Jayne Noblet is managing director of food and drink branding agency, The Collaborators. The Bristol-based studio’s clients include McVitie’s, Applewood cheese and Filey Bay whisky.
Design
What would your monograph be called?
Saddle up, and ride your pony. The title of a David Christie track from 1982, the year I left school.
It’s a metaphor for taking action and moving forward in life. I am a firm believer in taking control of life, rather than it taking control of you. Great design often means making brave choices and not being afraid to move forward.
I am also a lifelong horse lover with four ponies of my own, so it’s more than a metaphor for me!
What recent design work made you a bit jealous?
I love this Heinz brand campaign by Wieden + Kennedy. I am a big fan of their work, often controversial, always highly creative.
This campaign is so simple and relies on clever insight that we instinctively know the ads are talking about Heinz without even showing or mentioning the brand.
Wieden + Kennedy’s It Has To be Heinz campaign
What’s an unusual place you get inspiration from?
I live in the countryside with a lot of nature on my doorstep. I have always found inspiration for design in the changing of seasons and the rhythm of nature.
I love a trip to the bright lights of London or New York, but nature is awesome.
Name something that is brilliantly designed but overlooked.
Sounds crazy, but I love a good tap. A well-designed tap is a beautiful thing. The ergonomics, the weight, the turn, the touch, even the sound when the water pours.
They all make a big difference to how you experience, say, running a bath after a hard day at work.
What object in your studio best sums up your taste?
That’s Big Ken, a Kenia Palm we have in the studio. We have added a lot of indoor plants, and it’s brought a new dimension to how I feel about the environment.
Every time a team member has a birthday, we buy a new plant. We joke about working in Jumanji, so we might have to stop that initiative soon!
Jayne Noblet’s plant
Leadership
What feedback felt brutal at the time, but turned out to be useful?
We had a non-executive when we first started The Collaborators who told us that we should stop treating the money in the bank as our own and think of it as business property.
Consequently, we were as poor as church mice for quite some time, but it was great advice and one we have stuck to ever since. Cash is king.
What’s an underappreciated skill that design leaders need?
Empathy and understanding. Life happens when you are least expecting it. Showing compassion when times get difficult for people in your business builds loyalty, respect and a deeper connection between the team.
What keeps you up at night?
I am not much of a worrier. I think that’s been a blessing over the years. Worrying achieves nothing apart from stress. I get excited about ideas and change, and that can certainly keep me awake at night.
What trait is non-negotiable in new hires?
A can-do attitude. Positive people make life so much nicer.
Complete this sentence, “I wish more clients…”
…would appreciate the value of great design, not just the cost.
I think the next decade will be interesting. With AI gathering pace, will clients become more cost-sensitive, or will craftsmanship and the more subtle and insightful qualities that only a ‘real’ designer can bring be more sought after and therefore more valued? Let’s see.