Cat How
Founder · Executive Creative Director · Creative Director · Other
22 articles · Nov 2021 — Feb 2026
Quotes
“Ideas are expected to arrive with proof attached. And anything genuinely new struggles to survive the damning weight of the process.”
“The real problem isn’t a lack of brave ideas: it’s the impermeable systems we’ve built around them.”
“‘This worked last time’ is pragmatic, sensible, and annoyingly hard to argue with! But it’s also the quickest route to diminishing returns.”
“Brand and campaign work are the same thing, they're different expressions of the same strategic problem.”
“The lanes were always imaginary. Welcome to the merge.”
“Everbloom is a big deal. Not only do its regenerated high-performance fibres emulate, and even exceed, the properties of the world's finest fabrics, they have the potential to turn the fabric industry on its head.”
“What the company got wrong wasn't modernisation—they desperately needed it. The mistake was forgetting that Uncle Herschel wasn't just a doddery old man leaning on a barrel. He was decades of accumulated meaning, memory, and cultural shorthand.”
“Sometimes you need to break something valuable to realise what it was worth.”
“Clients want it to help streamline deliverables for them, and ask us all the time how we are using AI to make things faster and cheaper for them.”
“Anti-branding is just branding with better PR.”
Articles & interviews
- POV: What worked last time is the enemy of what works next
It's Nice That · Feb 11, 2026
In this POV essay, Cat How critiques the creative industry’s growing reliance on evidence-based, data-driven processes that stifle experimentation and originality. She argues that as agencies and brands mature, they often prioritise safety and optimisation over risk and play, leading to cultural fatigue. Using examples like BBH, Mother, Pepsi, and Adidas Originals, How highlights how some organisations maintain creative vitality by embracing experimentation and reinterpreting heritage rather than preserving it.
BBHMotherPepsiAdidas Originalsbranding - Everyone's wigging out about creative agencies doing rebrands. They're missing the point
Creative Boom · Dec 1, 2025
Cat How of How&How argues that the perceived divide between branding and creative agencies is artificial. Using Uncommon’s JD Sports global rebrand as an example, she explains that brand and campaign work are inseparable expressions of the same strategic thinking. The article calls for the industry to move beyond outdated labels and focus on holistic creative problem-solving.
UncommonHow&HowMotherJD Sportsbranding - How&How's clever rebrand of material pioneers Everbloom may surprise you
Creative Boom · Nov 20, 2025
Creative Boom reports on How&How’s rebrand of Everbloom, a materials innovator turning organic waste into luxury fibres. The new identity rejects typical sustainability cues in favour of a refined, high-fashion aesthetic that positions Everbloom as a premium, future-facing brand. The project uses elegant typography, tactile digital textures, and restrained storytelling to communicate confidence and desirability.
How&HowEverbloombranding - The Cracker Barrel rebrand: a $100M masterclass in brand value
Creative Boom · Nov 10, 2025
Written by Cat How of How&How, this Creative Boom insight piece analyses Cracker Barrel’s controversial rebrand and the resulting $100 million loss in market value. It argues that the episode serves as a rare real-time demonstration of how brand equity, emotion, and cultural resonance directly affect financial performance. The article frames the event as a cautionary tale about the risks of disregarding cultural identity in brand evolution.
How&HowCracker Barrelbranding - Studio heads speak out on how AI is reshaping the creative process
Creative Boom · Oct 27, 2025
Creative Boom’s special report by Tom May gathers insights from seven UK studio leaders on how AI is influencing the creative process. While many see AI as a useful tool for accelerating research and ideation, they agree it hasn’t replaced human creativity or judgement. The consensus is that AI is being pragmatically integrated into workflows, enhancing efficiency without redefining the essence of creative work.
- "Anti-Brand is Just Strategic Branding, Experts Say"
Creative Boom · Oct 20, 2025
Written by Cat How of How&How, this opinion piece argues that so-called 'anti-branding' is not a rejection of branding but a strategic evolution of it. Using examples like Jolene’s child-drawn logo, Charli XCX’s Brat album, and Patagonia’s 'Don’t Buy This Jacket' campaign, How contends that these are calculated branding moves disguised as rebellion. The article dismantles the myth of authenticity in design, asserting that all visual identities are deliberate brand strategies.
How&HowJolenePatagoniabranding - Creative Leaders Share 2026 Strategy Amid Industry Uncertainty
Creative Boom · Oct 13, 2025
The article gathers insights from leading creative directors and studio founders about their strategic priorities for 2026. Themes include efficiency through AI, the growing importance of strategy, blurred boundaries between disciplines, and the need for bold, distinctive creative work. Despite economic uncertainty, many studios express optimism and a focus on smarter, more collaborative approaches.
- How&How Designs Simplified Visual Identity for Jupi's AI Leadership Platform
Creative Boom · Jul 16, 2025
Creative Boom features How&How’s new brand identity for Jupi, an AI-powered decision-making platform founded by Nick Hernandez. The identity blends surrealism and simplicity, using metaphor-rich illustrations and motion to convey clarity and intelligence. The project avoids typical tech clichés, opting for a human-centered, poetic approach to AI branding.
How&HowFNDRJupi360 Learningbranding - "Creative Agencies Shift from Specialists to Valued Generalists"
Creative Boom · May 28, 2025
The article explores whether the creative industry is moving beyond the age of the specialist toward a new era of generalist creatives. Through interviews with agency leaders, it argues that the most valuable professionals today are 'T-shaped'—those who combine deep expertise with broad, strategic understanding. AI, tighter budgets, and evolving client needs are driving this shift toward adaptable, collaborative talent.
- "Is University Still Vital for Creative Careers in 2025?"
Creative Boom · May 27, 2025
The article explores whether university remains the best route into the creative industry in 2025. Featuring insights from creative leaders across agencies, it concludes that while formal education still offers structure and mentorship, self-taught and alternative paths are increasingly valid. The piece highlights accessibility, evolving technology, and the importance of time and practical experience in shaping creative careers.
- Key Traits for Future Creative Leaders Revealed
Creative Boom · May 27, 2025
The article by Tom May explores the evolving traits that will define the next generation of creative leaders. Through insights from leading designers and creative directors, it identifies key qualities such as strategic thinking, adaptability, taste, vision, emotional intelligence, courage, and authenticity as essential for future success in the creative industry.
- New Logo & Branding for Yum Bun by How&How
BP&O · May 22, 2025
BP&O’s feature by Emily Gosling explores How&How’s rebrand for London street food pioneer Yum Bun. The new identity, built around the concept 'Bounce and Rise', introduces a playful logo inspired by Japanese Hanko stamps, a cheerful mascot, and a warm, sunrise-hued palette. The project balances fun and maturity, using motion and typography to express Yum Bun’s optimistic, high-quality street food ethos.
How&HowLeme StudioLuzi TypeYum Bunbranding - Leaders Offer Essential Advice to Creative Graduates
Creative Boom · May 19, 2025
Creative Boom’s article by Tom May compiles advice from leading creative directors and studio founders for graduates entering the design industry in 2025. The piece highlights themes of self-kindness, authenticity, personal branding, leadership, and embracing technology such as AI. Contributors from studios like SomeOne, Red Antler, and Fold7Design share practical insights for navigating the evolving creative landscape.
D8SomeOneOutlawcareer|industry_advice - How&How Crafts New, Bold Identity for Big Cartel
Creative Boom · May 8, 2025
How&How has rebranded e-commerce platform Big Cartel with a scrappy, sketch-inspired identity that celebrates creative entrepreneurs. The new look features rough illustrations, risograph textures, and a custom wordmark developed with Extraset. The rebrand positions Big Cartel as a champion of individuality and indie creativity in the online marketplace.
- Debating the Need to Drop Gendered Job Titles
Creative Boom · Mar 6, 2025
Creative Boom’s Abbey Bamford explores whether the term 'female founder' still holds value in 2025. The article gathers perspectives from women leading design studios worldwide, revealing a divide between those who see the label as empowering visibility and those who view it as outdated or limiting. The discussion highlights broader issues of gendered language, representation, and equality in the creative industry.
Hybrid DesignSTUDIO.CLULACREATESbranding - "LA Wildfires Hit Creatives Hard: How to Help Them Recover"
Creative Boom · Jan 10, 2025
Creative Boom reports on the devastating impact of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires on the local creative community. The article highlights personal stories from artists and designers who lost homes and studios, including illustrator Jess Miller and painter Daniel Mendel-Black. It also features reflections from Cat How of How&How on community resilience and the urgent need for climate adaptation.
How&Howother - "Creative Boom Podcast's Christmas 2024 Special: Festivities & Creativity"
Creative Boom · Dec 19, 2024
Creative Boom’s 2024 Christmas Special podcast episode, hosted by founder Katy Cowan, celebrates the end of the year with a festive roundtable of past guests. The episode features light-hearted discussions about holiday traditions, creative reflections, and seasonal fun, marking the close of Season Eight of The Creative Boom Podcast.
Creative Boomdigital - How&How rebrands Chester Zoo as a 'force for nature'
Creative Boom · Nov 5, 2024
How&How has unveiled a radical rebrand for Chester Zoo, positioning the conservation charity as a 'force for nature'. The two-year collaboration produced a new logo, custom typeface with Sharp Type, migration-inspired patterns, and a redesigned website that mirrors the immersive feel of streaming platforms. The refreshed identity highlights the zoo’s conservation mission and global impact.
How&HowSharp TypeChester Zoobranding - Take five with POV Budapest: Cat How of How&How shares line up highlights and a preview of her talk
The Brand Identity · Jul 1, 2024 · Interview
The Brand Identity interviews Cat How, co-founder of How&How, ahead of her talk at POV Budapest 2024. She discusses her upcoming presentation 'What’s Your Story: Design Languages for Brand,' which explores the relationship between language, storytelling, and brand identity. The conversation also touches on How&How’s recent projects, studio growth, and her move to Los Angeles.
- The Designers: How&How’s Joana Fatela on animation, side projects, and the tastiest studio snacks
The Brand Identity · Jun 30, 2023 · Interview
This interview with How&How motion designer Joana Fatela explores her journey into motion design, her role at the Lisbon-based studio, and her creative growth since joining. She discusses her first major project for fintech client Intergiro, her side projects, and her passion for coding and animation. The conversation highlights the evolving role of motion in branding and the collaborative culture at How&How.
How&HowIntergiromotion - How&How turn the tide on female healthcare in their vibrant identity for femtech revolutioner Emm
The Brand Identity · Feb 2, 2023
How&How created a bold and empowering brand identity for femtech company Emm, centering on waves as a metaphor for menstrual cycles and health data. The design uses vibrant colors, kinetic illustrations, and strong typography to reframe period care as a positive and empowering experience. The project reflects a shift in female healthcare branding toward confidence, technology, and inclusivity.
How&HowEmmbranding - Cat How on how How&How are reducing their environmental impact, and how everyone could do more
The Brand Identity · Nov 9, 2021 · Interview
The Brand Identity interviews Cat How, Co-founder and Creative Director of How&How, about the studio’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact and integrate sustainability into its design practice. She discusses initiatives like BeHalf, which treats Mother Earth as a client, and the studio’s focus on environmentally conscious projects and digital efficiency. The conversation highlights how design can be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.
How&HowTwo°CreativeMother EarthSecond Homebranding