Director-designer Mardo El-Noor explores his journey from musician (EMI, Sony Music) to award-winning commercial director, revealing how music videos became his creative playground. Drawing on over 30 videos for artists like The Cranberries and Shapeshifter, Mardo shares his unique process: breaking down ads (like for McDonald’s and Toyota) into rhythmic structures. This cross-disciplinary talk demonstrates how visual storytellers can translate sound into structure, turning passion projects into commercial success, and proving that the fastest route to new opportunities is daring experimentation.

This case study explores the vital role of culture and community in shaping an authentic national identity through design. Pallavi will detail the process of creating the destination brand for the Kingdom of Tonga, focusing on how thorough research into local motifs, language, and history guided the outcome. Discover how feedback from the Tongan community ensured the brand remained rooted in its deep purpose. The showcase will include the cohesive identity across logo, typography, and digital collateral, demonstrating how respectful representation and cross-cultural links can create a welcoming, contemporary brand that is a lasting expression of national pride.

This keynote invites designers to reimagine sustainability not as a constraint, but as a catalyst for bold, place-based creativity, where ‘place’ is both physical and virtual. Evolving out of 20+ years of global sustainability leadership and the co-created Indigenous framework ‘Te Takarangi’, attendees will discover ‘Mārama’ – the new platform for creatives across all industries to connect and collaborate with sustainability change makers – from Indigenous storytellers to urban ecologists. This is the design revolution we must fight for: embedding real-world impact by reconnecting People to Place, whilst building a trusted digital space to co-create bold, regenerative solutions at pace.

Join graphic designer and founder of Sneekico, a breakthrough children’s food brand, for an inspiring look at how bold creativity can thrive despite barriers. With a visual impairment, Laura has built a thriving design business focused on FMCG consumer retail and launched a brand focused on bringing fun and thoughtful design into busy family homes. This keynote explores the power of intuition, storytelling, and clarity of purpose in creating products that connect, resonate and delight. Discover how Sneekico went from concept to supermarket shelves and beyond. Families are invited to hear the messy, human story, and enjoy free Sneekico samples and special product vouchers!

This interdisciplinary session unveils Paererewā, an ambitious vision to create 1,000 markers for reflection designed to last 1,000 years across Aotearoa. This project provides a powerful blueprint for embedding cultural identity, community legacy, and enduring connection into the physical landscape. Expert leaders from cultural strategy, social enterprise, and architecture explore how design can transcend short-term cycles. These benches, or “Pae,” act as deliberate thresholds to encourage long-term thinking, memorialising local histories and highlighting significant landscapes. This is a rare conversation on defining design not just for today, but for a millennium.