#271: James Sommerville - Founder of Known Unknown

A recognized global creative leader having been Co-Founder of a UK design agency from the 80's, ATTIK, to the challenge of being Global Design VP at The Coca-Cola Company and today the Founder of a next generation agency disguised as a creative community called; KnownUnknown.

1986 - 2013;

Co-Founder, ATTIK

UK, age 19, unemployed and a street artists and former graphic design student. James and his partner Simon Needham applied for a financial grant from his Royal Highness, Prince Charles' youth charity, UK in 1986. They received £2,000 seed funding to start their design company and bought a first generation Apple Mac. Twenty five years later ATTIK grew to have offices in Leeds, London, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sydney and over 250 staff. ATTIK was acquired by Dentsu, Japan in 2007 in a multi-million deal. James then served in a creative leadership role at Dentsu before departing to go brand side.

2013 - 2018

Global Design Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company

James brought an outsider, entrepreneurial spirit to Coke. He changed the definition of ‘design’. Creatively led global brand activations across 200+ markets and introduced/built creative networks internally and externally to work in more agile ways directly with creative talent. Under his leadership he successfully re-branded over x20 billion dollar brands at The CC Company.

“Undoubtedly, I can openly say that James represents a ‘before and after’ in the history of The Coca-Cola Company.”— Marcos De Quinto (former CMO), The Coca-Cola Company

2019 - Present

Founder, KnownUnknown

In 2018, James Sommerville departed his Coke VP role after realizing the creative industry was not evolving with the needs of a client. James launched what is now called KnownUnknown - a distributed network of talent (designed pre-Covid) that connects creatives around the world and embrace new technologies such as generative AI products to help the Creative Pro.

Leveraging KnownUnknown community, he recently executed brand work for Ford, Google, HP and General Mills while connecting them to some of the highest creative talent in the world and is launching a beta AI tool for Graphic and Brand Designers.

Other highlights

The Prince’s Trust Recipient, Alumni, Enterprise Fellow and Patron.

James has now been involved in The Prince’s Trust for 35 years both as the recipient (1986) and today helping the next generation of young entrepreneurs in UK and US.

James appeared on UK ‘Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” UK for The Trust and raised $125,000 with OG supermodel, Jerry Hall.

James has spoken live at over x25 Prince’s Trust events including being on stage with HRH The Prince of Wales

Buckingham Palace (2007)

St James’ Palace (2014 / 2021)

Clarence House (2016)

James is assisting The Trust to launch The Prince’s Trust America.

“James has become the Virtuous Circle.”— HM King Charles III

Marketing / Design / Brand  Keynotes;

James has spoken on Design and branding at over x250 different locations/ live events over the past 25 years as keynote or panel speaker / judge.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.