Visual Communications & Branding in Africa 1.0 (Interview by Olowoyo Oluwatomisin for City Scope NG)
Could you briefly introduce yourself?
My name is Ifeoluwa Sopeju, a Creative Professional, Brand Identity Specialist, Founder and Creative Director, CREO-HUB DESIGNS. I’m married to one wife and I have one son for now.
I’m passionate about creativity. You’ll get to know other things about me in the course of the session.
So, how did Ifeoluwa Sopeju metamorphose to CREO HUB DESIGNS?
IFEOLUWA SOPEJU (IS) and CREO HUB DESIGNS (CHD) are totally different brands.
‘IS’ is my personal brand, while ‘CHD’ is a corporate and business brand. While ‘CHD’ is a stand-alone, it leverages the personal brand of ‘IS’.
The decision to build a personal brand was made at the start of the year, 2018. I believe that if my personal brand is attractive and spot on, it will rub off on ‘CHD’.
Case in point,Richard Branson (RB) and Virgin Atlantic (VA) amongst others. ‘VA’ was/is successful and thriving because of the way ‘RB’ promoted his personal brand. Anyone who hears the name Virgin Atlantic, will always remember Richard Branson. I believe that as entrepreneurs and business owners, personal branding is key to the success of your business’s brand. If your personal brand is faulty, your business cannot thrive.
In a nutshell, ‘CHD’ is not a metamorphosis of ‘IS’. They are totally different.
How exactly are you elevating brands and creative talent in design and digital experience at CREO HUB DESIGNS?
At CREO HUB DESIGNS, we hold very dear the power of inspiration, the interplay of ideas which in turn gives our client a distinct image and brand identity. We understand the dynamics of businesses we have worked for and what their unique selling proposition is.
We elevate these brands by providing unique and iconic identities that make them identifiable, easily recognizable and relatable.
We also ensure that every form of advertising, brand identity, digital marketing delivers effective solutions for our clients, hence meeting their needs.
You were a creative director for three very big household names in Africa, KPMG in Nigeria, Deloitte & Touché and The Guardian Newspaper. Very massive if you ask me. How did you achieve these?
Well, I actually rose through the ranks. I did not start as a Creative Director/Designer at my first job, The Guardian Newspaper in 2011. I was a Senior Graphic Associate at The Guardian Newspaper, then moved on to KPMG in Nigeria as a Graphic Design Specialist in 2013, then to Deloitte & Touché as a Senior Graphic Design Specialist in 2016, before I was poached to Visionscape Group as Lead Creative Designer in 2017.
Everywhere I have worked, I have always ensured that I hit the ground running. I ensured I was professional, passionate, hardworking and deliver excellent customer service to the people I worked for and with. This made me stand out.
I also ensured that every company I considered ever working for was known globally or had international affiliations.
So what initiated the choice of the name CREO HUB DESIGNS in the first place?
Well, CREO is a Latin word for ‘creative’, HUB simply means ‘the central part of a wheel that connects the axle to the wheel itself’.
The name CREO HUB DESIGNS reflects our vision statement, which is to be the hub of creativity locally and internationally. We want to be the center and point of call for every creative design solution needs.
What is the biggest threat facing modern-day graphic designers and brand experts in Nigeria?
There are a lot of threats facing graphic designers and brand experts in Nigeria and across the world, but I will focus on a few critical ones.
Job Market Saturation and Increasing Competition:
With so many people becoming graphic designers, it’s not surprising that there is increased competition — and even oversaturation — in the market. This affects how designers are hired, fired and salary negotiated. When your skills are commoditized, it is harder to demand a competitive salary or to hang on to your current job. There is always someone ready and willing to replace you, or who is so desperate for a job and will do it for considerably less.
Crowdsourcing, Spec Work and the Gig Economy:
The gig economy is a reality that isn’t going away any time soon. The ability to outsource to freelancers at lower rates and capacity to crowdsource and have nearly limited options, is appealing to some businesses, particularly small businesses and entrepreneurs.
We see many music artists organize competitions for designers to design album art or logo, and a lot of designers rush at it. This is a threat to a number of us who are professional creatives and should be frowned at.
Some clients ask for spec work in lieu for exposure. Sadly, many designers fall for this.
The final threat is this…
The Generalists vs. The Specialists:
Gone are the days when companies and businesses had a number of creatives working in between projects, with specific areas of specialisation. These days, if you are working a 9 to 5 design gig, you would probably find yourself working outside the scope of your niche and forced to learn new skills on the go, including social media, website management, project management and even technical tasks. In the end, they are underpaid, because their pay (agreed fee) is not commensurate to the scope of work assigned to them.
So what advice do you have for business startups in Nigeria, especially in the area of branding?
One thing startups need to know when starting a business is that, your logo is not your brand. It is only an identifier. It isn’t even your product or services. It is more about how your customers perceive you, or what they say about you.
These key considerations, must be looked into as startups, with respect to their brand and branding
• Identify your target market.
• Learn about your competitors’ brands and how you can leverage on their inefficiencies and lapses.
• Have a Unique Selling Point (USP).You must have something that stands you out.
• Define your brand as a ‘person.’ Your brand must have human feeling and connection.
• Create a visual personality and be consistent throughout all aspects of your business
In all of these, engage professional designers or design outfits, like CREO HUB DESIGNS for your branding needs.
What are the things you are going to be doing differently this year 2018 with your brand?
For my personal brand, I will focus on being myself, originality and also ensure my core values (Integrity, Professionalism, Dependability, Reliability) are upheld. I also intend to develop myself professionally, staying up-to-date with design trends and improving on my skill set.
For my business brand, we will focus on our vision, which is to be the leading hub of creativity locally and internationally.
We have a strategic plan to provide creative solutions that meets the design needs of organisations, small and medium businesses hence promoting their brand. We will also be spontaneous, innovative and apply design thinking in crafting design solutions for our clients.
As a business, we will also be looking at bringing on board interns and have sessions where we can teach newbies and design enthusiasts the principles of design.
Congratulations on your recent appointment as a Lead, Visual Communications at City Scope. Are you excited about this?
I wasn’t expecting this to say the least.
It’s a privilege and rare opportunity to be brought on the team as visiting consultant in the area of Visual Communications & Branding. I hope to bring on my expertise and professional advise towards making the magazine one to reckon with and be competitive with other magazines globally.
Thank you very much.
You actually made me very comfortable.
Visual Communications & Branding in Africa 2.0: South Africa as a case study (In View).
