Not Another Folio – Oscar Saunders

Recap:

I’ve finely tuned my craft over the course of a decade.
I’ve branded an esports agency, psy-ops club, record label, artists, events, crypto project, and startups.
I’ve conceptualised experiences, pop-up shops, poppy appeals, arena takeovers, and booths for conferences.
I’ve directed shoots in California, books for rum, interviews for gum, campaigns for tobacco and big pharma.
I’ve storyboarded for war, to combat terrorism, and award-winning short films to counter radical narratives.
I’ve designed content for blue chips, an app for nurses, interactive prototypes, infographics, and a dating tool.
I’ve built websites for agencies, mentoring platforms, developed social campaigns for cars and phones.
I’ve still got a long way to go.

Category:

Skillset:

Programs:

Experience:

Senior Lead Designer @ Agency72
Shoreditch, UK | Mar 2024–Dec 2024

Brand Designer @ Why & Partners
Isle of Wight, UK | Feb 2024–Mar 2024

Graphic Designer @ Lumanity
London, UK | Jul 2023–Sep 2023

Lead Brand Designer @ Swipe Right
London, UK | Apr 2023–Jun 2023

Graphic Designer @ Digitas UK
London, UK | Jan 2023–Apr 2023

Digital Designer @ Saatchi & Saatchi
London, UK | Aug 2022–Jan 2023

Graphic Designer @ Publicis Poke
London, UK | Feb 2022–Aug 2022

Graphic Designer @ M&C Saatchi
Soho, UK | Jan 2022–Feb 2022

Graphic Designer @ DDB Remedy
Paddington, UK | Jun 2021–Jan 2022

Art Director & Designer @ Junction London
London, UK | May 2021–Jun 2021

Creative Lead @ Rohme
London, UK | Nov 2020–May 2021

Lead Brand Designer @ Polar Manufacturing
Dubai, UAE | Mar 2020–Sep 2020

Creative Partner @ Aerate Inc.
Dubai, UAE | Mar 2020–Aug 2022

Graphic Designer @ DDB Remedy
Paddington, UK | Jul 2018–Mar 2020

Art Director & Designer @ Borkowski
Somerset House, UK | Oct 2017–May 2018

Art Director & Designer @ Public Inc.
Somerset House, UK | Jan 2018–Mar 2018

Product Designer @ Evvnt
Soho, UK | Mar 2018–May 2018

Lead Product Designer @ Aerate Inc.
Shoreditch, UK | Oct 2017–Mar 2018

Art Director @ TBWA \ 1492
Southwark, UK | Jul 2017–Oct 2017

Art Director @ Stellar
Shoreditch, UK | Jun 2017–Jul 2017

Art Director @ Global Influence
Whitehall, UK | Nov 2016–May 2017

Commercial Designer @ Vevo
Covent Garden, UK | Oct 2016–Nov 2016

Graphic Designer @ Verbalisation / CAI
Whitehall, UK | Mar 2015–Oct 2016

Lead Art Director @ elizabethW
San Francisco, CA | Jul 2014–Sep 2014

Graphic Design Intern @ (FCB) Inferno
Covent Garden, UK | Jul 2009

Studies:

University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol
BA (Hons) in Graphic Design | 2011–2014

University of the Creative Arts (UCA) Epsom
BTEC Foundation in Graphic Design | 2010–2011

Glyn Technology School Epsom
Graphic Design | English Lit | Art | IT | 2006–2009

Awards:

Break Your Routine Allergan / Ozurdex
The Creative Floor | HCP Exhibition (Finalist)

Rethinking Remembrance The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
Creativepool Awards | Best Integrated Campaign (Silver)

The Times & Sunday Times News UK
Campaign New Thinking | Best Brand Evolution (Gold)

#NotAnotherBrother The Quilliam Foundation
The Best Awards | Best Brand Strategy (Gold)
Caples Awards | Best Writing for Direct (Silver)
DMA Awards | Best Public Sector Campaign (Silver)

Praise:

"I think what really stood out to me was what people were saying about his willingness to help ... He would happily ditch the pub and step back into the office and work to make sure the studio team had someone else there. Oscar was an essential part of the EU RETINA congress team, making himself available at a minute's notice to implement changes and amends whenever required. In addition to his exemplary work on this project, he has been consistently willing to help out other members of the studio team if he has the time or they have a large amount of work coming in that he can help chip away at."

Judges Comments | Lemonaid Awards @ DDB Remedy

"Creative teams need kooky characters- Oscar brings a slice of difference to any project "

Tracey Brader | Managing Partner @ DDB Remedy

"Oscar was a diligent, committed design student who brought his own passions into his work while considering the needs of each brief. His curiosity and interest for wider social issues helped to lend his work relevance and made him a pleasure to teach."

Gabriel Solomons | Tutor @ UWE

"Oscar is a quick, smart and versatile designer. I found that he'll give you what you need, but will also consider creative alternatives that you never knew you needed. And he's fun to work with."

Oliver Meech | Head of Copy @ Propaganda

"Oscar is a very talented professional. I would recommend him for any kind of creative digital work."

Fabio Trovato Monastra | Founder & CEO @ Rohme

"I've been working with Oscar for over 8 years across a wide range of digital projects and products across industries and sizes. Oscar is one of the most talented graphic designer and art director I've worked with. Not only can he execute fantastic creative work, he's also a great communicator and a strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset. My number one creative to turn to at all times!"

Elina Hedman | Founder & Mentor @ Aerate Inc.

"Talented designer with a hard working ethic to get the job finished. Can look outside the scope and find full creative genius if needed. Good guy!"

Richard Green | CEO @ Evvnt Inc.

"It's a genuine pleasure to write a recommendation for Oscar, as he is unquestionably one of the most naturally gifted art director / designers that I’ve had the pleasure to work with. We completed many projects together, often with very tight deadlines, and he never failed to deliver excellence - with several of the campaigns winning international awards. But, in addition to his unquestionable talent, is his character. Oscar is an exemplary man: reliable, diligent, and grounded - and these virtues were respected and appreciated by a broad range of clients, including those from within the defence sector. I always knew that if I gave a job to Oscar, it would come back to the highest standard, with minimal hassle. I can’t recommend Oscar highly enough."

Sven Hughes | CEO @ Enigma Strategic Communications Ltd.

"Oscar is a very talented designer and art director. He’s got a great eye and always takes pride in his craft. We’ve worked together many times over the years and he’s always elevated every single job. Not only that, but he’s also a top guy to have around, who’s always up for a drink and a chat."

Gavin Finney | Creative Director @ Maverick

"One of the greats, Oscar is the kind of person you need when the zombie apocalypse hits and/or just getting things out on time and looking amazing!!!"

Athol Peters | Motion Designer

"Oscar worked for Verbalisation as a Graphic Designer from March 2015 till October 2016, and again as the Art Director from November 2016 until May 2017. During his time with us, his work on our counter-extremism film #NotAnotherBrother helped us scoop two prestigious awards, his contribution to our work for The Times on their brand evolution also helped us win a Campaign – New Thinking 2017 gong. With enthusiasm for his work, infective humour and sparky personality, Oscar became an intrinsically valued member of both our creative department and the broader company from the start. He has a natural flair for design and aesthetics that supports his strong conceptual thinking, with occasional leaps of intuition and lateral thought that can only come from an inherently creative and curious mind. Oscar will make an enormous contribution to any team he works with, and I have no doubt he will be a creative force to reckon with as his experience grows."

Drew Charsley | Creative Director @ Verbalisation

"Oscar worked as a freelance graphic designer at 1492 for an extended period of several months during 2017. In his time at the agency, he brought a spark to the studio, offering fresh thinking and unique solutions to challenging briefs. From developing concepts to working up finished visuals, Oscar was involved in all aspects of the projects he was briefed on. A confident, talented designer, art director and illustrator he worked diligently whether the project was large, small, on his own or as part of a team."

Mark Butler | Creative Director @ TBWA\1492

"Calypso Voices Limited is one of the premier, and long-established London voice agencies of over 30 years standing. As with most companies, and particularly media related ones, our main advertising tool is our website – this is our proven primary showcase. I employed Oscar Saunders in early 2015 to completely redesign and re-imagine my company website and associated complementary materials. He had very recently completed his University Degree, and I was most impressed by his fresh, young, but interesting and commercial interpretive take on things; although this was to be his first foray into a fully commercial design project. His understanding of the brief, "to modernise, stand out, and extend the functionality of the website on a visual and user level, and to break away from the normal voice agent style website", was fully met by his enthusiasm, openness, and understanding of the brief – and his own research into my company: his design work, in conjunction with the technical website developers, fulfilled every aspect of our requirements. We launched the new site, after the build, later in 2015, and received so many positive responses and compliments, and still do to date. Additionally, our technical web builders stated that it was one of the most visually attractive and interesting interactive sites they have built, and thoroughly enjoyed working on the development of it, with Oscar's design and creative input throughout the build."

Chrissie Devaney | Managing Director @ Calypso Voices

Oscar Saunders.