About Sunita
Sunita is a graphic information designer, who began her career
in 1991 during a recession. As there were virtually no jobs for
graduates, she set up her own graphic design business called
Designing Information.
After an exciting 5 years, she decided to feel what it was like to get
paid every month, and took a leadership role at Boots the Chemist
in their in-house design team. Projects ranged from Christmas gift
guides to a major redesign of the entire in-store communications.
When an opportunity arose to join the new Boots online team, she
jumped at the chance and soon become Head of Online Design –
leading an entire overhaul of the website, as well as launching
Wellbeing, a digital TV channel.
Sunita’s career adventure continued when she joined Argos as
Creative Controller in 2003. As a Senior Manager, she gave
herself 2 objectives – raise the profile of design at the highest
level in the company, and deliver improved sales through design
effectiveness. She achieved both in her first year, and got the go
ahead to invest in her team – recruiting high calibre, professional
designers and growing the team from 2 to 18. Her remit increased
from just catalogue pages, to all publications, then the in-store
POS was added, the online shop, and eventually she led the
creative strategy for the rebrand of Argos.
Along the way, she won ‘best annual reporting suite 2010’ at the
CorpComms awards, as well as judging the prestigious Design Week
Awards and Benchmark Awards. You can see her talking about her
design philosophy in a video case study for Business Link, and online
articles for the Design Council. In 2012, Sunita left the comfort of
‘client-side’ at Argos to return to the roller-coaster excitement of
agency-side, opening SSHY Creative with her husband Simon.
“My ambition is too create ‘beautiful design that makes you smile’.
It’s how I’ve been judging design solutions for the last 10 years – when
a see good design and I know it’s going to meet the client’s objectives it
makes me smile. And when I present, I know I’ve got the right solution
if I see the client smile.” As far as Sunita is concerned, it really doesn’t
need to be any more complicated than that.
Interesting links
Argos rebrand
www.communicatemagazine.co.uk/currentissuemenu/1394-brandrebrand-argos
Design Week Awards Judge 2011
http://www.designweek.co.uk/news/2011-design-week-awards-judges-announced/3018828.article
http://awards.designweek.co.uk/dw/2011/winners-2011/index-1.php
Business Link – “User Centred Design” Video case study
www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1087158221&type=CASE+STUDIES
Design Council – “What is information Design”
www.designcouncil.org.uk/about-design/types-of-design/graphic-design/information-design/
Design Council – “ Careers in Graphic Design”
www.designcouncil.org.uk/about-design/types-of-design/graphic-design/a-career-in-graphic-design/
Information Design Conference 2009 – Speaker “The redesign of the Argos catalogue”
www.infodesign.org.uk/2009-conference/speakers/yeomans.php