In the ever-evolving design world, few studios have managed to carve out a niche as distinct and impactful as Driftime®. Because of its ethical approach and innovative solutions, Driftime® has become a beacon for impact-driven creativity. In this exclusive interview for the Creating Change series, we sit down with Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Abb-d Taiyo, to discuss their journey, challenges, and vision for the future. 

Early Beginnings 

Bold Studio: Your journey is unique. Can you tell us how it all started? 

Abb-d: In many ways, it was a journey of chance. I used to play semi-professional basketball, which was my entire youth. I played for the England youth team and even went to New York on a scholarship to play for an Ivy League school. However, due to various logistical issues, that dream crumbled. When I returned to the UK, I realised that professional sports might not be feasible. I had studied fine art up to A-level, however, a career in fine art seemed equally narrow. So, I instinctively transitioned into design, applying my creative energy to this new field. 

Bold Studio: That sounds like a significant shift. How did you navigate the early days of your design career? 

Abb-d: It was a process of figuring things out, for sure. I am fully self-taught, without a formal degree, and finding my place was challenging. I worked freelance, in-house at various companies, and eventually got some lucky breaks with small studios. One of the studios I worked for grew rapidly after being acquired, though I eventually fell out of love with the corporate environment. This led to the decision to start our own studio, focusing on ethics and good creative projects with the right kinds of people. 

Pictured above: Abb-d Taiyo

Building Driftime® 

Bold Studio: Starting your own studio must have been a daunting task. What were the early days like? 

Abb-d: The early days were about defining what we wanted to achieve. We aimed to create a studio with responsibility and accountability at its core. Initially, we had no clear idea of what that meant beyond our gut feeling, but we started to formalise our approach over time. We wanted to do design in a way that had a positive impact, even though the concept of a purpose-driven business was not widely understood at the time.

Bold Studio: How does your background in social entrepreneurship influence your approach to client relationships? 

Abb-d: Our background helps us relate to our clients, many of whom are social entrepreneurs themselves. We understand their challenges and work collaboratively to find solutions. We don't see ourselves as the sole solution but as part of a larger process of progress, which is often messy and involves a lot of trial and error. The true differentiator is how we empower our client partners, and stems from a place where we truly care about the work they do and their success, beyond what might be billable and beneficial for us. 

"It started as a campaign to address the gap in the creative industry's approach to impact and sustainable design. Over time, it evolved into a movement."

Abb-d Taiyo gives a talk on behalf of Design Declares UK

Design Declares Initiative 

Bold Studio: What inspired the creation of Design Declares, and how do you see it evolving? 

Abb-d: Design Declares (D!) was a collaborative effort with other agencies. It started as a campaign to address the gap in the creative industry's approach to impact and sustainable design. Over time, it evolved into a movement. We aim to make it more accessible and community-driven, allowing it to organically shape itself based on feedback and involvement from the design community. 

Bold Studio: How do you measure the success and impact of your initiatives? 

Abb-d: For Design Declares, we don't formally measure success and impact (outside of the obvious signs). Our approach is to celebrate good work rather than policing it. We empower the community by showcasing what good work looks like from their perspective, whether it's one act of the 8 Design Declares Have developed, or multiple acts of impact. 

Abb-d presenting a talk as Co-founder of Driftime® 

Client Selection and Ethical Considerations 

Bold Studio: How do you select your clients, and what do you do if their ethos contradicts yours? 

Abb-d: We look at the overlap of purpose and intention. We do some background research, but it's usually clear from public information and how those prospects operate. We don't exclude companies with a bad track record either, as long as they show genuine intent to course correct. However, there are industries we avoid, like fossil fuels and big pharma, because we know we can't make a significant impact there. In some cases, prospects and clients may have the best intentions, but external influences force them to u-turn (such as bureaucracy or poor leadership). In instances such as this, we have clear terms in our contracts in relation to our values, giving both parties flexibility to walk away at certain points. It’s a rare occurrence, but something that has proven useful in the past. 

Bold Studio: How do you balance aesthetic design goals with sustainable practices? 

Abb-d: It's about finding the middle ground. We don't see creativity and sustainability as opposing ends of a spectrum. For example, in digital design, we can reduce energy consumption by using efficient formats and questioning the necessity of high-resolution videos. It's about making thoughtful compromises without sacrificing creativity or sustainability. Trends are a major issue in most cases, as a lot of folks jump on popular and emerging tech, but never really consider the planetary implications. Trends have a shelf-life, and it’s no surprise that ‘timeless’ design is inherently sustainable. 

Educating Clients and the Design Community 

Bold Studio: Do your clients understand the sustainability impact of their digital platforms? 

Abb-d: Many don't realise the carbon footprint of their digital presence. We educate them about the energy consumption of servers and the impact of their online activities. Depending on who they are and the industry they work in, we typically provide initial high impact, low effort things they can do now, and high impact, high effort things they can plan and think about later. We also suggest more sustainable practices, tools and processes such as our Impact Pathfinder as an accessible stepping stone towards long-term success. 

Bold Studio: What advice would you give to design agencies hesitant to start their sustainability journey? 

Abb-d: There are many free resources available like the Design Declares toolkit. The biggest challenge we’ve seen within the D! Community for example,is having difficult conversations with clients. Start posing questions about sustainable practices and tie them to tangible benefits like cost savings or efficiency. It's about getting those reps in, building trust with your clients and being prepared to fail multiple times before finding success. If your client or partner truly wants progress, things will likely be a little messy. 

Personal Insights and Inspirations 

Bold Studio: Finally, a lighter question. Who are your top five rappers? 

Abb-d: That's a tough one! My all-time favourite is probably Mos Def. Recently, I've been into Little Simz. I also love 90s Busta Rhymes, MF Doom, and Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest. But my all-time favourite artist, and putting rap side, would be Nujabes, the Japanese producer. 

Conclusion 

Abb-d’s and Driftime’s journey is a testament to the power of purpose-driven creativity. Driftime’s commitment to ethical practices and sustainable design sets it apart. As the studio continues to evolve and inspire, its story serves as a beacon for others looking to create meaningful change through design.