Visit to ~ Dave Towers (Rapier)

Rapier is a creative advertising and branding agency located a few miniutes away from Waterloo station. Dave Towers is their head designer at Rapier who I was introduced to through Johnny Watter's (thank you John for the initial introduction).
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The main questions I asked Dave were based around the role of a head designer and how designers integrate in a creative advertising agency. He told me it was hard work getting involved in the ideas process at an advertising agency and often designers were there simply to visualise the advertisers ideas through scamps etc.
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He also talked me through his 'Dave on the Dole' project he did when finishing his degree to network and hopefully get a job. A lovely idea and something to consider when expanding my connections to the industry. He said a bit of print should never go a miss, as emails and phone calls can often lead to dead ends and show a lack of creativity.
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We also had a general discussion on type and what I wanted to do when I finish my degree, as well as discussing the London Underground typeface - a massive help for my dissertation research and he said he would be happy to give me a few quotes.
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Other bits of advice were - spend as much time in the library/ reading as possible, meet as many people as you can, work your arse off and always enjoy what you do!

A few samples of Dave's work ~ Source