Interview with Lawrens Tan

I love ideas and translating thoughts into real executable concepts! And you might not believe me, back in the primary school days where people write in memo books before they leave the school, I was already drawing my contacts on name card sized paper that I could buy in a box! I love the entire idea of how my life could be filled with touches of design, from furniture to clothing, stationeries to many more! That's why we started Tee-Saurus, a happier gifting company in 2014, by creating happier products because we believe because everyday should be happy days!

1) Ideas and concepts first.Each campaign that we come out with should always work in many other medias, from print to interactive, packaging to television if applicable. The ideas must be able to attract, sell and convince consumers to go on an impulse buy.2) Creating a Happy Experience. When we design any ads, products or campaigns, we love having touches of quirk, humour and wit! We love creating subtle interaction and not right-in-front-of-your-face concept. Take the client on a journey, create an experience. Because customers like to buy but they don't like to be sold to.3) Benefits, benefits, benefits.What is the product selling? A lifestyle? A story? Many brands focus too much on the features and features but can't come out with a key benefit that the customers can relate to.

Happiness. It all about creating a happier experience, crafting a happy story. For me, it's the crafting that I enjoy the most. Ideas without great crafting is simply just an idea.

Optimism. I always love being a positive thinking in my life. Perhaps the best influence in my design journey are my mother who worked so hard just to support me in my design education, I'll never forget how she would borrow from others just to buy me an A3 printer so my assignments can be submitted in time. My wife Doris, who was always behind me, giving me the encouragement to keep going even when things seemed so grey. She believed in me and that kept me going even till now. My family had never gave up on me and I'm truly blessed.

We are on the midst of transforming Tee-Saurus (the Happier Lifestyle Store) into the B2B market where we can build brands through gifting. As it's one of the most beautiful ways to make your brand memorable. After all you are what you gift!

Never give up just because you hit the wall. Keep yourself surrounded with successful people and they would share their recipes of success with you! I myself have a business coach that tells me what to look out for! Create mentors of your own, it's always good to have two mentors, one who is very facts and figures, while the other is the one who looks at the bigger picture. Always envision what lies ahead in 5 years when you start.

Value. Always build value. It's always about what you can do for the client, solve their problems. Not what the client can do for you.

Each morning I would always try to wake up earlier for a jog/walk with my wife to refresh myself, then on my way to work I would switch on my mp3 of business coaching, listening what I have missed on precious playback. Then I would get the daily newspaper and read while having my coffee. Then I would sit down and talk to my team on the job scope of the week. I would always write on my book on the top 5 daily must complete task on the left of my sketchbook. It keeps me focused on priority. The happiest little moments is when i click on the "Export as pdf" button. One task down, next to go!

I always love going to bookstores, grabbing the latest design annual, or searching google, follow some interesting imagery in Instagram or Pinterest! I've always like themed products, so I would always ask my client if they are interested to create any campaigns or promotion based on the latest movie themes, or any funny themed campaigns like "Salt Bae" kinda concept. It's a short-term idea but it can create a memorable brand recall.

To me it's about the message that is brought across. I love design that is well thought through. And some elements that requires you to study and then "I get it"! In short I like designs with a catch behind. Because it sticks.

Whenever I'm done with the complete draft, I would always do the "overnight" test. Do I still like the idea after a day? I would turn on my laptop, or even the printout and look at it with fresh eyes. If the execution looks good to me, I am ready to send it out to my client. I don't believe in 'perfecting' because you will tend to over think and it will never end. Once you think its good, move on to the next one. In this way, you can trigger your brain to think faster, focus and deliver, then next. It's more efficient in my context.

Creating the hilarious Office Buddy for the workplace is one lifestyle stationery that I enjoyed the most. It creates a positive mood in the workplace, creating laughter to the monotonous day. The product solves the very problem of updating where you are and minimises miscommunication in the workplace. Be it in a meeting to on vacation, everyone would know where the individual is or is at. Humour is always the best medicine! Now we have created a new version which is based in the themed movie concept! http://kck.st/2FtdjXl

Karim Rashid. He's one of the product designer I love very much. All his creations seems so lively and fun! I like his minimalist design that speaks character!

Asia. It's where I was born. And the interesting culture and heritage never fail to amaze me. But if I were to choose, it would be largely Taiwan. I love how they embrace their culture and how they turn it into goods of desire. Their products are fun and modern and yet it reflects their rich traditions. In any of my design works, I would always implement a touch of the local culture into the idea or the product. For example, we just finished a project with Fuji Xerox, in creating a localised Singlish (singapore language slangs) for their event. It was very well received by their guests and the idea and culture immediately stuck in their head. They remember Fuji Xerox as a company that brands itself as being a Singapore brand and fun in their approach.

As a brand, our values are largely very similar to "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh. Zappos culture. We are big in having fun both in the office as well as our clients. It is easy working with me because we are very solutions driven company. We believe in always creating a win-win for both parties. We advise if their concepts or suggestions work or how we can improve on it. In our work culture, there's no "I can't do it." It should be more like "Can we do it this way." And in our philosophy, "When you take care of clients, they will take care of your pockets."

We always make it a point to donate a part of our profits to charity. So far in Singapore we have worked with organisations that does repainting for old folks home, dyslexia and organisations that protect women from abuse. But one of my biggest aim is to hire the deaf, and in creating possibilities with them because we have interviewed one back in my agency days (I learnt basic sign language) and the stories that I heard from them is always heartbreaking.We would always be open to mentor the new startups or designers who just started their journey.

Think Local, Win Global1) What I love about the A'Design Award is that it's solely based on capabilities and creativity. Each participant can join in irregardless if you are a solo designer, a company or a MNC. Its a fair judging system and the jury carries a wide experience in their own field.2) The pre-evaluation system. This simple system tests your project and refines your presentation skills. The stringent checks ensures that you will be delivering top notch presentations as if you are meeting your next prospective clients. Same rules apply to the working world. If you want to impress, your work presentation should be top-notch quality.3) Testing your idea in the global market. This is where I love the most. Pitching your idea in the international stage and see if it fits. How would people perceive your idea and your products? Do they get the message you are conveying? Are you speaking to yourself or the global market? This platform is the best answers to your question.Awards speaks volume, not only about you but the brands who believes in you. When we win, the clients gets the most exposure for their project will be immortalised in recognition. So it creates a win-win situation for all, adding on value and trust.I'm very proud being the Designer of the Day, and I hope this can be a testimony that you can reach for the stars, just like me. Never give up on your dreams, designers are there to bring life to ideas and shape them into effective communication media, turning them into profitable revenues for the client. We have managed to turn brands into success stories. Because seeing your brand succeed is also my success.

We are a boutique setup forming back in 2011. We are an idea centric company who believes great work always starts with an idea. They give the soul to any design work. We are glad to have worked with various clienteles.

I chose to be one.

I do mostly print related works. From advertising to branding. I would love to focus on creating logos and coming out with brand names for startups. Brand names are very important and it should say what you do in the name itself. Many people just like to come out with fancy names but with no relevance and I seek to change that.

Never fear of being rejected. Think of why it got rejected and work on it again. Never keep staying on an idea. If it doesn't work, go for another. Never let ego stand in your way. Listen to what the client needs, and not what you need.

A good designer designs fantastic visuals. A great designer creates ROI for its clients through their design.

For me, its more of the core idea and message behind the design. There had to be a key subject or focus in the visual itself. Too many people are trying to squeeze too many subjects and matters in, and it dilutes the entire focus. Good design speaks to the audiences visually, thus it has to communicate instantly, drawing curiosity and the need to have an impulse buy. If you can hit the communication, curiosity and the urge to buy, you are already a winner.

A good design speaks of business and its returns. Good design should be invested as you are what you choose, so is your identity. A professional designer designs a piece with in-depth research, studies it's competition, and comes out with strategies that produces results.

A book of "Branding Secrets to Scaling Your Business".

Well, it may sound ambitious, but I want to be a Design + Business Coach. And how you can implement these in companies to scale up their businesses locally and globally. How branding can take them to another level and create a memorable business brand.

Listen, research, implement. The hidden secret is how we can make design work like a business. So it's isn't just aesthetics alone, but more of business thinking.

David Droga, the ad man. Karim Rashid, the furniture designer.

The Office Flipchart was one of my best creations. And its solves the problems of office mates who have difficulty updating their statuses when they are not at work. This product promotes accountability and makes office lives more fun and humorous.

Keep yourself updated through design annuals, study the concept behind and analyse. Take note of their execution and if it was you, how would you have done it? For me, it's important to be on top and stay on top. I always make it a point to enter awards every year. This is to keep us constant in the world of design and staying relevant.

Design is like when a plain canvas meets the paintbrush and its colour palettes. Design is how you not only create a fancy masterpiece, its more of how you successfully create the value behind the painting.

There's a lot to name. But my parents who worked so hard to bring me through college, my wife who stood by me all the years and encouraging me. My siblings. Of course my business coaches like JT Foxx, Jason Evers. Books from Richard Branson has really opened up my mind. My mentors like Robin and Kenneth, who selflessly created time whenever I have questions or doubt in the business side of things. My biggest supporters are my wife Doris, my ten year old daughter Clarice, who is a big fan of my work.

Ambition, pride and passion. It's always a joy to see clients saying thank you on reaching their goals and targets through design and that is really one of my greatest satisfaction.

How to constantly do something different. You can't use an identical strategy to plug and play for any industry. It just doesn't work. One of the biggest obstacles before I was tarted my business was the restrictions given by the seniors. Most seniors only think that their ideas are the best while juniors should just shut up and stand aside. I still remember vividly when I politely asked a senior designer what if she added this element? Instead of listening, she retaliated "You don't tell a senior what to do!" The other main obstacle was branding. You have to prove your worth and brand to potential clients. And winning awards was one of the key components to being great.

Think like showcasing your work in Instagram. It has to be clean, minimal and visual led. Most importantly it has to tell a story and build personality.

A Branding book would sound really exciting and I hope to keep producing great information to new designers and designers who want to build their own company. What to look out for and how to easily scale up the business.

To be a branding coach and strategist.

How design meets profit. It's not just about looking good, it's all about how you can profit from a good campaign.

Good design educates and creates a call to action.

I am currently working on a brand identity design for a business coach in Melbourne. And its one of the most challenging tasks. How to present it in a logo and how to create trust just by looking at the visual.

Logo design projects. It's really hard to put everything in a logo and see what it represents. Your logo only have seconds of attention to speak.

From a week to at most a month. I don't really like to drag as the momentum slows and suddenly the entire project becomes boring due to the massive changes.

Research, competition, thinking, analyse, execute.

We don't just make brands, we create cultures.

I believe design sets the trends. Design could always be the one setting it, not vice versa. We should set the trend, if not, then what are designers for?

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign

They are like food recipes. Colours are the spice, materials are the ingredients, and ambient is the plating.

I've seen your work, can I hire you to design my logo please?

Sharks! Why didn't I think of that!

Awards and recognition are a great showcase and it gives you the establishments. To be famous isn't an easy task. But in my opinion, awards and recognition should be based more about staying relevant to your industry.

Well I hope the client doesn't see this. The funniest feedback we got from the client was: "I like the idea, but I don't like the concept."

The email that clients sent when the campaign is over. Winning awards is one of the best ways for motivation. For my case, another way for me is going on business retreats with a global pool of entrepreneurs, sharing our ideas and how it can work in a broader perspective.

Not really. But I did like how I could visualise scenarios based on words alone.

Design might happen without any clicks or points, it will be constructed just from brainwaves.

Follow us on branding in Instagram @thebrandinggiants or follow us on our designer and lifestyle products on Instagram @teesaurusproject

We are a boutique setup forming back in 2011. We are an idea centric company who believes great work always starts with an idea. They give the soul to any design work. We are glad to have worked with various clienteles.

Design to me must always be well crafted. A brilliant idea can be brought down by the lack of execution, on the other hand, a well crafted work can bring out the essence of a weak idea.

Logo identity.It's kind of fun (and stressful) at the same time because it needs to speak about what your client does in a single look.

One of our most favourite design was Buckets of Love, a probono design done by our company. We believe in contributing back to society. We believe in other to make the Buckets of Love kick off, they need a strong identity that communicates want it does. It's not about donating money, it's more about sharing your love.

It was a logo design for a local glass company. And we are glad they are still with us.

Honestly in the middle of the night where there are no calls.Just peace and quiet.

The core idea.

Excited and ready to go all out!

Anal. And how to make it even better.

An well crafted idea.

I will firstly look at the overall concept first before analysing the execution.

Focus on less wastage. Less is more.

Everything is going digital in this age. People are turning straight to the computer to start executing without even sketching or doodling on sketchpads. It's quite a sad thing though. Design nowadays focus a lot in fast and efficient services. Perhaps we would be looking into technologies that can instantly draw out what's in your mind into your laptop or desktop.

For me it's over a cup of coffee with the client. The more thorough the brief, the easier it is to visualise and create spot-on designs for them. Reference books are a great source of inspiration to know what the design world is doing. The trends, the style and the big ideas behind each award winning work.

Fun, dynamic and graphic. I love visuals as the saying says a picture says a thousand words. Most of my works are loud and carries a dosage of humour. The approach to design would be always starting with an idea seed. Having an idea that have legs to extend over the entire campaign.

I'm staying in Singapore. A melting pot of diverse cultures and religions, which makes this country a fun and vibrant place to live in. The pace here is fast and a lot of people expects things to be done with a snap of a finger, thus sometimes we do not have the luxury of time to really craft out a piece of excellent work that surpasses our expectations.

We would always analyse what the clients would need.They do not need another design agency. They need a design agency that will be their right hand.

A good designer does not only give you what you want; they are a step further to see how they can make it so much better.

We start with a briefing. Everyone in the studio will have to return with sketches in notebooks, scrap paper, or even whiteboards. Reason being, if we start it digital straightaway, there are no feelings being infused in your design. Being designers, the feel of sketching with a pencil / pen on paper is the most crucial. We will then shortlist the best design ideas, and leave them for an overnight test to see if the design still work after a day. We will then select the 2 best and start crafting out the selected few.

My white plastic chair, limited edition Japanese toy figurines, my 3M Polarizing Light LED6000, my Garbino® Can by Karim Rashid for Umbra® and my Scotch® Dog Dispenser.

Brainstorm, craft, coffee. Brainstorm, discuss, craft.

Don't give your clients what they want; give them something they had never dreamt of.Don't fall in love with money, fall in love with what you do.

The best thing about being a designer is the passion behind.Never fear the long hours.

Ideas first.

The eye for design and the 'never give up' attitude.

Sketchbooks, loads of Post-it® Super Sticky Notes, Adobe Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop, reference books like D&ADs, ADC, Design Annuals, etc.

Everyday I have a Post-it Note and I write my top 5 jobs to finish first. Then I write a secondary list.It keeps me focused on the priority jobs.

The usual would be about 1 month, depending on the scope.

What do you think of our design? Can we make it better?

It was a project for a standee design. The visual had to be not only beautiful, but the technical part was tedious. Each artwork had to be very precise so installation would be perfect.

We are fortunate to work with clients like 3M, GroupeSEB, Singapore Dance Theatre, Alcon as well as Vitagen.

Logos. I love the one-shot-tells-all visual mark.

We are in the midst of brainstorming another area. The apparel design.

Both. Working as a team can generate more ideas and they can see areas that I have overlooked.

We are working on a graphic tee shirt brand named Tee-Saurus.We are still in the midst of generating graphics.You can check it out at www.tee-saurus.com

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