Who the hell is Doug Hey?

We’re chatting with members of the DixonBaxi studio about what makes them who they are. From the professional to the personal, nothing is off limits here. So we spoke to Doug Hey about distilling brand identities and his favourite IPAs. Here’s what he had to say about both:

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Doug and I’m a motion designer here at DB.

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What’s your story?
I was born and bred in London, but studied Graphic Design at Falmouth. I always knew I wanted to specialise in motion, but I thought getting a handle on the principles of design and communication while teaching myself animation could put me in a stronger position than studying a dedicated motion graphics degree. Plus the pubs, pasties and beaches of Falmouth were hard to say no to.

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What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on defining a set of motion principles to help convey a brand’s values and positioning. It’s an interesting challenge – giving them a distinctive voice through moving image and using animation to tell their story.

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“[Good design] doesn’t have to always be earth-shattering, it just has to make you think. Telling stories as simply and coherently as possible.”

Describe your working style in 3 words.
Systematic, crafted, perfectionist.

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Tell us about some of your interests – what are you into?
Well I’m trying to get back into skateboarding, but I’m not as young and bouncy as I used to be… I’m still nostalgic for a lot that comes with skating though. A more realistic answer would simply be the pub, as everyone else here would probably agree. Hoppy, floral, bright orange IPAs

. I’ve also gotten into cycling the last few years, and I’ve gone camping quite a few times between lockdowns. The stars in the Lake District are amazing.

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Do you think design can change the world? How?
I think design can be a powerful tool to help change people’s perceptions and outlooks, however it isn’t necessarily used for more ethical or environmental reasons as much as it could be. That’s actually what I wrote my dissertation on at uni, but unfortunately it didn’t do too well… Luckily it wasn’t worth too much of the final grade, haha!

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If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
Greed.

What’s the last song you listened to?
Living for the City by Stevie Wonder.

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Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
I just think there’s something special in motion design, something satisfying and fascinating about trying to distil a brand’s DNA and deliver their personality and ethos through animation. I like how motion immediately opens new doors and trains of thought when applied to design, it always brings new possibilities to the table. Plus clients love seeing their brand move, it always lights up their faces in presentations.

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What’s your definition of good design?
It doesn’t have to always be earth-shattering, it just has to make you think. Telling stories as simply and coherently as possible.