Who the hell is Kjetil Njoten?

Brave brands change the world. We help create them. Which means working alongside the most inspiring clients on the planet. Each project is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in a new industry and begin to reimagine it alongside the people who know it best. We were lucky enough to speak with Kjetil, global head of creative at IMAX, about design and the secret to great creative partnerships.

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What’s your story?
Well hello there. I’m Kjetil. Norwegian born, London built, currently being fine-tuned on the sunny shores of LA as global head of creative at IMAX.

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Do you think design can change the world?
The idea of changing the world is a big one and one that the creative industry falls too readily in love with when describing work that no one outside our industry cares about (or knows exists). So, design can change the world but only very, very rarely. More often, it can make the world more beautiful and spark moments of wonder and joy. Which, in my book, is a more than honorable pursuit.

“Great design strips away anything frivolous until you’re left with bold and beautiful simplicity.”

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What is the most important thing in a creative partnership?
Trust and honesty. I know that’s two things, not one, but you can’t have one without the other and you can’t have great work without both. Trust and honesty strip away everything that gets in the way of a common pursuit of new, exciting and – at times – scary ideas.

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Why is collaboration important?
Because creative and design is a team sport that thrives on debate, disagreements, and diverse perspectives.

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‍What inspires you?
Ideas that surprise, excite and scare me in equal measure (and the people who have them).

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What does creativity look like in your industry?
Daring to be and do different.

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What is good design?
Great design strips away anything frivolous until you’re left with bold and beautiful simplicity.‍

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What do you hope to see in the future of your industry?
The preservation of craft and greater ambition for brands to be uniquely themselves.