The Hong Kong-based creative director has racked up more than 40 awards, including the prestigious Red Dot, for her work with startups, established brands and heritage projects. She tells us about the atypical path and approach that have gotten her so far
Most creative directors get into the field because they study design. Not Ruth Chao. While pursuing a degree in consumer psychology, she realised that she most enjoyed experiments in which she got to tinker with fonts and other design elements based on how viewers were processing them.
She began the application process for Parsons in New York City, however her father encouraged her to get real-world experience and learn design on the job rather than pursue another degree program. So Chao set out as an intern, proving herself while making a pittance at British Vogue. In hindsight, she appreciates his advice.
“Anything that’s tough, after you go through it, the story is better,” says Chao. “It makes you verify your own goals and desires and dreams—and it also makes you a lot more thankful.”
Equipped with the will, Chao continued to find ways to acquire new skill sets. From magazine layouts and photography, she threw herself into work with the film industry and fashion retailers before co-founding agency Indicube with Antonia Li at the age of 26. They both were recognised as Gen.T honourees in 2016 for their fresh approach to branding. Beijing-based agency PBB also took notice and acquired Indicube shortly afterwards.
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Chao went on to launch Ruth Chao Studios (RCS) in 2018, where she and a close-knit team (about half male, half female) create designs tailormade to brands from different industries and cultures; no two projects are alike. As she describes her process, the value of her psychology background becomes clear.
“When a person comes in the door, they may not know what they want, so you have to understand them, their taste and what they are trying to achieve,” says Chao. “It’s through a lot of intuition and asking the right questions.”
Chao has been working with a growing number of female entrepreneurs lately and feels a responsibility to help their businesses succeed. “There is a lot of respect because this is often the culmination of their careers and the branding, packaging, touch and feel all affect the customer experience, sometimes as much as the product itself,” says Chao. “We can help and empower these women by creating their branding.”
Read on for more of Chao’s story in her own words.
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How I was drawn to the psychology of design
I had a degree in consumer psychology at University of Bristol and spent years learning the science side of design and doing experiments on how the brain processes visual information. I still remember how we redesigned the Campbell’s soup packaging and conducted eye dart experiments. I love seeing how colours, types and proportions change the way we digest designs. After graduation, I applied to British Vogue with my sketches, paintings and photography, and luckily landed in their design department.
My days at British Vogue were back in 2008, when designs were still made by hand, then scanned back digitally into computers. We drew typography and illustrations, shot the shots and designed layouts. I was just out of university and it was fascinating to learn in this fast-paced world of style. Then came the film company Lionsgate, where things became multi-dimensional. I learnt how to make graphics move, plan shots and draw storyboards, so visuals can come alive in a moving picture of storytelling.