#Loeries2020: "By thinking creatively we can create moments of connection and delight" - Katherina Tudball
Tudball has 15 years’ experience creating brands for some of the world’s most prominent organisations. With a passion for design that delivers a positive social impact, she has worked on many projects in the arts, culture, education and non-profit sectors. She began her career at Johnson Banks, later joined The Partners, and now leads a creative team at Superunion London.
She is a regular design judge and speaker, and has been widely recognised and awarded by numerous international organisations. Her recent work for Shakespeare’s Globe received two Silver Cannes Lions. In 2018/19 she worked in collaboration with BBC Creative and a host of animation talent to create television channel BBC Two’s first rebrand for over 20 years. The project picked up a silver Cannes Lion as well as a D&AD Yellow Pencil.
This makes her the perfect person for the Loeries 2020 design jury president. I chatted to her about her judging expectations, what we can expect from her talk and more…
It’s always an honour to be asked to judge international work, especially as an international jury president for the Loeries. How did you celebrate the news and what does this mean to you, personally?
Judging creativity is an honour for me, and to be president for the design jury is an extra special role. I was very happy to be invited, and although it’s certainly a shame that I won’t be able to visit South Africa in person, I’m thrilled. I’ve judged previously in London, Cannes, Amsterdam and Mumbai so I hope those experiences will prepare me well for the responsibility.
I’m excited about the opportunity to see work that I might not be so familiar with, and design that comes from a different perspective to my own. As an international judge, it’s very important for me to understand as much as I can about context and relevance by listening to everyone’s views – so I am looking forward to meeting the other judges and having some great debates.
Perhaps you can speak to this year’s theme, #CreateChange! while commenting on the impact of Covid-19 on the industry and the Loeries judging more specifically, the format for this year and so on.
Globally we're all going through a year of great change that is out of our personal control. So, the idea of actively creating positive change wherever we can is a great sentiment for these times. It’s inspiring to see all the ways that creative people have adapted to the difficulties in 2020, how we live and work has fundamentally changed for so many. But by thinking creatively around the current limitations we can create unexpected moments of connection and delight.For awards judging and events in general I think this year opens up new opportunities for creative people all around the globe to connect and share ideas without the need for travel. And although arranging virtual judging this year must have been a challenge for the Loeries team, I’m hopeful that we will have a great experience and may even end up with more focused debate and individual engagement as we review and discuss the work in a new way.
What are you most looking forward to from Loeries Creative Week 2020?
Everything. I’ve never attended before so I’m really interested to see what happens. And, again, to see how the challenge of taking physical events online could provide a fresh experience for everyone involved.
What’s the biggest trend in advertising that you expect to see from this year’s entries?
For some time we’ve seen a shift towards creativity with a social conscience. I’d expect to see more of that this year, reflecting a greater interest and awareness of global issues and a reaction to division. I’m really interested to see how the experiences of this year are reflected in the creative work that’s being made right now, but I think we’ll have to wait until 2021 to really see that come through.
With so much advertising ‘noise’ out there, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd. What will you be looking for in this year’s entries?
I’m always looking for the same things. Really great ideas first and foremost. The standout work happens when those ideas are beautifully and appropriately crafted to function and make sense within their cultural context.
The jury presidents also speak at the seminar, which is being broadcast Monday, 16 to Friday, 20 November. What can we expect from your session?
My session will be quite a personal take on the theme of creating change, in terms of my journey and the themes that appear in my work. I’m thinking both about how I have changed and how creativity has the power to affect us on a human level and change how we feel.
Judging takes place from September to November with the results announced daily during Loeries Creative Week from 16 to 20 November. Tickets sales opened Monday, 21 September 2020. Book and pay for your early bird ticket from Loeries.com.