Any creative would agree: our industry is a fast-paced and ever-changing one. With so many art forms and influences – not to mention technology – how, exactly, can you stay on top of what’s now, new and next? Here are 3 ways to stay creatively on-trend.

1. The world wide web

These days, you don’t even need to leave your room to find inspiration. Thanks to our laptops and smartphones, we only need to pop open Google to find a creative springboard. Some of the best destinations for design inspiration are:

– Behance, or as we call it, ‘Instagram by Adobe’.
– Dieline, a must-visit for anyone interested in packaging.
– It’s Nice That, a blend of art, business and culture (plus a podcast).
– WGSN, a trend-forecasting website.
– Pantone, the colour experts (now, what did we do with our swatch book again?).

But don’t just limit yourself to a few tabs on your browser. To stay creatively on-trend, follow influencers in the field – we like Dave Harland and Eddie Shleyner for copy, Steven Bartlett and Richard Branson for business and Eddie Opara for graphic design. 

2. Networking events

Now this is something worth getting out of bed for. Attending shows can give you valuable insights – and connections – you can’t get anywhere else. Plus, it’s one of the ways to find work and build your portfolio when you’re just starting out. A few we like are:

– NTU Graduate Festival, a fashion event that features the latest young designers.
– London Fashion Week, where you can get tickets to shows by leading designers.
– Marketing Showcase, a great way to meet brands and businesses in the marketing world.
– D&AD New Blood Festival, which spotlights new talent and features industry talks.
– Local-based events, like Copywriters Unite, for opportunities to get together informally.
– Online-based events, like webinars, conferences and community meet-ups. 

3. Competitor research

If you’re interested in a particular sector, finding out about it is a great way to stay creatively on-trend. Delve into how different areas influence each other (think fashion on interiors, and design in general). See who’s making waves in the space and what local brands and businesses are doing (both agencies and retailers). Other ideas include:

– Honing your social, whether it’s showcasing work, networking with others, taking part in competitions (like One Minute Briefs) or building Pinterest boards.
– Getting out and about, seeing what’s happening on your high street and in your area.
– Visiting creative hubs and attending workshops, like Writing East Midlands.

And there you have it – industry secrets to help you stay creatively on-trend. So whether you need us for social, SEO, graphic design, copywriting, artworking, QC or something else, just reach out to our team today.