Art Direction - Exercise 1 : Analyzing Art Direction Practices in Creative Company
22/09/2025 - 26/10/2025 ( Week 1 - Week 5)
Ho Winnie / 0364866
Art Direction / Bachelor's of Design Honors In Creative Media
Exercise 1 : Analyzing Art Direction Practices in Creative Company
1. Exercise 1 : Analyzing Art Direction Practices in Creative Company
After forming our group, I took the initiative to source for companies that align with our project goals — specifically those with strong creative direction, impactful storytelling, and a reputation for shaping Malaysia’s visual and digital design landscape. I reached out to several studios and agencies whose work deeply inspired us, including EDT Malaysia, VTF Studio, Webby Group, Bike Bear, and TrueXR.
Each of these companies represents a unique segment of the creative industry — from advertising and digital storytelling to immersive AR/VR experiences. By contacting them, our aim was to gain diverse insights into how Art Directors and Visual Directors operate across different creative environments, and how they adapt their roles to evolving industry trends.
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After reaching out to several creative companies, our group ultimately decided to proceed with Bike Bear for the interview. The team responded warmly and showed genuine interest in supporting our research project. We felt that Bike Bear’s vibrant storytelling approach, strong art direction, and creative campaigns aligned perfectly with our study’s objective of understanding how visual direction shapes brand identity and audience engagement.
Their body of work stood out to us for its bold visuals, playful tone, and seamless blend of creativity and strategy — qualities that truly represent the dynamic nature of art direction in today’s industry. With their agreement, we scheduled our interview session for Thursday, 24th October at 3:30 PM via Google Meet.
Individual Research Regarding Bike Bear's Art Direction
Before the interview session, I conducted individual research to understand Bike Bear’s background and approach to art direction. Founded in Malaysia, Bike Bear is a creative agency known for its bold, youthful, and story-driven campaigns that blend humor, authenticity, and emotional connection. Their projects often emphasize vibrant visuals, dynamic motion, and human-centered storytelling, making them stand out among digital agencies in Southeast Asia.
Through my research, I observed that Bike Bear’s art direction focuses on creating memorable brand narratives that not only capture attention but also resonate with audiences on a deeper level. The team’s ability to translate complex ideas into simple yet powerful visuals reflects a strong understanding of both design strategy and audience psychology.
I was particularly inspired by how their campaigns consistently balance playfulness and professionalism, showing that great art direction isn’t just about aesthetics, but about communicating emotion, value, and purpose through every visual choice.
In analyzing Bike Bear’s art direction, I compiled key visual elements that define their distinctive brand identity. The overall design language reflects energy, playfulness, and confidence, which align closely with their personality as a creative agency.
Logo & Mascot
Bike Bear’s logo features a bold black bear riding a motorcycle, symbolizing motion, confidence, and a fearless creative drive. The mascot — a modern 3D bear with sunglasses — reinforces the same identity but with a more friendly and contemporary tone. It bridges professionalism with approachability, appealing to both corporate and youthful audiences.
Typography
Their choice of typefaces — Anton for titles and Inter for body text — complements their visual style perfectly. Anton gives a strong, commanding presence suitable for headlines and slogans, while Inter provides clarity and readability for supporting text, maintaining a clean and modern balance.
Color Palette
The color palette combines bright yellow, black, white, and green, reflecting optimism, creativity, and confidence. Yellow acts as the core brand color, symbolizing energy and positivity, while black and white provide contrast and professionalism. The touch of green adds freshness and digital vibrancy.
Together, these elements create a cohesive visual identity that communicates Bike Bear’s spirit — bold, fun, and full of creative momentum. Their art direction captures attention while staying true to a clear, consistent, and lively brand personality.
One of my favourite projects by Bike Bear is Prompt, a branding project that immediately caught my attention for its bold simplicity and cohesive visual identity. The use of a vibrant orange paired with soft beige tones creates an energetic yet comforting atmosphere that perfectly reflects the product’s theme of instant enjoyment and everyday warmth. I especially like how the typography choice — featuring a strong, retro-inspired logotype — gives the brand a sense of familiarity while maintaining a modern edge.
The overall art direction is clean and confident, with consistent visual hierarchy across packaging, brand guide, and digital assets. Every design element — from the logo to the icons — feels intentional and contributes to a unified story. What I admire most is how Bike Bear managed to convey both playfulness and professionalism, proving that good branding can be fun without losing clarity or purpose.
As a UX designer, this project taught me the importance of visual consistency and emotional tone in shaping user perception. Even though Prompt is a branding project, its clarity and flow mirror what good UX strives for — a seamless and enjoyable experience from first impression to interaction. It reminded me that thoughtful art direction doesn’t just make something look good; it also guides how users feel, engage, and connect with a brand.
This reflection aligns with our Art Direction module learning outcomes, as it deepened my understanding of how design decisions — from color and typography to composition — contribute to a unified creative direction that supports both brand identity and user experience.
Beyond their projects, I was also deeply inspired by Bike Bear’s official website (bikebear.com.my). The site itself feels like an extension of their brand personality — bold, dynamic, and unapologetically creative. From the moment the homepage loads, the strong contrast between vivid yellow and deep black immediately captures attention and communicates confidence. The micro-interactions, smooth transitions, and animated elements make the browsing experience engaging without being overwhelming.
As a UX designer, I found the website’s structure particularly impressive. It demonstrates a seamless balance between aesthetic appeal and usability, where every section flows naturally and invites exploration. The typography hierarchy is clear, the call-to-actions are direct, and the layout maintains a strong visual rhythm that keeps users scrolling.
What stood out to me most is how Bike Bear successfully uses motion and narrative to humanize the digital experience — the site doesn’t just show their work; it tells a story about who they are as creators. This approach reminded me that effective web design isn’t only about presenting information, but also about crafting an emotional journey that reflects a brand’s essence.
This observation reinforces one of the key takeaways from our Art Direction module: great art direction is about creating a consistent, immersive experience across all touchpoints — from branding to interface — where every detail supports the overall creative vision.
As part of our preparation for the interview with Bike Bear, my role focused on researching and formulating questions related to the Business and Industry Overview. This section required me to understand the company’s background, business model, and its place within the Malaysian creative industry.
To ensure that our questions aligned with the project brief, I structured them around several key areas:
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Company Background – to learn about Bike Bear’s history, founding year, and evolution as a creative agency.
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Core Services and Clients – to understand the type of projects they handle and their target markets.
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Company Structure – to explore how their creative team operates (studio, agency, or in-house model).
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Industry Trends and Challenges – to gain insights into current developments or issues faced by creative agencies, such as adapting to AI tools, increasing competition, and balancing creativity with client expectations.
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Relevance to Our Specialisation – to connect how Bike Bear’s art direction and digital storytelling relate to our focus areas in Art Direction and UI/UX Design.
Some of my drafted questions included:
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Could you share a brief background about Bike Bear — when it was founded and how it has evolved over time?
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What are your core creative services, and what types of clients do you usually work with?
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How is your team structured, and what makes your workflow unique as a creative agency?
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What are some current trends or challenges you’ve noticed in the creative and advertising industry?
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How do you see the role of art direction evolving in today’s fast-changing digital landscape?
Preparing these questions helped me build a deeper understanding of how to conduct a professional, insight-driven interview, while also ensuring that our discussion would yield meaningful content for analysis. It also allowed me to connect classroom learning with real-world creative practices, strengthening my understanding of the industry context behind art direction.
Interview With Mr Ariel Chew , Chief Executive Officer Of Bike Bear
From our interview with Ms. Ariel Chew and the Bike Bear team, we gained valuable insights into how a creative agency operates beyond visuals — emphasizing strategy, collaboration, and emotional storytelling. The discussion highlighted that art direction at Bike Bear is not just about aesthetics, but about building meaningful connections between brands and audiences through strong narratives and consistent visual identity.
We also learned that the team values versatility and multidisciplinary thinking. Every designer is encouraged to understand the conceptual and strategic side of a project, not just execution. This holistic approach ensures that all creative decisions align with the brand’s story and audience intent.
In terms of industry perspective, Bike Bear noted that storytelling remains a powerful and evolving trend, especially as audiences crave authenticity and emotional resonance in a fast-moving digital world. However, they also face the challenge of maintaining professionalism and creative passion — balancing what they love doing with the need to meet client expectations and deadlines.
During our interview, Ms. Ariel Chew shared one of Bike Bear’s most recent projects, Teh Tarik Nation, which left a strong impression on me. The website stands out for its seamless blend of vintage aesthetics and modern storytelling, perfectly reflecting the nostalgic yet contemporary essence of Malaysia’s beloved drink. The design masterfully balances heritage-inspired visuals, such as retro typography, warm sepia tones, and cultural motifs, with modern web interactions and smooth transitions that keep the experience fresh and engaging.
What I found most inspiring was how Bike Bear managed to translate cultural identity into a digital experience that feels both authentic and current. The art direction demonstrates a deep understanding of how design can preserve tradition while embracing innovation — a balance that is especially relevant in Malaysia’s evolving creative landscape. As a UX and Art Direction student, I was particularly drawn to how the site’s layout and animations guide users through a narrative journey, turning a simple brand story into an immersive cultural experience.
This project reinforces Bike Bear’s strength in storytelling-driven design, showing how visual language, motion, and interactivity can work together to evoke emotion, celebrate culture, and connect with audiences meaningfully.
Overall, the interview gave us a clearer understanding of how a successful creative agency sustains its identity through teamwork, adaptability, and narrative-driven design. It reinforced the idea that effective art direction combines creativity, empathy, and communication, bridging the gap between brand purpose and audience experience.
Working On Report & Slides ( Business & Industry Overview - My Part )
From my part of the interview, I focused on understanding Bike Bear’s business model, company structure, and position within the creative industry. Through our conversation with Ms. Ariel Chew, I learned that Bike Bear stands out as a creative agency driven by storytelling, versatility, and collaboration. Rather than functioning with strict departmental boundaries, the team values a flexible structure where each member wears multiple hats — for instance, designers are encouraged to understand concept development, strategy, and narrative direction beyond just design execution.
I also found that Bike Bear’s core specialisation lies in web design, branding, and social media storytelling, where the team integrates strong visual direction with purposeful user experience. They emphasise that successful design isn’t just about how it looks, but how it feels, communicates, and connects with people.
From an industry perspective, the team shared that storytelling is an evolving trend shaping Malaysia’s creative landscape, as audiences increasingly value authenticity and emotional engagement. However, one major challenge they face is maintaining professionalism and creative passion — continuing to enjoy the creative process while meeting client expectations and project constraints.
Overall, this interview helped me gain a deeper understanding of how a modern creative agency operates, especially in balancing business needs with creative integrity. It reinforced that strong art direction relies not only on visual talent but also on industry awareness, multidisciplinary skills, and strategic thinking — qualities essential for anyone aspiring to work in creative leadership roles.
After completing our interview and analysis, Si Yan and I took the lead in designing the slide deck for our presentation. We wanted the visuals to reflect Bike Bear’s bold and playful personality, ensuring that our presentation didn’t just communicate information but also captured the spirit of their brand. Inspired by Bike Bear’s signature use of vibrant yellow, strong typography, and confident layout, we applied a bright color palette, dynamic compositions, and clean visual hierarchy to mirror their design direction.
Our goal was to make the presentation both visually engaging and professionally cohesive, striking a balance between fun and clarity. Working on the slides allowed us to apply what we learned about art direction and brand consistency — understanding how tone, color, and layout can work together to express identity and energy in a unified way.
Final Submissions
2. Feedback
3. Reflection
Week 1 – Group Formation and Project Brief Understanding
In the first week, our team formed and reviewed the project brief together. I collaborated with Ng Kar Yee, Melvin Yung, Chong Hui Yi, Lin Si Yan, and Lew Guo Ying to clarify our roles and goals. We discussed the importance of understanding the role of Art Directors in the creative industry and aligned on our approach to find companies that reflect strong storytelling and design direction. This week taught me the importance of clear communication and teamwork in setting a foundation for a successful project.
Week 2 – Company Research and Outreach
During the second week, I took the lead in sourcing potential companies that aligned with our objectives. I reached out to EDT Malaysia, VTF Studio, Webby Group, Bike Bear, and TrueXR. This process helped me strengthen my professional communication skills and understand how to tailor messages appropriately for different companies. It also reminded me that initiative and organization are key when representing a team in a professional context.
Week 3 – Company Selection and Preparation
After receiving responses, our team decided to proceed with Bike Bear, as their creative philosophy closely aligned with our focus on art direction and storytelling. We then divided responsibilities — I handled the Business and Industry Overview section. Preparing questions specific to Bike Bear’s structure and services helped me better understand how creative agencies function within Malaysia’s design landscape.
Week 4 – Interview Session and Insights
In Week 4, we successfully conducted our interview with Ms. Ariel Chew from Bike Bear. This was a valuable experience that deepened my understanding of how creative agencies balance business objectives with creative passion. I learned that strong art direction requires not just visual skills but also conceptual thinking and teamwork. The session also strengthened our group coordination and professionalism during live discussions.
Week 5 – Presentation and Reflection
Together with Si Yan, I worked on designing our slide deck, ensuring it reflected Bike Bear’s bold and playful brand personality. We applied what we learned from their design language — using vibrant colors, strong typography, and consistent hierarchy. Through this process, I learned how art direction principles can be applied to presentation design and how visual storytelling enhances audience engagement. Overall, the project taught me the importance of teamwork, communication, and aligning design decisions with brand identity.
Skills Gained & Challenges Faced
Throughout this project, I gained a deeper understanding of how art direction connects creativity, storytelling, and strategy within a professional context. One of the key skills I developed was industry research and communication — from sourcing companies to drafting professional emails and conducting interviews, I learned how to approach real-world professionals with clarity and respect. I also improved my ability to analyze business models and creative workflows, which helped me see how agencies like Bike Bear operate holistically across design, marketing, and branding.
However, the project also came with challenges. Coordinating schedules for interviews while managing academic deadlines required careful planning and flexibility. Crafting interview questions that were both insightful and professional was initially difficult, as it required balancing curiosity with relevance to our objectives. Another challenge was ensuring that our presentation matched the tone and professionalism of the company we studied while still expressing our creative interpretation.
Despite these challenges, the experience was highly rewarding. It helped me grow not only as a student of art direction but also as a future creative professional, capable of merging analytical thinking with design intuition. The project strengthened my confidence in both communication and visual storytelling — skills that are essential in my journey as a UX and Art Direction student.
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