Rethinking Brands: How to design unmistakable identities that shape culture

For decades, the goal for brands was simple: be recognized. Own a colour. A font. A logo.

But in a world shaped by culture’s relentless momentum, simply standing out isn’t enough. To survive, brands must be culturally relevant. They need a pulse.

In this webinar, Hans Thiessen, Partner & Executive Director of Design at Rethink, takes you behind the scenes of how one of the world’s most creative agencies builds unmistakable identities that transform brands into fast-moving cultural forces.

Using real-world case studies from iconic projects like A&W, Full Pin and the RGD Branding Awards, Hans will challenge the traditional rules of identity design, sharing a masterclass on how to transition from static, rigid systems to dynamic brand experiences.

Key Takeaways

By the end of this session, you will walk away with:

• A Strategy for Cultural Leadership: Auditing the intersection of culture, consumer and category to move brands from passive participant to proactive leader.
• A Roadmap for Building Brands with a Pulse: Scaling a brand across three critical stages—shifting seamlessly from Brand Foundation and Brand Identity to Brand Expression.
• A Toolkit for High-Trust Client Partnerships: Using collaborative tools like Visual Sandboxes and Peer Review to build radical client trust and protect ambitious ideas.

About Hans Thiessen RGD

Hans Thiessen is a Partner & Executive Director of Design at Rethink — Cannes Lions Independent Network of the Year, AdAge’s Agency of the Year and one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Creative Agencies.

Over the past 17 years, Hans has had the pleasure of working with with a wide range of global brands (including Kraft Heinz, IKEA, Molson Coors, Nike, EA, Mattel, Arc’teryx), non-profits and household names in the making.

Hans’ work has been recognized with over 400 awards (including a D&AD Black Pencil), press (from Rolling Stone to Ripley’s Believe It or Not) and the occasional cease and desist letter. But the real prize for Hans is getting to work alongside relentlessly curious, passionate and good-humoured human beings.