Off The Brief

Jaden Haynes

There's a version of design thinking that lives inside the brief. Safe, considered, signed off. Off The Brief lives somewhere else. A study in brand, design, and culture. Curated by Jaden Haynes, whose creative work spans global brands in sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. Here, we observe across eras and disciplines with a simple raison d'être: to understand why some brands move culture and why most don't. For professionals who understand that the gap between a brand that matters and one that merely exists is rarely about the work, and almost always about the personality behind it. Because

  1. 2025. 12. 22.

    #29 - Graphic Design in 2026: is it dead?

    This episode addresses the inevitable question looming over the creative industries: Is graphic design dead in 2026? Jaden argues that the death of creativity is a myth, but AI is ruthlessly exposing a dangerous vulnerability: the outsourcing of original thought. In this episode, we explore the intentional design of a creative process that uses technology to supercharge ideas, not replace them. We also tackle why clients who try to replace designers with AI tools ultimately fail, producing nothing but "slop." What is the crucial distinction between the analogue "Ideation" phase and the digital "Execution" phase? How can creative professionals leverage AI as a research executive or a mock-up student while retaining their critical director role? Why will expertise always defeat quick-fix AI tools when clients try to shortcut the design process? Expect to learn the two core components of any creative work, the profound lesson of Austin Kleon’s analogue desk, the simple golden rule of delegation learned from a pub manager, how to avoid creating "AI Slop" in your final designs, the specific use cases for AI in high-speed research and concept mock-ups, and much, much more... - Get access to every episode for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://jadenhaynes.substack.com/ - Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadenlmhaynes YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jadenlmhaynes Email: get@jadenhaynes.com - Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Graphic Design in 2026 01:47 The Role of AI in Creativity 05:39 Human-Centric Ideation vs. AI Execution 09:03 Outsourcing Thinking to AI: A Societal Concern 12:24 Expertise Over Access: The Future of Design 16:15 Conclusion: Embracing AI as a Tool

    18분
  2. #28 – How to Understand Your Prospects Better Than They Understand Themselves

    2025. 12. 20.

    #28 – How to Understand Your Prospects Better Than They Understand Themselves

    In this episode, we break down how to stop charging for your time and start charging for the value you deliver by applying Alex Hormozi’s Value Equation to the creative process. We analyze a real-world discovery call with a London-based community brand to show you how to uncover a client’s "Dream Outcome" and design for their future success, not just their current needs. How can I use the "Value Equation" to justify higher fees as a creative freelancer? What specific questions should I ask during a discovery call to understand a client better than they understand themselves? How do I translate abstract client goals (like "community" or "partnerships") into concrete visual strategies? Expect to learn The Value Equation, The Anti-Identity: Why finding out what a client hates (e.g., corporate minimalism) is crucial for success, The Discovery Script: The exact questions you need to ask to move from "order taker" to strategic partner, and much, much more... - Get access to every episode for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://jadenhaynes.substack.com/ - Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadenlmhaynes YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jadenlmhaynes Email: get@jadenhaynes.com - Chapters 00:00 Understanding the Value Equation02:57 Transforming Deliverables into Value05:51 The Importance of Discovery Calls09:06 Defining the Dream Outcome11:54 Designing for the Future14:59 The Role of Client Understanding18:00 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions

    20분

소개

There's a version of design thinking that lives inside the brief. Safe, considered, signed off. Off The Brief lives somewhere else. A study in brand, design, and culture. Curated by Jaden Haynes, whose creative work spans global brands in sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. Here, we observe across eras and disciplines with a simple raison d'être: to understand why some brands move culture and why most don't. For professionals who understand that the gap between a brand that matters and one that merely exists is rarely about the work, and almost always about the personality behind it. Because