At TMC, creativity sits at the heart of everything we do. Lydia, one of our passionate designers, brings that creative spirit to life through every campaign and brand she touches. We sat down with Lydia to learn more about her journey, inspirations, and proudest projects.
Where did your passion for design come from?
Creativity has always been a part of my life. I come from a very creative family, my grandad owned a print shop, my grandma used to design and print her own clothes and my dad used to create murals. Seeing their work from such a young age shaped how I saw the world.
“When I was at school all I wanted to do was draw, paint, design”
At school, I was always drawn to the design element of any project. Whether it was English or Math, I’d find a way to focus on the creative side. Art was always my favorite subject, and I was fortunate to have had an amazing teacher who really encouraged me to keep pursuing my passion even after I left school, that support meant a lot.
It’s why I always champion for young people now. When we offer work experience at TMC, I really enjoy mentoring students because I know first-hand the result of having a positive mentor early in the career discovery journey.
What project are you most proud of?
The Thames Valley Police: It Does Matter! campaign. It’s a social impact project, and it felt very personal to me. The purpose of the campaign went beyond raising awareness, we wanted it to empower people to stand up against violence and non-contact sexual offences.
From concept to production, to then seeing it in the national media, it was incredible to be part of something that had such a profound real-world impact.
When it came to creating the concept, I knew the project needed to feel authentic to the subject matter, it needed to evoke emotion. We used handwritten elements and even physically ripped up paper to capture the raw, human feel we wanted the campaign to have. It reminded me of how powerful design can be, especially when it’s used to tell real stories.
Which project included your most innovative design ideas?
That would also be Thames Valley Police: It Does Matter!. We experimented with everything, from using real handwriting to physically tearing paper. We wanted the entire design to feel real and raw because that’s what the stories were.
We stuck to the brief, of course, but we also gave the client multiple creative directions. I’ve learned how valuable it is to think outside the box and present more than one option. That’s something the creative directors at TMC have really helped me develop, they encourage exploration and help shape our ideas to fit both the brief and the audience.
“Sometimes you just have a gut feeling about a design, and it’s worth following.”
What project had the biggest impact on you as a designer?
The Wigan Council project, without a doubt. I was still a junior designer at the time and was given the opportunity to work on a full brand, from the logo and colour palette to the website design. It was a lot to take on, but it ended up teaching me so much about design, project management, and collaboration.
It also helped me overcome one of my biggest fears as a designer, a blank page. I used to find it intimidating, but that project flipped the switch for me. Now, I see a blank page as an opportunity to create an impact and put my own creative stamp on something.
Imposter syndrome still pops up sometimes, but being trusted with that kind of responsibility, and seeing it succeed, gave me a lot of belief in myself.
What’s been your favourite project at TMC so far?
That would be the Perfectly Fresh rebrand and website build. It was one of my first projects at TMC, and it really allowed me to explore something fun and expressive. The brand itself gave me the freedom to be bold and create something a little more abstract than the kind of work I’d done before.
When coming up with the concept for their website, I looked at award-winning websites for inspiration, especially around things like pagination, it was so satisfying to present our ideas to the client and see the final output go live. It gave me a lot of confidence early on in my career and was an enjoyable experience for me as a designer.
What are three essential qualities needed as a designer in an agency?
- Willingness to learn and adapt – Design trends are always evolving, so staying curious and flexible is key.
- Attention to detail – You can never check your work too many times. I always try to double-check (and get a second opinion), we have a full team of talented designers and marketeers that can always offer a different perspective.
- Be inspired by everything – Design is all around us, even in unexpected places. Stay open-minded because you never know where your next great idea will come from.
What’s your favourite part of the design process?
Research. I love being able to take a step back and learn about something completely new. It’s not just about design, it’s about understanding the audience, the subject matter, the purpose behind the project.
For example, I’ve been working on the branding for TMC’s AI Taskforce, and digging into the roots of artificial intelligence has been so interesting. Getting to explore a topic from the ground up keeps the work fresh and exciting.
Where do you get your inspiration from? How do you keep track of ideas?
I’m always looking at what other brands are doing, whether it’s Pinterest, Instagram, campaigns, social media. I save anything that sparks my interest, even if it doesn’t relate to what I’m working on right now. I’ve got folders full of inspiration for my ‘future self’.
That system really helped with projects like Wear White Again and Perfectly Fresh. Sometimes an idea I saved months ago becomes the perfect reference point for a new design.
“You’d be surprised by how many logos that seem random actually tie back to a specific historical moment or meaning. I find that fascinating.”
What ad or piece of creative has inspired you recently?
I recently saw a campaign by Canal de Historia, a Spanish history channel, marking 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. It used photography of tattooed serial numbers on survivors, then and now. It also tied in current social media hate messages as a stark warning about history repeating itself.
It was such a simple concept, but the impact was huge. That contrast between past and present was really moving. It reminded me how design doesn’t always need to be complex, sometimes the most minimal visuals are the most powerful.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career in design?
- Openness – Say yes to every opportunity, even if it feels small. You never know where it might lead.
- Imagination – Keep your creative brain ticking, even in your downtime. No idea is a bad idea when you’re brainstorming.
- Experimentation – Don’t be afraid to try something new. Even if it doesn’t work, you’ll learn something valuable from the process.
Lydia’s perspective is a reminder that design is more than just visuals, it’s storytelling, research, risk-taking, and making an impact. Her creative energy continues to shape meaningful work at TMC, and we’re proud to have her as part of our team.
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