The Creative Boom Podcast

Claire Blyth, founder of the PR agency Red Setter, shares her insights on the evolving landscape of public relations in an AI-driven world. She highlights the necessity of human connection amid declining traditional media and the rise of generative AI. Claire discusses the challenges of maintaining authenticity and trust in PR, as well as the importance of quality journalism over clickbait. Additionally, she reflects on her personal journey with public speaking and the need for agencies to engage meaningfully with their audiences.

In a playful and candid conversation, legendary designer Brian Collins shares insights from his creative journey. He reveals why he ignores conventional presentation advice, his secret wish to master postmodern dance, and his unwavering defense of team ideas. Brian describes Oreos as the ultimate cookie, akin to a perfect design, and explains why orange is his defining color. He reflects on the importance of helpfulness over happiness and names Pablo Neruda as his dream dinner guest, all while showcasing his trademark humor and creativity.

In this episode of The Creative Boom Podcast, Katy Cowan sits down with Brian Collins – the legendary co-founder of COLLINS, the design company behind work for Spotify, Dropbox and Mailchimp – for a conversation that's part masterclass, part storytelling, and entirely unforgettable. Brian reveals how a childhood moment involving a bright orange tie taught him the importance of standing out, persistence and courage. He explains his idea of the "second dragon" — why every creative challenge hides a deeper problem beneath the obvious one – and how this philosophy has shaped COLLINS' approach to some of the world's biggest brands. He also shares a health scare that forced him to confront what really mattered, his unflinching take on AI as an "alien intelligence" that creatives must learn to work with, and why he gave up chasing happiness in favour of something far more powerful. It's a big, generous episode with lessons on resilience, imagination and the future of design... all told with Brian's trademark humour, wit and energy.

We're back with another instalment of The Spark, Creative Boom's bonus episode that gets under the skin of each week's guest. Host Katy Cowan is joined this time by Haraldur 'Halli' Thorleifsson – designer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of Ramp Up Reykjavik. In this playful after-show, Halli reflects on the first book that changed him, the moments he's felt out of his depth, and the creative hill he'd happily die on. He opens up about the small rituals that keep him going, the impulsive adventures that shaped him, and even lets slip who he'd invite to his dream dinner party. It's thoughtful, funny and full of surprises – the perfect companion to his full conversation with Katy, released earlier this week.

Haraldur 'Halli' Thorleifsson, a designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, shares his journey from co-founding the Ueno agency to founding Ramp Up Reykjavik, which builds wheelchair ramps for accessibility. He discusses how personal loss and living with muscular dystrophy have fueled his compassion and creativity. Halli emphasizes the importance of leading with kindness, confronting addiction, and finding purpose in his work. Their chat touches on resilience, the impact of small accessibility fixes, and the value of lifelong friendships.

We're back with a brand-new season of The Spark, Creative Boom's bonus episode that gets under the skin of each week's guest. Host Katy Cowan is joined once again by Paul Benney – co-founder of Jockey Slut, Bugged Out! and the biannual magazine Disco Pogo. In this episode, Paul reveals the discipline he secretly wishes he was good at, admits who has sparked a little creative envy, and shares the small rituals that make his days brighter. He talks about the scents that instantly take him back to childhood, the historical figure he'd love to swap lives with, and the one thing he wishes he could believe in. From emojis to dream dinner guests, it's a playful and candid conversation that lets us see another side to one of electronic music's most enduring publishers.

Kicking off the new season of The Creative Boom Podcast, host Katy Cowan sits down with Paul Benney – co-founder of the cult dance magazine Jockey Slut, the legendary club night Bugged Out! and, today, the beautifully crafted biannual Disco Pogo. Paul looks back at the golden days of music magazines and club culture in the '90s, sharing stories of launching a fanzine on a shoestring, running sell-out nights that booked Daft Punk, and building a magazine that captured the spirit of electronic music. He also talks candidly about burnout, the collapse of Jockey Slut, and what it took to start again. With Disco Pogo, Paul has found a way to honour the past while creating something fresh for today – a print magazine rooted in authenticity, community, and the stories behind the music. This is a conversation about resilience, reinvention and keeping the magic alive in a changing industry.

Are you just as curious about the people behind the work as you are about the work itself? The Creative Boom Podcast goes beyond the portfolio to uncover what really drives creative minds. Join host Katy Cowan for warm, candid conversations with fascinating guests – from celebrated names like Paula Scher, Gail Anderson, and Stefan Sagmeister to emerging talents making waves in their own unique ways. Every Monday, you’ll hear honest stories of personal breakthroughs, creative frustrations, and the messy, human side of making things. Then stick around for The Spark, a fun bonus episode every Thursday where each week’s guest answers unexpected questions and reveals the quirks you don’t always hear in a regular interview. Whether you’re after a deep, inspiring chat or a playful behind-the-scenes peek, The Creative Boom Podcast has you covered. Subscribe now and join the conversation.

In this bonus episode of The Spark, Koto CEO and founder James Greenfield returns for a lighter, weirder, and more wonderfully random chat. From his most controversial creative opinion (spoiler: it involves Apple) to dreams featuring Mr Bingo demanding to be called 'The Way', nothing is off-limits. We chat about parenting, drum and bass, the strange comfort of Marcus Aurelius audiobooks, and the surprisingly joyful art of reading mean internet comments. James also reveals the creative outlet he's rubbish at (but would love to master), the most embarrassing pitch moment of his career, and the one thing he wishes Apple TV would sort out immediately. This one's for the curious, the creative, and anyone who's ever planted a hydrangea in the shade and called it therapy. And that's Season Nine wrapped up. It's been an absolute blast. We've loved every minute. Thank you to all our guests for joining us on the show, and a big thank you to the School of Communication Arts for making this season possible. We'll be back in the autumn with fresh guests, new and exciting themes, and more fun and games. Until then, have a great summer.

For the final episode of Season Nine, we're joined by James Greenfield, founder and CEO of Koto, the global brand agency celebrating its 10th anniversary. James reflects on a decade of building one of the most talked-about studios in the industry, from humble beginnings and "recycling problems" to global offices, high-profile clients like Amazon, and a team that now numbers over 180. We explore how Koto evolved from a scrappy underdog into a creative heavyweight and how James has managed to maintain a startup mentality, champion a people-first culture, and fiercely protect creative standards as the business scaled. He also shares why independence is having a moment, how AI is creating a flood of "automated slop", and why great creativity matters more than ever. Elsewhere, we touch on the emotional moments behind launching Koto, the leadership lessons learned, and how staying close to the team (and away from perfectionism) keeps the company grounded. There's also time for thoughts on social media fatigue, what makes a strong agency-client relationship, and why—despite a love of good work—he's only raised his voice three times in a decade. We wrap with some honest wisdom: whether you're running a studio or thinking about starting one, James offers no-nonsense advice on what it really takes. This season is proudly sponsored by the School of Communication Arts.