2026 Hot New Things: Ned Iversen, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington / University of Texas at Austin
Design Assembly profiles a selection of the top graduates from the best Art and Design Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. We welcome these talented emerging professionals to our industry, learn about their passions, final projects, developing creative confidence and ambitions for the future.
Today we speak with Ned Iversen who recently graduated from the Bachelor of Design Innovation double major in communcation design and marketing at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington / University of Texas at Austin. Find out more about tertiary study options across Aotearoa New Zealand on our Design Schools page.
Tell us a bit about yourself
Kia ora, I’m Ned! I’m a communication design and marketing student based in Wellington. I grew up in Auckland and have always had a passion for creativity and art from a very young age, fostered by many of my teachers throughout primary & high school. Currently my design interests lay in immersive, branded world building with a focus on creating resonant and engaging visualisations and activations.
What was the focus of your graduating project?
My capstone project is called ‘You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet: The Monoculture & Taylor Swift’. It explores how culture has shifted through mass media and uses Taylor Swift as a case study for how culture is conducted in a digital era.
This project was born from my love of fandom, culture, media and design, exploring how those things have interacted to create a monoculture in the past and what it looks like in the present day with the impacts of digital technologies. This work was written during a semester abroad at the University of Austin at Texas, then visualised and illustrated at Victoria University of Wellington in the form of illustrations, a zine and digital format in my portfolio.
What did you choose to study Bachelor of Design Innovation double major in communcation design and marketing at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington / University of Texas at Austin?
I was drawn to communication design after studying design/art/photography all throughout high school and so was a natural next step for me to continue exploring the creative side of myself. I chose VUW due to their multidisciplinary capabilities as I knew I wanted flexibility to have some marketing studies in my degree as well. The ability to work across marketing and design has been deeply rewarding, allowing me to merge the two in my work to create more thoughtful projects.
I have also really enjoyed getting involved in the wider Wellington community through my work with Ignite Consultants – a student consulting group who work with NZ charities to help them with challenges they are facing. Ignite has given me the opportunity to apply the skills from my degree as a consultant last year and go beyond as a project manager this year.
What did you enjoy most about the programme?
I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities to push myself outside of my comfort zone and learn new skills through courses on motion design, typography and illustration which have shaped me into the designer I am today. The highlight has definitely been working on my capstone project as it combined so much of what I have enjoyed throughout my studies and my interests in pop culture as a whole. It has been amazing to publish the work and see reactions from friends, family and the wider public.
What was your biggest challenge while studying?
The biggest challenge has been moving from a super structured schedule in high school compared to uni’s unstructured, self directed study. Adjusting to it took me a lot of time and discipline to get to a place where I know how much time I need for each project. My biggest lifesaver has been using a calendar to help structure my days and priorities to see where the time is going and then working to make sure I give myself enough time to put my best foot forward for all assignments, clubs and personal goals. Overall I have really enjoyed the freedom university has brought and am making the most of it while I am able to have this experience.
Who (or what) inspired you to pick design as a career path?
Lately for my career I have been super inspired by Kelvin Soh who is a graphic designer, creative director and brand strategist. His studio DDMMYY has shaped many of New Zealand’s biggest brands such as Stolen Rum, 42 Below, Deadly Ponies and Charlies Juice. I find his work of creating brands particularly inspiring as he crafts an entire world & language into the brand. These brands act as further extensions of one’s self, in the same way which I see how musicians create albums and worlds within them. In a world where branding can feel monotonous and corporate, Soh creates incredibly unique brands that stand out in the marketplace and in doing so bring a bit of joy and self with them.
What is next for you?
Next year I will likely be continuing study, doing honours of marketing at VUW. After that my goals are to get into the industry as a creative and apply all the skills I have been learning across my degree. I aspire to work in a fandom based industry (music, tv, media, sports) or work on amazing campaigns and brand redesigns! I am looking forward to continuing to learn new things, develop my skills & create awesome work.
Where can we see more of your work?
Keep up with me on LinkedIn for any career things I have going on or to flick me a message:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nediversen/
And check out my portfolio which has the digital version of my capstone project ‘You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet: The Monoculture & Taylor Swift’.
https://nediversen.myportfolio.com/you-aint-heard-nothing-yet
Email – nediversen03@gmail.com
Phone – +64 21645224
Ned Iversen
