KATE WADIA

FOUNDER/CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER MRS&MR, NEW YORK NY

Kate loves her job. She has spent the better part of three decades creating and crafting design forward work for companies that believe in the transformative power of design. Her work is informed by her belief in the alchemy of curiosity, creativity and close collaboration.

Kate is of the conviction that design thinking transcends all media, experiences and touchpoints, so she has spent her career applying her design skills across multiple platforms: branding, advertising, physical experiences, fashion design, product development, packaging, interior design and production. Consistently bringing a high level of craft, humanity and passion to her work.

Having worked in Melbourne, London and New York, in 2016 Kate co-founded Mrs&Mr, a New York based independent agency. In an industry where less than 3% of Creative Directors are women, Kate founded Mrs&Mr to right the ratio, and on the basis that good creative is most impactful when married — literally‚ to brilliant strategic thinking. The brilliant strategic thinking coming from her husband and business partner, Daniel Wadia.

Kate hails from Melbourne, her unbridled optimism and sunny disposition a likely result of growing up down under.

Looking forward to 2023, are you optimistic about the role and impact of Graphic Design and Visual Communication in Business? Culture? Causes? Why do you feel that way? Have the events and disruptions of the past few years changed the role or trajectory of Graphic Design?

Design makes people feel. It connects people. Design asks questions and is relentlessly curious. Design is about fearless progress, unbridled optimism and inspired innovation. Design has the power to elicit emotions, to make people feel intensely, and ultimately, to move culture. Design has immeasurable influence over our lives, business and society. How exciting is that? This makes me feel hopeful and eternally optimistic about a design centric future.

Most influential graphic design firm(s), ad agencies, or inhouse departments of the past 60 years?

Pushpin Studios. The way they went against the grain, by rejecting the rigidity and modernism of grid based design is inspiring. They developed their own unique and distinctly eclectic design vocabulary of whimsy, ornament, color and irony. They were rule breakers.

Favorite or most influential logo or branding project of the past 60 years?

The FedEx logo, designed in 1994. Timeless. Simple. Clever. The use of negative space is genius. I love a logo that surprises and delights.

Favorite or most influential design project or campaign in any medium for the past 60 years? (package, poster, website, advertisement, etc.)

Historic VW campaigns. These ads were the ultimate combination of wit and simplicity. The typographic design, use of extreme scale, and negative space, combined with razor sharp headlines lead to advertising with perfect synergy between messaging and art direction.

Most influential products, services or technological developments of the past 60 years?

The internet has been the most influential and transformative technology of the past 60-years.