24 editions deep, OFFF Barcelona remains the ultimate playground for creative souls. Just like every year, the sunny city of culture drew in a crowd of creatives. What caught our colleagues’ eyes? What inspiration and insights did they come back with?
Let’s hear from our BBC colleagues: Dave, Ward, Joachim, and Christophe.
Dave Lesy – Creative Lead: the importance of pride
This was my fourth time at OFFF Festival. Once again, artists from all sorts of creative backgrounds were well represented. I was happy to see them putting a spotlight on branding this year, which I find particularly interesting.
The presentation is as important as the work itself
Branding agency Mucho, for example, blew me away. The quality of their presentation was just as impressive as the work itself. The dynamism and coherence it displayed were remarkable. You could see that as much time was spent on the presentation as on the work itself. This demonstrates a whole different level of commitment and pride. You should give your work the recognition it deserves.
Apart from Mucho’s, the presentation from ManvsMachine really stood out. Their CEO delivered it with such humor and enthusiasm. More so, the pride and gratitude he expressed for his entire team – all of whom were present – was genuinely heartening. It reminded me of the potential we all have within us and motivated me not to settle, but to aim higher. In the end, it all comes down to passion and believing in your work.
Brilliant artists become even more brilliant with AI
During the festival, AI was never portrayed as a threat, but rather as a tool. Artists like Vincent Schwenk, for example, use AI to mimic their own work. They learn from it and incorporate their findings into their future projects. It was inspiring to witness how already incredibly talented artists can enhance their work even further with AI. Similarly, Stefan Sagmeister demonstrated how he embraces this technology and creatively engages with it, something we also love to do at BBC.
Lastly, it reiterated to me how important it is to collaborate with diverse, unique talents. They can bring immense value and elevate your projects to a higher level.
Ward Germeau – Creative Lead: The basics remain the same
It’s always a good year when I can make my way back to OFFF. And not just because of the impressive work on display. I also find it encouraging to see how colleagues at the top of their game often hit the same wall.
Creativity is more than just innovating
The level at OFFF is extremely high, which makes sense if you gather the world’s best creatives in one place. But what struck me the most is that many of them are multitalented. They’re not just skilled at their craft, but also excel in other areas like painting or music.
In that regard, Timothy Goodman truly surprised me. Not necessarily because he’s groundbreaking in his work – he stays true to his style as we know it – but the way he brought it was simply superb.
For his presentation, he went looking for a local band in Barcelona. Lost his train of thought? A dull moment? A musical interlude and off he went again. I was smiling throughout the whole thing. And isn’t that what we all want in the end? To do fun things, to create fun things? The same goes for our clients. B2B or not.
Technical strength versus narrative strength
When it comes to the work itself, Mucho stands head and shoulders above the rest for me. It’s really nice to see how seasoned veterans in the field can perfectly blend pure expertise with new techniques. And that’s where you see the difference between just being technically strong and something that fully captures the broader story, that’s creatively well put together.
They don’t use technology just to ‘keep up.’
They use it to tell a story. You don’t have to be afraid of how quickly everything is evolving or of new techniques. The basics remain the same, we just have more tools to execute our work as excellently as possible.
Joachim Wasteels – Art Director Digital Arts: Just keep creating
Visiting OFFF is always a blast, it’s a real visual treat for creatives. Whether it’s learning about the creative process of long-admired artists or discovering new talents, there’s an undeniable joy in experiencing the artistic journey firsthand.
Don’t just copy, find inspiration
If you follow a lot of artistic profiles on Instagram, it can sometimes leave you feeling insecure. While you come across amazing work, you also become aware of the high standard of content on the platform, which may discourage you from creating, worrying you won’t stand out.
But that’s what’s so great about OFFF – it’s a chance to peek over the fence. Suddenly, you find yourself in uncharted territory that’s both surprising and enlightening. All these different artists giving you that extra nudge to experiment and to grow. And most importantly, it teaches me not to conform to Instagram’s expectations, but to just keep doing my own thing.
The person behind the work
At OFFF, you get to meet loads of artists. Some by chance, but also those you’ve long admired. Take Vincent Schwenk, for instance, whose work I’ve been a fan of for ages – so much so that I even got it tattooed (a temporary stick-on tattoo, I must admit).
His play with materials and animations is spectacular. Drawing inspiration from the most mundane objects, like trash bags or that box filled with random cables and adaptors we all have lying around, he proves that brilliance can be found in the simplest of things. You don’t need grand ideas or original concepts. Just find something that sparks inspiration and run with it.
His session at OFFF was a testament to his talent. But what was even nicer was meeting the person behind the talent. Turns out, he’s a down-to-earth, genuinely nice guy. Which perhaps made me appreciate his work even more.
To me, OFFF is the perfect blend of digital innovation and hands-on craftsmanship. It’s a vibrant atmosphere filled with exciting activities to suit every taste. Definitely worth it!
Christophe Claessens – Digital Artist: break free from what you know
For me, it was my first time visiting OFFF. While I did pay attention to new techniques, my focus was mainly on finding inspiration and generating new ideas. And it definitely paid off.
Experimentation is key
Talia Cotton, who designs with code, left a big impression on me. She’s one of those speakers you don’t have any expectations for, but ends up knocking your socks off. Her approach is very niche, but her abstract creations were truly inspiring. It’s got me itching to break away from the usual software and try out some new methods myself.
Scrolling through my Behance page, I’m used to seeing the same old artists. But at OFFF, you get to discover all kinds of different talents. Often just stumbling upon them. It invites you to push creative boundaries and step out of your comfort zone.
