Interview with Oscar Martínez, Creative Director of Lapinza, ESP

Our design team currently consists of 5 people, three graphic designers, a project manager and myself as creative director. We work both for big brands and small businesses. We like to take care of every detail and take creativity to the places where our clients can have the greatest impact. We accompany them throughout the process, supporting every step.

We had never been up for any awards before and it came as a surprise to win two platinum prizes and one silver prize. For us, this means recognition of the work we have been doing for so many years. We are delighted. It’s made us very happy, especially knowing that they are awarded by an international jury, with different points of view.

The first award is for the corporate identity of Viladecans, a town close to Barcelona, with international projection, business projection, with a strongly networked local community who are supportive and good hosts. We created a corporate identity that includes these aspects to form a fun, neighbourly ‘smiley’. It portrays Viladecans using the tools of the 21st century and interacts in a friendly and creative way in every advert or news item.We chose to take part in this project because of our close ties to Viladecans. Some of the members of our team live there so we know the context. We were especially excited to be involved in the design of this identity and to be part of this change in communication.

The biggest challenge was to supplant the heraldry of the town’s coat of arms and implant a friendly symbol that flows positively in every item of communication.

It is truly enriching for the studio to be able to win a prize like this. It showcases the work we do every day, generates prestige and, internally, it is reassuring for us to know that our work is being appreciated. It is an honour to receive this Muse platinum award and we are very excited about it.

Creativity, breaking boundaries and fun.

We are Mediterranean, we live in Barcelona and the sunlight and the good weather nourish our crazy, daring ideas. This is a highly creative country and there’s talent flowing in every corner.

Disciplines are being intermingled more and more. Motion graphics is mixed with typography and lettering, illustration with graphic design, industrial design is part of the campaigns, so the tendency will not be for creativity to stagnate in segments but to be a whole made up disciplines without boundaries.

Don’t limit yourself. You have to break the rules and make the very most out of your ideas. Once you’ve done that, put love into the final artwork and take care of every detail.

You have to think differently, in parallel, and always look for new solutions in each assignment. I can't recommend any tools in particular. My only advice is that you have to mix techniques. Look at how other studios work and try to explore new ways to create. It’s not just about sitting in front of a computer; you have to get outside and observe.

I never thought we’d end up making a living out of this work. It’s incredible to get out of bed every morning and work doing something you like, enjoy your life creating and breaking boundaries all the time. It’s a dream.

I’ve been inspired by musicians with their free, creative lifestyles, designers, with their discipline and madcap ideas, artists with their bohemian vision of reality. And they have done that because they all have points of view in common. They all question the system and don’t live inside borders and beliefs. Freedom is linked to creativity.

Tenacity, creativity and smiles. With these three key ideas, things can only go well.

Keep promoting these awards. They motivate creative designers and it is incredible for your work to be appreciated by people with the awareness of the jury. Thank you for your work.