Ollie Patterson is the managing director and partner at Mynt, a Leicester-based, independently owned creative agency combining the powers of strategic thinking and creative energy. What began as a company started in the founder's dining room soon grew into a successful agency, working with iconic brands like Nike, Salomon, and Umbro.
With a focus on unearthing the motivations, behaviours and emotional drivers behind customer decision-making, Ollie turns insights into impact through bold thinking. As part of our 5 Questions series, I caught up with Ollie to discuss his thoughts on AI, the Canva ick and the importance of authenticity.
What’s the ugliest object/design trend you secretly love?
I don’t know why, but I love those bright fluorescent price tags you only seem to find in old-school newsagents and corner shops, with chunky handwritten prices and special offers scribbled on them.
Maybe it’s the fact that someone actually took the time to write them by hand. Maybe it’s because they remind me of being a kid and going in to get sweets or a Panda Pop. Either way – you don’t see them much anymore – they’re objectively ugly, but they’re also wonderfully human and real. I think that’s why I find them so charming.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever ignored?
“Sleep on it.” Looking back, there are definitely a few emails I should have left sitting in my draft folder overnight. I’ll blame the hot-headedness on my Scottish roots – and perhaps a touch of youthful impatience. Distance and sleep have a funny way of improving judgment and putting things into perspective.
What's your creative ick?
Canva or ChatGPT-generated graphics. I cringe every time I see the generic AI-generated designs which are flooding the internet, which all look the same and have glaringly obvious errors.
Also, any brand campaign that has a tagline along the lines of ‘made easy’ or ‘your way’. Like ‘Cars, made easy’, or ‘Your car, your way’. That formula is absolutely everywhere, so it’s almost impossible to differentiate from one campaign to another.
Thoughts on AI?
It can be an incredible accelerator. It can help you get somewhere fast, but it can’t tell you where you should be going. For us as an agency, the real value in creativity has never been churning out more and more options. The value we bring is knowing what work deserves to exist.
If everyone has access to the same tools, then our judgment, taste, curiosity and strategic thinking become even more valuable. Ironically, AI might end up making human creativity more important, not less.
What does staying relevant mean to you?
Being authentic and real, but also being curious enough to try something new without changing who you are. Don’t aimlessly chase fads and trends. But understand your audience, their culture and their behaviour. That’s how a brand can authentically stay relevant. If your brand can continue to matter over time, that’s the ultimate aim.
