A design decision, from the top.

In partnership with

VanMoof bikes were getting damaged in shipping.

Complaints stacked up. Returns were costly.

The bikes worked. The issue was how shipping carriers were handling the boxes

So the CEO made a decision. Don’t change the bike. Change the box.

They printed a flat-screen TV graphic on the side.

Shipping teams handled it more carefully. Damage dropped by 80 percent.

No redesign. No campaign. Just one sharp move that solved a recurring business problem.

That’s brand thinking. And it didn’t come from a deck or a brainstorm.

It came from leadership that understood how perception shapes behavior.

This is what it looks like when a CEO steps into the role of creative director. They use design to tighten ideas and make decisions easier to act on.

Design shapes how the business thinks; visually, strategically, operationally.

Cheaper returns. Faster onboarding. Clearer communication.

The kind of stuff that moves margins.

Reflections to work through:

What part of your customer experience causes friction or cost?

Are you solving that through process or perception?

Where could one smart creative decision remove a problem completely?

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Curious what design could fix without a full rebrand?

Let’s talk.

Ian Adams, Founder the little red sofa

Before founding the little red sofa, I led strategy and creative for brands like Jeep, HSBC, and Unilever at top global agencies and in-house teams across 8 countries. Now I work with founders to turn brand clarity into sustainable growth.