Kinaya May
In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it's The Do Collective's graphic designer Kinaya May.
Time at the company:
Coming up to one year.
How long have you been in the industry?
More than five years.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
Absolutely not, this was never part of the plan! Growing up, I’ve always been extremely creative, but I didn’t really know that I could make a career out of it. I was just following my passion and ended up doing what I loved. After finishing high school, I enrolled to study landscape architecture but took a gap year because I wasn’t 100% in love with the idea. Long story short, whilst travelling in New Zealand, I broke my leg and was stuck at home for eight weeks. No work, no exercise, no leaving the house. During this time, my mum encouraged me to start being creative again and just ‘see what happens’. So, I created and completed fake briefs for myself and had my cousin make fake assignments for me to complete. By the time my leg was healed, I was enrolled to start my studies as a graphic designer and landed my first job before I even finished my Diploma!
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
My Mum, 1000%. I know she’s not an expert when it comes to design (by no means do I get my creative flare from her - sorry, Mum), but she is my biggest cheerleader and inspiration; she’s an absolute legend. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
No two days are the same. One day, I’m art directing a photoshoot for a new-to-market supplement and vitamin brand, and the next, I’m brainstorming and designing activation ideas for gay nightclubs in Sydney and Melbourne. Each project and client I work on is so different from the next. It keeps me on my toes, but it’s also amazing to look back and see all the different projects and brands I’ve touched. A pinch-me moment!
I don’t think I’ll ever fall out of love with being a graphic designer. Little Kinaya would be so proud and in awe that my ‘adult job’ is playing with colours and designing cool things for big brands.
And the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge I’ve experienced is feelings of imposter syndrome and doubting myself. It’s easy to sometimes discredit my hard work as something that is ‘just luck’. I think this feeling is quite common within the creative industry. It’s not really an industry that can be measured because creativity is quite subjective, so understandably, feelings of doubt often rise to the surface.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I want my side hustle (studiosiala on Instagram) to be my main hustle. I want to be a successful woman in business and my own boss, working remotely from all over the world. I love to travel and experience new cultures, so combining my love for travel and creativity would be a dream come true. Next time you hear from me, I want to have a few more countries ticked off my list and a booming and busy Studio Siala.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I have a few go-to places for inspiration. Pinterest is a good start, but I often fall into a rabbit hole. Otherwise, I love staying up to date on TikTok and Instagram with new design trends, it’s changing every second, and I find so much inspiration there. Another good trick that I love is when I’m travelling, I’ll take photos of any cool signs or patterns I see and add them into a ‘Design Inspiration’ folder.
My favourite advert is:
What if you can? By Nike.
Fun fact: I used to work at Nike before I became a graphic designer, so I’m probably a bit biased. But I love how Nike’s ads always make you feel something, daring you to achieve the impossible. Bonus points for anything that encourages and champions female empowerment.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I don’t think anyone at work knows that I entered the graphic design world as the result of a broken leg.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Being globally recognised for my work. I love seeing women kick ass in whatever industry they’re in, especially when it’s a business that they’ve built from the ground up. I aspire to be like ATNN Design and Frankie Ratford - two really successful women in the creative industry who have built an empire. I want to have a positive impact on other women around me, and my dream is to achieve this with Studio Siala.
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