JKR’s executive creative directors discuss how to build an iconic identity.
(Image credit: RSPCA)
The world of branding is constantly developing, and no agency knows that quite like JKR – 2025's Best of Show Brand Impact Award winner. Founded in 1990, Jones Knowles Ritchie has been at the epicentre of branding excellence for decades, shaping leading design as we know it, but as consumer tastes evolve and technology rapidly advances, today's creative sphere is more variable than ever.
Ahead of this year's Brand Impact Awards, I sat down with JKR's executive creative director (and BIA's judge), Stuart Radford, alongside fellow ECD Ricardo Bezerra, to explore the evolution of branding. Together, we discussed how social media has influenced the industry, how brands need to embrace evolution, and what it takes to create iconic brands in 2025.
(Image credit: JKR)
How has branding evolved since you started in the industry?
Stuart: When Blur and Oasis were battling for Britpop supremacy, branding was a very different beast. It was all about visual identity: logos, straplines, and strict brand guidelines ruled. The goal? Recognition and recall. The best brands were clever, playing with negative space and visual puns to deliver that elusive “smile in the mind.” Smart? Absolutely. Emotional? Not really.
Fast forward to today, and branding is an entirely different game. It’s no longer just about what you see – it’s about what you feel. The focus has shifted to emotional consistency across every touchpoint, both physical and digital. We now live in a world of expressive identities, emotive tone of voice, and immersive brand experiences. Brands aren’t static logos anymore; they’re living, breathing stories. Our ideas must carry further and meet more complex emotional needs rather than just raising a one-off smile."
Where brands once controlled their narrative, now the audience decides whether or not to believe it
Thanks to social media, branding has evolved from one-way broadcasts to two-way conversations in real time. Gone are the days of slow, pre-planned campaigns. Today’s brands participate in culture as it happens – responding, reacting, connecting. Where brands once controlled their narrative, now the audience decides whether or not to believe it. Influence has been democratised.
Perhaps the biggest shift? Branding isn’t just about marketing or design anymore – it touches everything. From product experience and advertising to internal culture and customer service, brand now lives in every part of the business. As its role has grown, the lines between brand, design, and advertising have blurred.
That’s what makes today’s branding so exciting. It’s not just about creating standout visuals. It’s about discovering what a brand truly stands for, its emotional truth, and expressing that across every channel and experience. The goal isn’t just consistency; it’s emotional resonance.
How has advancing technology influenced the design sphere?
Stuart: Let’s skip the ongoing AI debate for now. Instead, let’s focus on how technology is reshaping branding and design.
We’re in a new era. Technology has turned the design world into a playground of possibility. Many of the old constraints – format, consistency, and scale – have fallen away. Generative tools now allow us to build identities that aren’t fixed but adaptive, with multiple expressions. In-house teams aren’t just implementing a brand anymore, they’re actively creating and interpreting it.
Variable fonts make typography more expressive. Real-time data visualisation turns raw numbers into grounded, evocative stories. Algorithms enable tailored, responsive experiences. And AI? It opens up endless possibilities, many of which we’re only beginning to grasp.
What makes this moment especially exciting is the timing. Much of this technology is still relatively new, which means the opportunity to do something original and distinctive is very real. But there’s a catch: it only works if the tech is used with purpose.
The bottom line? Technology, when used with intent, can elevate a brand from forgettable to unforgettable. But it must always serve the story – never distract from it.
What makes a standout brand in 2025?
Riacardo: A standout brand is one that has the ability to be itself, or as we say at JKR, to be distinctive, everywhere and at all times.
We live in a highly competitive market where businesses have to move fast to keep up with people’s evolving needs. In that context, it’s easy for brand managers to lose sight of what makes their brand truly unique. A brand shapes the way a business connects with people – through its product or service, its relationships, its culture, and its symbols.
So, what makes a brand stand out today is its ability to be consistent across everything you can see and feel. Every business decision, whether it’s tactical or strategic, serves as an opportunity to move the brand forward, always considering how people interact with it over time and across touchpoints. To make this happen, branding and design must work hand in hand.
Natalie Fear is Creative Bloq's staff writer. With an eye for trending topics and a passion for internet culture, she brings you the latest in art and design news. Natalie also runs Creative Bloq’s Day in the Life series, spotlighting diverse talent across the creative industries. Outside of work, she loves all things literature and music (although she’s partial to a spot of TikTok brain rot).
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