An energetic and curiousÂ
Creative Director.
Creative Director.
An experienced, strategic & passionate creative, Jason works at the intersection of brand, design and technology. With over 25 years of experience in visual identity and art direction, he has a 360° approach towards creating intentional brand experiences.
Raised in Cape Town and living in Amsterdam, Jason works daily across both global and local clients. From international tech giants to agile new ventures, he is motivated by helping brands grow through original, meaningful and strategic brand design.
Raised in Cape Town and living in Amsterdam, Jason works daily across both global and local clients. From international tech giants to agile new ventures, he is motivated by helping brands grow through original, meaningful and strategic brand design.
A pop-culture addict and avid book-collector with a passion for travel and food. ââââââ
Expertise
Directly with brands as well as within agencies
> Creative strategy &Â brand personality
> Creative team leadership
> Brand design (identity, product, packaging, digital)
> Creative direction (motion, photography, illustration, sonic)
> Pitching & credentials presentations
Categories
Specific category expertise and background
> Technology (compute, sensors, graphics, AI)
> FMCG (confectionary, dairy, beer, coffee)> Luxury alcohol (spirits, champagne, wine)
> Financial services (banking, insurance, investment)
> Startups (AI, news, property investment)Â
Interview 2022
Credit: Alex Normington and DOPA
Interview 2019
Credit: Design Bridge Amsterdam, Spring 2019
In the latest instalment of interviews with the people we work with every day, we sat down for a chat with Jason Kempen, Partnership Creative Director in Amsterdam. Find out more about Jasonâs background in the world of design, how he came to work in this vibrant capital, what he looks for when building his team, and his personal passions...
Hello Jason! Now, that doesnât sound like a Dutch accentâŠ
Itâs not! Iâm originally from sunny South Africa â Cape Town born, raised and schooled. I studied design at a private college as, at the time, universities werenât really equipped to teach graphic design. That was back when the design zeitgeist was focused on the eponymous work of David Carson and his work for Raygun magazine â a style that greatly influenced my love of editorial design and the value of considered typography and negative space!
Itâs not! Iâm originally from sunny South Africa â Cape Town born, raised and schooled. I studied design at a private college as, at the time, universities werenât really equipped to teach graphic design. That was back when the design zeitgeist was focused on the eponymous work of David Carson and his work for Raygun magazine â a style that greatly influenced my love of editorial design and the value of considered typography and negative space!
Luckily, universities are now fully committed to running design courses, which is having a positive impact on South Africaâs role within global design and advertising. Thereâs a uniquely edgy aesthetic coming from a very entrepreneurial young generation of artists and designers. But yes, Cape Town is where I developed my career as a designer in various agencies, before starting my own small design agency in 2008.
How did you end up in Amsterdam?
After 35 years of living in Cape Town, I started to long for discovering more of the world out there (Iâm somewhat of a travel-bug) and, given my Dutch ancestry, I figured that Amsterdam would be a good place to base myself. I had already come across Design Bridge, having worked on AkzoNobel at my own agency, so I got in touch back in late 2013 and it was only a few months later that I was packing my bags, too many boxes of books, and a lifetime of junk into a container and heading towards the Netherlands. The rest, as they say, is history!
After 35 years of living in Cape Town, I started to long for discovering more of the world out there (Iâm somewhat of a travel-bug) and, given my Dutch ancestry, I figured that Amsterdam would be a good place to base myself. I had already come across Design Bridge, having worked on AkzoNobel at my own agency, so I got in touch back in late 2013 and it was only a few months later that I was packing my bags, too many boxes of books, and a lifetime of junk into a container and heading towards the Netherlands. The rest, as they say, is history!
Have you noticed any differences or similarities working as a designer in the Netherlands compared to South Africa?
South Africans tend to have quite a pragmatic, can-do approach with a lot of entrepreneurial spirit and a good dose of humour â something that resonates well within the Dutch market, too. So in that sense, it was quite an easy transition â the easy-going culture in Amsterdam also quite closely matched the atmosphere that I fostered at my agency in Cape Town, so I definitely felt like Iâd âcome homeâ when I started working here. Apart from the weather, of course. That definitely isnât like home!
South Africans tend to have quite a pragmatic, can-do approach with a lot of entrepreneurial spirit and a good dose of humour â something that resonates well within the Dutch market, too. So in that sense, it was quite an easy transition â the easy-going culture in Amsterdam also quite closely matched the atmosphere that I fostered at my agency in Cape Town, so I definitely felt like Iâd âcome homeâ when I started working here. Apart from the weather, of course. That definitely isnât like home!
The stakes are high in Europe, with significant investment in design and strategy. This means that you need to have a clear point of view on the vision for the brands you work with, and confidence in why you make the decisions you do. I enjoy the rigour that goes into the work, making sure that weâre always doing right by the brands that weâre lucky enough to design for.Â
That said, I do try to make sure that we bring a healthy dose of âgut-feelâ to what we do, too â creativity is not an absolute science, after all!
Tell us a bit about Dutch lifeâŠ
I find that being based in the centre of Amsterdam is a daily source of inspiration â from the sense of history on every street corner, to the great variety of galleries, cafĂ©s and bars within walking (or biking!) distance. There is a tangible creative buzz to this city and itâs at an interesting crossroads of âold-meetsânewâ â for me, this is where the most interesting ideas can start. Throw in the energetic music scene and the newly-ignited food culture and you quickly find yourself immersed in a busy and vibrant city.
I find that being based in the centre of Amsterdam is a daily source of inspiration â from the sense of history on every street corner, to the great variety of galleries, cafĂ©s and bars within walking (or biking!) distance. There is a tangible creative buzz to this city and itâs at an interesting crossroads of âold-meetsânewâ â for me, this is where the most interesting ideas can start. Throw in the energetic music scene and the newly-ignited food culture and you quickly find yourself immersed in a busy and vibrant city.
What does an average work day look like for you?
The day-to-day life in the Studio is quite varied. Itâs a clichĂ©, I know, but in my role as Creative Director, no two days are the same! A typical week for me includes briefing and reviewing work with the design team, as well as figuring out the approach on new and on-going projects with the Strategy and Client management teams â we work very collaboratively.Â
The day-to-day life in the Studio is quite varied. Itâs a clichĂ©, I know, but in my role as Creative Director, no two days are the same! A typical week for me includes briefing and reviewing work with the design team, as well as figuring out the approach on new and on-going projects with the Strategy and Client management teams â we work very collaboratively.Â
If time allows, I also jump in on some design & presentation work. Itâs still something that I love to do, although I often have less time to be as deeply involved in design projects than I did in the past. Normally a few client presentations will be thrown in for good measure and, occasionally, some travel within Europe in order to do so.
Tell us about some of the clients you work withâŠ
I work across a number of different categories so that keeps me on my toes. In one day I can jump from the world of dairy into beer, then a tech startup and a traditional financial services institution. I find that there are always interesting observations to take from brands in one category and apply them to another. Itâs this collision of seemingly disparate insights and concepts that often yields the most original and unexpected ideas.
I work across a number of different categories so that keeps me on my toes. In one day I can jump from the world of dairy into beer, then a tech startup and a traditional financial services institution. I find that there are always interesting observations to take from brands in one category and apply them to another. Itâs this collision of seemingly disparate insights and concepts that often yields the most original and unexpected ideas.
"The extremely multi-cultural mix of the people I work with also provides a never-ending source of cultural truths and opinions â often very amusing, always valuable."
As well as client work, what else do you get up to?
One of my responsibilities I take great pride in, is being closely involved with the recruitment and development of young talent â from giving lectures & talks at colleges and universities, to reviewing student portfolios. I love being inspired by a new generation of designers with fresh ideas and unrestrained thinking.
One of my responsibilities I take great pride in, is being closely involved with the recruitment and development of young talent â from giving lectures & talks at colleges and universities, to reviewing student portfolios. I love being inspired by a new generation of designers with fresh ideas and unrestrained thinking.
When it comes to teamwork, what do you look for in a designer?
For me itâs all about the personality fit. This is a fast-moving environment where we have to work very collaboratively and intuitively, so there is definitely no space for egos and divas! Of course, besides being an easy-going, friendly person to work with, itâs important that designers are able to come up with original, breakthrough ideas that they can then translate into beautifully crafted designs.Â
For me itâs all about the personality fit. This is a fast-moving environment where we have to work very collaboratively and intuitively, so there is definitely no space for egos and divas! Of course, besides being an easy-going, friendly person to work with, itâs important that designers are able to come up with original, breakthrough ideas that they can then translate into beautifully crafted designs.Â
At the more senior end of the scale, I also look for people that are as comfortable in a boardroom presenting to a client as they are to getting their hands dirty and jumping in on design briefs.
Any words of wisdom for young designers looking to break into the industry?
Keep your portfolio focused and curated. It is far more important to see 4 or 5 really well thought out projects than it is to see pages and pages of design options. Be clear about what your brief is, give a short overview of your inspiration and idea and how it applies to the brand, and then show how you translated this into a final, beautiful design concept (tip: including work-in-progress sketches is always good to see).Â
Keep your portfolio focused and curated. It is far more important to see 4 or 5 really well thought out projects than it is to see pages and pages of design options. Be clear about what your brief is, give a short overview of your inspiration and idea and how it applies to the brand, and then show how you translated this into a final, beautiful design concept (tip: including work-in-progress sketches is always good to see).Â
For me, it is always important to understand how a person thinks and approaches projects. Technical skills and crafting can be learnt on the job, but the power of a great idea, simply translated and âon brandâ, is what really makes me sit up and take notice of a portfolio. It doesnât hurt if you share my obsession with food, wine and books too : )
Wine, eh? Noted!Â
