Jack Vaughan Podcast Antonino Iacona | Apple, Google Creative Lab, Motion with Intent & Studio Santo
Aug 21, 2025
Antonino Iacona, a motion designer and co-founder of Studio Santo, shares his creative journey from Apple to Google Creative Lab. He highlights how Apple’s detail-oriented design philosophy shaped his craft. At Google, he fostered an experimental mindset where ideas take precedence over tools. Iacona discusses the importance of 'motion with intent,' urging a synergy of expressive and functional designs. He also explores Studio Santo's unique approach to delivering collaborative motion systems rather than simple outputs, emphasizing adaptability and client engagement.
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Slow Iteration Trains Craft
- Antonino learned craft at Apple where timelines ran three to six months, allowing deep iteration and detail.
- Early exploration ignored feasibility and reduced work to the brand's essence through months of refinement.
Experimentation Complements Craft
- Apple taught craft; Google Creative Lab taught experimentation and risk-taking.
- Creative Lab pushed testing new approaches and making original references rather than copying existing work.
Motion Is A Core Brand Element
- Motion must be treated like typography or color as part of the brand system.
- Designers should define expressive versus functional motion within a motion design system.