel like a zombie. The future of work? I hope not or I need a new job.
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Everyone of these people is an utter weapon —
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Loved working on this one. Thanks to Joe, Nikki and everyone
@thebodycoach
. More to come from us and them 2020. 🙌🏻
We’ve got a new logo for
#PEWithJoe
😊 What do you think? Thank you
@studiokoto
for creating it for us 🙏🏼
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Lots being rightly said about Martin Lambie-Nairn. It’s hard to see now, but the early 90s BBC2 idents were a seismic shift in TV branding. They lead the way for all the brilliant TV branding the UK has produced since -
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Today, we unveil the result of our two-year collaboration with Activision and their Call of Duty franchise 🕹️
20 years. 23 games. Millions of concurrent players.
@CallofDuty
has influenced gaming and culture for generations. We developed a brand system that unified their massive inventory of titles, new iconic content, operators, and games alike.→
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In some ways it feels like we’re just finding our stride, in other ways I can’t remember doing anything else.
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This campaign is a very effective use of highly recognised logo, not shoved in the corner. UK Rail has been a series of fractured brands all mired in poor service for years. The old BR logo is above all that and has great meaning. Clever work from whoever did it. 👏🏻
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Whoever is doing the design for OpenAi is doing a great job. This page is really nice in layout and tone. Feels like a brand is being built, in an area where Inflection and DeepMind aside, there is a big need for differentiation -
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Growing up record covers were the pinnacle of design for me. These days many are forgettable, so it's great when you see one that really bangs. The new
@roisinmurphy
album /singles art by
@BraulioAmado
and
@bbeetthh
is just brilliant.
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What's your motivation?
It's January. Many are full of hope and plans. The energy of change.
That was me nine years ago today. January 5th 2015, starting my first day as
@studiokoto
A new job with no clients, borrowing space from friends. Leaving behind a big job.
Why?
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Writing this tweet for the third time and I find it mad I have to say this at all — If you're a young designer going for an interview to a design studio take a portfolio. Doesn't matter if it is internship or a junior position.
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Congratulations to
@thebodycoach
on the completion of P.E. with Joe. Without doubt the soundest individual I've ever worked with as a client. The man is so genuine and an inspiration. 💛💛💛
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I'm sure Twitter has had enough Jony Ive hot takes already, but the idea that one man however talented, is responsible for all those designs takes away from the awesome team Apple has. Design has an issue with credit driven by certain agencies, ego and a want to be artists.
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Today would have been my brothers 48th birthday. He left us 3 years ago to cancer. My grief is still present, but my anger is gone, because he lived life well. And that is the lesson, action over inaction. Have something to show and a soundtrack for it.
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What's the difference between branding and graphic design? Branding understands a company's identity has many components to consider. That the design is one part of the whole experience for the customer. One of the basic starter points in any branding process? The competition.
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Seems you get better and more positive feedback on logos from a nation doing physical exercise, than you do from the industry on brand review sites.
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Cycled to work this morning. Sat in a studio with my friends. Just walked to grab some lunch. WFH definitely not for me. Feel energised just being back here.
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Over the weekend I was on the BBC news channels globally, talking about Elon Musk's intention to rebrand Twitter to X.
We're never far from the next crisis in branding. As an industry we love the potential scandal and gossip of a brand project going wrong.
We're yet to see
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I ran my first London Marathon today. So many incredible stories from the runners felt supported by the city with packed streets. Every step someone was shouting encouragment. It's easy to be down on many aspects of a big city, but watching the turnout mile by mile was so
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Always thought the BT Piper was ahead of its day. Like the BA tail fins it was branding ideas ahead of the culture they had to be part of.
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There is an interesting correlation behind all the comments on Brand New being more constructive and positive, now you have to pay to subscribe to the site.
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Studio five for Koto is official.
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2020 graduates. Don't put a photo of yourself on your CV. Though not your intent you are encouraging looks based biases. It's an odd European habit. Focus on your work, your passions, your experience and the things you want to talk about. Not what you look like.
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Today would have been my brother Nick’s 47th birthday. I planned to run the Hackney Half Marathon to raise money for
@macmillancancer
. Instead I’ve donated today and will do every month for the next 12. I know times are tough, but people with cancer will need our support more.
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It would be great when partnered with Ad Agenices by a client, they didn't try and stiff us for the brand work. "We can do that too". Most of you haven't made a decent advert in years, let alone knock out some half acceptable branding.
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Next time
@Adobe
ship a sub standard update remember where their attention is. Shareholder value. We pay a four figure monthly bill for a product that costs us billable time in crashes and constant issues.
Most underhyped tech CEO? Might have to be Adobe's Shantanu Narayen. $ADBE valued at $220B, up roughly $200B from when he took over. Short list of CEOs who have overseen +$200B value increase at a software co:
1) Satya Nadella
2) Shantanu Narayen
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Logos don't matter anymore? Apart from when millions are watching Premier League. Then they really matter. It's all logos. Pitchside, on the shirts, before and after, backgrounds, adverts. Brands need a good logo.
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Cheers to everyone that made
@studiokoto
a smash in 2018. The team plus every freelancer, collaborator and client. If you want to join the Berlin, LA or London teams in 2019 then the DMs are open. 🚀
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Just remembered it's
@studiokoto
third birthday today. Shout out to the 23 other idiots I spent today with. Love you all 💛
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So happy with how this one came out. Great product and people and the chance to make a character brand.
Check out our latest work for
@fat_llama_ltd
who are taking a radical approach to ownership →
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We started working on the brand and app with
@ustwo
a year ago. Amazing to see it coming out. 💪🏻
BIG NEWS 🎉
🥳 I've been waiting a long time to share this with you ☺️ We've been working on this for over a year and a half. The Body Coach app is officially launching December 10th and is now available to pre-order 🙌🏻
More info here:
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The more NFT chat I see the more it reminds me of city boys buying Damien Hirst spot paintings. Bought not because the art is great (they aren’t) but because they are worth something. It’s all about the financial value and investment and rarely about the creativity on display.
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A very solid and well thought out piece of work. Never comment until you see the system as the team intended.
"It is used as a visual language ... and voice, not just a logo" – North discuss their new work for
@ScienceMuseum
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There's 25 of us, we're pretty sound, you get to work with me and
@joweyroden
and Tim Williams in the creative leadership of an agency trying to make some of the world's best branding. DM's open for any questions. 👋
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If you’re in the UK then tune into Channel 4 tonight at 9 to see Koto Creative Director and lovely man
@DWitchell
stunning home in the RIBA: House of the year awards -
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I’m renovating a house. My tiler walked off site due to my feedback diagrams. Creative Direction not appreciated on this occasion.
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Thanks to everyone at Partech for working in partners with our team to drive such a bold identity. When we started Koto it was rare to find VCs taking their own brands so seriously. We’re super proud of the work we’ve done to help on this.
In a world where all VCs look and sound the same, enter
@PartechPartners
– a VC firm with an Oscar-worthy approach to showcasing the stories of its founders. So when they wanted to refresh their brand identity, we thought it was only fitting to create a slick cinematic universe
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Come join our London team as we scale. 📡
LONDON IS HIRING
↓
Creative Director
Design Director
Middleweight Designer
Junior Designer
Digital Designer
Motion Designer
Senior Verbal Strategist
Junior Verbal Strategist
Junior Copywriter
All roles are full-time, in-person, with WFH one day a week.
London
@studiokoto
.co
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Fancy a new start in 2017? I am looking for new FL/FT designers
@studiokoto
. Travel and the best branding projects in London. Folios➡️me 👋🏻
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Owning your own design business comes with many beautiful moments. Currently opening 400 Illustrator files to outline type and save. 😐
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It's that time of year when our inboxes gets filled with graduate intern and job applications. Three tips to help your application get beyond the inbox, whoever you are applying to. 🧵
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Illustration and photography agents need to get into the real world. We want our clients to use great imagery, but our clients aren't paying half the overall cost of rebrand we're working on for 3-6 months for a day of photography or licensing of illustrations.
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Comment storm incoming. We changed something that people really loved. Shout out to everyone
@studiokoto
who made this real.
Discord makes it easy for everyone to have fun and hang out online. It’s where the world talks. We worked with the
@discord
team to develop a brand strategy and design refresh reflective of their blurple beginnings.
Full case study →
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Shout out to the 15 people that make up the
@studiokoto
team. Without team you are nothing and they've made my week. 🙏
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The Olafur Eliasson episode from the new series of Abstract is incredible. Awesome deep thinking about the nature of art, with a focus on the participant and not the artist’s ego for once.
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Thanks to the
@superhi_
team for asking me to write this. More to come on starting creative business and what's involved ⤵️
Do you really want to start a creative business?
@studiokoto
creative director & co-founder James Greenfield
@gradiate
recommends asking yourself five key questions before embarking on the journey:
#startup
#entrepreneur
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Great talk by
@CD_and_Co
to open the
@bnconf
which has now got me even more nervous for mine this afternoon 🤮. Thanks also for the shout out 🙏🏼
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The Koto London team currently art directing a covid safe photoshoot in Sydney, Australia via WhatsApp. 2021 really is taking us to new places to be creative.
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I’m 39, but I can still be surprised. Woman next to me in IKEA Croydon just topped her coffee up with Diet Coke. What does that taste like?
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@trevorjofficial
@WHSmith
They got the brand they deserve. A shop without an identity trying to flog you chocolate you don't want in staffless stores.
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Why can't mainstream journalism discuss branding seriously? Are we to blame? Latest article for
@CreativeReview
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Why is the USA historically so behind on payments technology? We've had this in London for 5 years.
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New Koto work on Brand New. Hoping to add to my favourite comments selection —
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