Five Minutes with Meagan Bach
Members of Design Assembly make up a network of Friends working together to build a thriving design scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our ‘Five Minutes’ series profiles the breadth and depth of design practice in our network.
Hi Meagan, tell us about your career background
I studied a Bachelor of Design at AUT, and after a few years at a small design studio in Tāmaki Makaurau, I moved to London at 24 years old. I spent five years there, mainly in broadcast at ITV and BBC, designing visuals for new TV channels, shows, and events. Those years were hugely formative — I was surrounded by incredibly talented people with all sorts of creative backgrounds, and it really broadened my perspective on design.
From there I freelanced for another three or so years remotely. The early part of that was spent travelling Central America and living in Portugal, working mostly on small brand identities. Through my London connections, I also ended up designing a fair share of pitch decks, often for independent spirits and non-alc brands. It might not sound glamorous, but I loved it — it gave me a real window into each brand’s story, founders, and values. Plus, freelancing gave me the freedom to explore creatively, exploring illustration and personal projects alongside client work.
In 2020, I returned to Aotearoa, continuing to freelance on small brand identities and broadcast work (including Paramount TV), before joining Culture&Theory as a senior designer. Since then, I’ve had some really meaningful freelance stints at Colenso BBDO, and worked with awesome teams like A0 Studios, Freebird, Thinkerbell and now YoungShand. Most recently, I went back to study and completed a Master of Design at Media Design School, which has vastly expanded my design thinking and given me a whole new energy in my practice.
Where are you working now?
I’m coming up to a year at YoungShand this October, and after so many years freelancing and working remotely, what I love most is the collaboration that comes with being part of a studio again. We’re a small, tight team, and there’s so much value in bouncing ideas around and learning from each other. I also really enjoy the depth of research and strategy we get to work with here — it gives me space to focus on the craft of design, and figure out its real value-add.
Bringing a design lens into an ad agency setting is exciting too — sometimes it’s about backing strong craft, other times it’s about being pushed to think differently. I love seeing how everyone’s brains work in their own way to make a project multi-faceted. And I really appreciate the clients we work with; while we’re not specifically a “social good” agency, I feel aligned with them, which makes the work feel that much more meaningful. And we have fun!
What does your design process and philosophy look like?
Process-wise, it really depends on the project, but I always start by getting a holistic understanding of the client. Those first conversations are so important — it’s about asking the right questions, reading between the lines, and uncovering the real challenge to solve. From there I’ll pull keywords out of brief/initial deep dive, which often lead me into more abstract concepts that spark visual directions.
I love the design thinking and moodboarding stage — gathering, trawling, curating until the right feeling starts to emerge. Once we’ve honed in, I move into ideation: usually beginning with black-and-white logos or layouts, pairing them with imagery to set photography style, then carefully introducing colour once the foundation feels right (since colour alone can shift mood so dramatically).
Philosophy-wise, I believe design has to be intentional. It’s not about adding to the noise, or making something pretty for the sake of it.
For me, design is about meaning — it should solve problems, tell stories, and ideally make people feel something. I guess designing with purpose – every choice, whether it’s type, colour, or form, has to have a reason behind it. It’s what creates something of substance, something memorable and ideally impactful.
What are your favourite types of projects to work on?
The projects where I get to feel a genuine connection to the client or brand — where there’s a sense of shared values and mutual appreciation for the work.
When design feels like it has a real purpose or is making a difference, that’s where I get the most energy.
I especially enjoy working with local clients or communities, because there’s a closeness and immediacy to the impact.
But it’s not always about being super serious, I also think there’s value in projects that bring levity — those moments of joy matter; they can shift how people think or feel, and that in itself is important.
What project are you most proud of?
My Master’s project at Media Design School: Wāhine Health Hub. It was a deeply meaningful project and a chance to apply everything I’d learned in a way that could have real impact.
It was created in response to the inequities in women’s health in Aotearoa, and within that – particularly for Māori, disabled and rainbow communities who are often misdiagnosed or underserved by the system.
The Hub concept is a free digital platform designed to “make the invisible visible” — offering inclusive resources, practical tools, and a space to share lived experiences. It’s grounded in empathy and accessibility, centred around human design choices.
The campaign branding was designed to be bold and eye-catching and avoid stereotypes, while creating visibility and confidence.
What I’m most proud of is how it combines research, strategy and design to empower women, challenge bias, and spark social change. It’s a project that shows design can go beyond aesthetics to create meaningful impact.
I still hope to progress this project and turn it from a concept into reality.
Where do you find inspiration?
Truly – all areas of life! Design really does permeate everything.
My phone’s photo library is basically my bible. I keep little collections in there all the time. One of my go-tos is colour palettes and textures: interesting paint combinations on houses, dairy and takeaway shopfronts, buildings with cool brick formation, people’s gardens/moss, nail colours, tables full of food, shells, supermarket displays…. I actually photograph a lot in supermarkets and weekend markets. Even interiors like on the train or ferry, and cafes become little inspiration files.
Another favourite collection is hand-painted signage and typography — something I became a bit obsessed with while travelling in Central America.
Beyond the everyday, I love heading out to events, galleries, and museums. The stories, unique objects, printed booklets, wayfinding, even the event collateral — all of it sparks new ways of thinking about design.
Do you have any advice about our industry for emerging designers or career changers?
There’s no one path in design — no single “right” way to do things. So be brave!
Bravery is also about staying open to learning, trying new things, and letting curiosity guide you. Part of this is learning when to let go of perfection. Which can feel near impossible as a designer sometimes! But sometimes the beauty of design is in the imperfection, the looseness, the space it leaves for surprise.
And while it’s said a lot, it’s worth repeating: try not to compare yourself to others. Absolutely follow your peers, admire your idols, seek out mentors, and stay connected to the design world around you — but don’t let it discourage you. Your perspective is unique, your voice is your own, and even if someone is working on something similar, your hand, your eye, your story will leave its own mark.
Where can people connect with you?
@meaggiejean
@signsandcolour
www.meaganbach.com
