Traveling for work tends to be a nice change from the confines of the office grind, and my experience in Boston at HOW Design Live was no different. Having never traveled to Boston before, I was excited to immerse myself in the new city and the conference. For me, the best part of HOW wasn’t the vinyl DJ set from Johnny Cupcakes, or the awesome location in downtown Boston, but rather the experience I gained from attending sessions and keynotes for 3 days straight. As a graphic designer, it seems like I’ve worked in every vertical and environment; from freelance to in-house to boutique to big agency, you name it, I’ve designed it. Product photography, video shoots, posters, branding, email blasts, the list goes on and on. It’s the main reason I was so attracted to inMotionNow, because or creative workflow tool is so necessary for design teams.

Having spent a few years in sales, I’d started to lose touch with my creative side. My time at HOW re-ignited my passion for helping creative teams battle the frustrations and bottle-necks I experienced during my time working in an agency. During the conference, an inMotionNow customer actually walked up to me to say that just using inMotion’s review and approval tool saved her team over 100 hours a month. It really blew me away; I had forgotten how creative is often left in the dust, even as their crucial work is the fuel for every successful marketing campaign. Call me biased, but I believe in the power and importance of creative. *wink*

During the sessions, I learned that confidence is key. It’s important for both marketing and creative to take risks to share their ideas and open the lines of communication. Creative and marketing must work together or die separately, and it’s awesome to see the blending of the two groups at a conference like HOW.

I was also struck by the impact that design can have on the world. One session showcased an initiative where inmates painted billionaires who should be in prison instead. The art became a book and the proceeds benefited art programs within the prison system. It was awesome to see design and marketing working together to make a difference.

I was also lucky enough to catch an ESKO demo presenting 4D rendering, and how easy it is now for teams to create product photography or packaging. This is a far cry from rendering bottles in Photoshop like I used to do (I’m aging myself, I know)!

In one session I saw how design is emotion translated into images that sear themselves onto the brain of the consumer, conjuring up an emotional response whenever they see it. Think about the comfort of seeing a logo you’re used to after a long trip oversees, or the trust you have when you buy your favorite brand at the grocery store. These are just logos, but the feelings are real.

I also got to learn about some current trends for 2018: loud colors and tons of nostalgia. In the world of face recognition and information being available to every platform on earth, we are finding comfort in warm colors and feelings of times past. Think Chobani, KFC, Stranger Things, etc.

Another awesome thing I learned was to check your ego at the door, which tends to be a theme at anything to do with art. I learned that staying busy and productive but killing yourself in the process doesn’t actually help anyone. Rather, the over-worker and under-player ends up burnt out, depressed, alone, and just flat out done with design in general. Take care of yourself and know when to say no.

HOW was an awesome experience with tons of education, stimulation and fun for a creative like me. The marketers seemed to enjoy it too, remember creatives and marketing thrive together or die separately.

Jasmine MacDonald received a BSc in Communications with a focus on Broadcast Journalism from Eastern Carolina University in 2012. She has a background working in video advertising agencies and graphic design agencies in North Carolina and Los Angeles. Jasmine is currently a Senior Account Development Representative and Workflow Expert at inMotionNow.