Five Minutes with… Shay Starrenburg
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.
Today we speak with our Friend Shay Starrenburg the Director at Idyllic, based in New Plymouth.
Tell us about your career background:
My background is actually nerdy coding things! I was a web developer who just picked up and learnt a bit of everything, design, an obsession with marketing, photography – I’ve literally had a crack at everything we do in our creative studio (though, honestly, too much of my time is spent on emails!) I started Idyllic in 2019 with a 5-month-old baby at my dining table, and we’re now a team of 14 (I haven’t slept in 7 years).
Tell us about the studio you work in:
We have a super cool studio which is oozing with personality. Our focus is “Disruptive Design,” and working with industry leaders to ensure their point of difference screams out in a noisy digital world. We love to explore new ideas, and we are not afraid of anything. We’re known for pulling bold stunts (all of which have worked out so far – phew!)
What does your design process and philosophy look like?
Creative Chaos. My brain is a web of ideas, which is great but sometimes makes it hard to focus. I love to explore the wild ideas, instead of shutting them down – how can we make it possible? I have the perhaps not always great trait of the assumption that I can make anything happen, or “what’s the worst that could happen”.
What does a typical day in your studio look like?
It’s different every day. One day, someone is lying on the floor with eggs over her eyeballs, the next day, we’re all dressed in matching black turtle necks with party blowers for a photoshoot. The team never know what to expect, but that’s the excitement of each day. Once a year, as a whole team, we go on a wild retreat to come together and set goals for an even stronger next year!
What’s one thing that you would like all of your clients to know?
I guess the importance of us getting to know you really well. If you want to tell us what you had for breakfast, we’re here for it. I think design is often thought of as “pretty icing” but good design comes with an understanding of marketing foundations first and brand personality. It’s not just making a pretty picture.
Also, the importance of being different in the market. Too many people see what’s already working in the market and follow suit, but by pivoting and being different, being the black sheep, you’re so much more likely to get better results and be noticed!
What are your favourite tools in the studio?
Tools? I mean, our computers and cameras are pretty important tools. But my favourite things in the office are the weird things – the emo ducks hiding in the bathroom, the creepy baby’s head, the “dramatic exit” sign, the stacks of graphic design books for inspiration and all the weird merch we have scattered around the office to send to celebrate clients (including tissues stating boring marketing is dead).
What are your favourite types of projects to work on?
I love a variety of projects, but my favourites are the ones that are with clients who are in typically “boring” industries but are open to having fun and really pushing the boundaries of disrupting their industry with something bold.
What project are you most proud of?
My most proud ones are the ones we’ve done as stunts for our own marketing. Building a phone booth from scratch to record valentines messages in a surprise popup in town, installing a mirror in the front of our building and getting people to write on it to celebrate their strengths on International Womens day, or the time we ended up blowing up balloon “boobies” and selling “800813” t-shirts to promote awareness and donations for breast cancer.
Do you have any advice about our industry for emerging designers or career changers?
Go wild with your CV and get noticed. It’s SO easy to capture attention. You need to be creative. That’s what employers want to see, a long-winded document with lots of words isn’t going to inspire creative employers.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I especially like to give advice to always look outside your own industry for ideas, since the ideas in your own industry are usually overdone and stale. Whilst inspiration in my everyday can sometimes be true, if I’m totally honest, my screen time is off the charts (and my main source for ideas)
What hobbies or interested do you have outside of work?
Ha. Hobbies. I have children and am running a business – do we have time for hobbies? I love what I do at Idyllic, so my creativity is always very tied into that. Love getting out with the kids, and I’ve recently joined the gym (so everyone is hearing me brag about it at the moment).
Where can people connect with you?
@idyllic.nz
@shays_idyllic_world
https://www.idyllic.co.nz/
Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Friend.
Members of Design Assembly are a network of Friends working together to build a thriving design scene in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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