Manic Design – Karen Huang, Jimmy Tan — Singapore

"Designers need to be more curious about the world outside of design. If you understand a client’s business and their problems and issues, you stand a better chance of being seen as a partner and not just a vendor. Designers have to evolve beyond looking at awards results and cool magazines."

The name of this award-winning creative agency was inspired by the band Manic Street Preachers, favourites of founders and creative directors Karen Huang and Jimmy Tan when they started the outfit in 1999. They share the belief that good design always includes both creativity and communication. A piece of work that looks great, but fails to speak to its audience is not good design, they insist.