Why ‘Pretty Pictures’ Don’t Win Clients, Says Elmwood’s Creative Lead

This article was first published on DesignRush on 25 August 2025.

Design has to do more than just look good, and data shows this is increasingly true.

According to a McKinsey report on personalization, 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions, and 76% get frustrated when that doesn’t happen. 

And when it comes to growth, companies that excel at personalization generate 40% more revenue than slower competitors.

As Justin Fines, Executive Creative Director at Elmwood, a globally recognized brand design consultancy, puts it:

“We’re not just making pretty pictures; we’re creating meaning, building equity, and helping brands behave with clarity and consistency across every touchpoint.”

For today’s creative leaders, that means:

• Surface-level aesthetics aren’t enough; design must go beyond decoration.
• Brands need to connect on a personal and emotional level to matter.
• Every decision needs intent so creative choices are always purposeful.
• Consistency builds trust when design works across every touchpoint.

In an exclusive DesignRush interview, Fines shares why designing with intent, rather than just aesthetics, is the key to building brands that endure.

Invest in People First to Unlock Better Work

Strong creative output comes from the conditions that allow talent to thrive. When people feel supported, challenged, and valued, their work naturally reflects that energy.

For Fines, building that environment is non-negotiable.

“Elmwood’s strong focus on making space for creatives from all backgrounds, where they can make the best work of their career and feel supported, is paramount,” he says.

“With a real investment in people and their lives, the great work is a natural byproduct.”

Rather than treating culture as a “soft” benefit, he sees it as the bedrock of originality and momentum. A team that feels seen and supported is more likely to take risks, bring fresh ideas forward, and push projects past the expected.

Go Beyond the Brief to Find Breakthrough Ideas

The strongest brand systems start with curiosity. Too often, agencies jump straight into design execution without digging into the bigger questions behind a client’s challenge.

The most valuable creative work comes from slowing down, listening deeply, and being willing to challenge the original assumptions.

“The most important insight I have gained is to prioritize strategic thinking in all phases of the project,” Fines says.

“Sometimes that means going beyond the original brief and treading into territory the client did not foresee, finding blind spots we can turn into opportunities.”

Once the strategy is sharp, the goal is to make it come alive across every sense and setting where people meet the brand.

“Every choice needs to be informed by one catalyzing idea that joins and inspires all the pieces that follow,” Fines adds.

By pushing past the brief and grounding the work in a unifying idea, brands can create experiences that feel coherent, immersive, and far more memorable.

Align Every Creative Decision to a Clear Purpose

With new design trends emerging almost daily, it’s tempting for brands to chase what feels current. But design that lasts is anchored in something deeper.

Intent is what separates memorable work from forgettable work. It’s about ensuring every decision ladders back to a brand’s purpose.

“Intent is the courage to make bold moves that propel a brand beyond the expected… Great work requires seeing beyond trends in both business and the visual landscape,” Fines explains.

That clarity of purpose creates stronger campaigns in the short term and builds resilience and equity over time.

“Intent is the courage to make bold moves that propel a brand beyond the expected… Great work requires seeing beyond trends in both business and the visual landscape,” Fines explains.

“We’re not just making pretty pictures; we’re creating meaning, building equity, and helping brands behave with clarity and consistency across every touchpoint.”

Designing with intent means crafting systems that endure, adapt, and continue to make sense as the world shifts around them.

Align Every Creative Decision to a Clear Purpose

Speed has become a defining pressure in brand work. Projects are moving faster, timelines are tighter, and teams are asked to deliver more with less.

But for Fines, protecting craft is what ensures ideas land with clarity.

“to make ideas universally recognized, the thought behind them has to be expressed in the most simple and succinct way possible,” he says.

This simplicity is what allows a brand to be understood across cultures, platforms, and audiences.

And as design draws in more collaborators, Fines sees even more opportunity for originality, so long as the creative process keeps humanity at its core.

“in the face of ai and emerging technologies, my challenge is to keep the ‘art’ and its human origin at the center of the conversation,” he says.

True craft is about distilling ideas to their essence, then expressing them in ways that feel unmistakably human, even in an era defined by technology.

Why This Matters

The takeaway is simple: people expect brands to know them. When that doesn’t happen, loyalty slips.

When it does, the payoff is real — stronger connections, better experiences, and faster growth.

But getting there means building from strategy, grounding ideas in culture, and protecting the craft that makes them resonate.

In the end, intent and empathy are what make the difference between brands people notice once and brands they remember.

Design With Intent FAQ’s

What does "design with intent" mean in branding?

Designing with intent means every creative decision ties back to a brand’s purpose. It’s about creating meaning, building equity, and ensuring clarity and consistency across every touchpoint.

What does "design with intent" mean in branding?

As timelines shorten and AI tools rise, Fines emphasizes that simplicity, clarity, and human-centered craft are what make ideas resonate. True craft distills complexity into something universally understood and deeply human.

What does "design with intent" mean in branding?

Elmwood is expanding from its packaging roots into holistic brand experiences. Under Justin Fines’ leadership in the U.S., the agency is focusing on strategy, cultural insight, and craft to build brands that connect on a deeper, more human level.