Being creative is a gift, not a job

Branding is the fabric of your business

At Dodgems & Floss so much of our creative process focuses on getting to know you and what you want to achieve that we sometimes forget it would be helpful to know a little more about us.

With that in mind, we’ve peered in upon ourselves to give some insight into who we are, where our creative journeys came to life and what we love about what we do.

First up on the creative couch of questions is Ben, our Studio Director –

Ben, what do you do at Dodgems & Floss?

Being the Studio Director means I’m responsible for everything from the payroll and accounting side of the business to helping co-ordinate the team and chart our course. Collaborative projects involve a lot of interaction with clients and I am on hand to help those customers with more specialist needs.

Where did you learn your skills?

I’ve been creative online since the days when AOL gave 2MB of webspace to create your own pages. That passion for creation only grew and I studied at the University of Kent to develop my skills further. A lot of my business management skills were developed when I helped found and run my first business, CardBoardFish.

What’s your favourite thing about working in the creative industry?

I love the possibilities that being creative offers. Our industry is all about finding creative solutions for people and bringing their business, product or service to life. I particularly enjoy consumer facing services that make life better or easier for people; those brands that really touch people’s everyday lives.

What has been the most important lesson you have learnt since Dodgems & Floss came into being?

I think, in general, it’s acknowledging that trial and error is a huge part of what we do and embracing that. At Dodgems & Floss we put our all into a project and evaluate what worked and what didn’t. We learn. If we’re running into a brick wall then I want us running at it full pelt, otherwise if you fail you’ll never know if you could have succeeded with a bit more effort. It’s also the need to build the right team; the dynamic is so important to building a successful, creative group that is capable of more than the sum of its parts.

What needs to happen to be creative?

We believe it’s about carving out the time and opportunity to be creative. That is what sets an agency apart. Once that process starts, we collaborate with a client throughout entire project in short sprint phases to make sure they are an integral part of it from start to finish.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone looking to get into the industry, what would it be?

Build up your experience and pay your dues within the industry. Work for free, work for yourself and try new things to carve out an area of expertise. Don’t try and do everything; be good at something and make that something your passion. These things time time, if you rush and set yourself unrealistic goals you’ll never reach your full potential.

And finally, What does branding mean to you?

Branding is everything that I see, touch and feel when I interact with a business or a person. Whatever the entity is, the brand has to be the fabric of it. In our studio, for example, everything feels like it belongs and represents who we are and what we do. Everything is here for a reason and has a function, but it also represents our brand and what we believe in. A brand is trust, and we are here to help distil that for our clients.

Want to find out more about the projects we have worked on and how we can work with you? Explore our website, pop into our studio or give us a call. Don’t be shy, say hello!