‘Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work.’ Heath Lowe is Executive Design Director and a founding partner of Special in New Zealand, now with offices in Wellington, Sydney, Melbourne, Los Angeles and London. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/ Hailing from America’s Midwest, his career began in the US and Europe working alongside some of the world’s most ambitious companies — Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Miller Brewing Co., Foot Locker — to bring their unique vision and products to market and connect their brand cultures to, well, real culture. His way of working encourages the listening and thinking it takes to define a brand’s purpose and the customer needs that inform a product’s promise. The goal: to design experiences that matter. Whether it’s brand identity or packaging design, pop-ups or digital activations, this approach leads to work and results that make a difference to audiences, businesses, broader communities and culture. In his thirteen years behind the wheel of Special’s design business, Heath’s teams have been behind the award-winning work that has helped to position New Zealand brands like ecostore, Karma Cola, Royal New Zealand Ballet and Rockit apples among the best in the world. And work that has endeared hearts and homes to local brands as diverse as The Oyster Inn, Tip Top, Molenberg and the Green Party. Done right, it’s a great way to spend an honest day’s work.