STUDIO INSIGHT
COMPUTERARTS.CREATIVEBLOQ.COMNOVEMBER 2019
rings a lot, and we’re contacted by a very broad
spectrum of clients, from many industries. We’ve
worked with some of the best-known brands in
the world, so our reputation tends to precede us.
RV: As a design director, my main task and
personal challenge is to preserve the “Saffroness”
of the results on the design side. It’s about paying
back the trust the client put in us, and helping the
design team to be clear about that. I try to help
them to see the complexity, the potential and
the boundaries of the project – or to see ‘the big
picture’. That way we never lose sight of the goal.What’s the most important thing people don’t
know about Saffron?
GB: Many people don’t know the story behind
our name, Saffron. The company was named
after a spice that is very precious, and that has a
huge impact when you use just a pinch of it. It’s
hand-crafted with care from the crocus flower,
requiring skill and dedication. Our name is a
description of what we do. And explaining this to
clients can be a nice way of letting them know
what we are worth. And of course what we cost...What’s the working environment like in Madrid?
RV: It’s a nice family and we share many moments
together, even between the different offices.
Work, celebrations... Friday’s aperitivo for me,
being based in Madrid, is a must! We have a great
collaborative spirit.
What really makes us unique is the One-Office
culture. No matter if you talk with someone from
the London, Madrid or other global offices, youalways feel like you’re talking with someone from
Saffron. New joiners are invited to travel to the
other offices to get to know our culture. Once one
of them said, “It’s amazing, it seems like you all
prepared a speech before I came!” We do think
and work in the same direction.Are you hiring, and if so, what kind of designers
are you looking for?
MA: We’re always on the lookout for talent. We
hope the business will continue to grow, meaning
there’ll always be a need for new designers. We
look for adaptability and open-mindedness in
addition to design skills. People who are versatile
with a ‘Swiss Army knife’ quality.
My advice to a new recruit would be:
Brace yourself! We’re independent and we’re
international and you’ll be expected to be both.
We work all over the world so don’t let cultural
differences or distance get in your way.How is Saffron’s work likely to change?
RV: I don’t think it’s going to change in its essence.
The need for an identity, be it strategic and/or
visual, remains. Identification and recognition is
something we have experienced since the first
tribes. We started off painting our faces with
different colours, then wore uniforms, and these
days we are either devotees of Samsung or Apple.
The ways humans communicate are, however,
changing. This is what we’re always aware of. And
the need to be ready to learn these new ways
in order apply them in the right way to brands’,
products’ or countries’ identity needs.“We look for
adaptability
and open-
mindedness
in addition to
design skills”
Above: Saffron worked with architects
Malka+Portús to rebrand Spanish
oil and gas giant Cepsa’s chain of
service stations.