Stephen Gates

Most designers discover design. That is, they don’t even know design is a thing until someone tells them about it and then they realize that’s what they’ve been doing, or that’s what they want to do. Not so with Stephen Gates. His father was a creative director and he pretty much grew up at an ad agency. He now has over 20 years experience designing ad campaigns and digital experiences. He’s been global head of design for Citibank, and he’s now head of design transformation at InVision, where he works with brands including Google, Nike, and WeWork.

On this episode, Debbie talks with designer Stephen Gates about why it’s important for a brand not to be liked by everybody. “For most brands, whether they are personl, or whether they are for a company, people will ask ‘How will it please everybody? I want everyone to love me.’ And that’s just not real.”

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