WELCOME TO THE RECESS 2026 CREATIVE PLAYBOOK
🌵 🌵 🌵 🌵
We asked 48 creative directors, designers + strategists from 20 countries to share their tips, tools, tricks + go to resources for staying at the top of their creative game.
As Springsteen says, "can't start a fire without a spark", so let this PLAYBOOK be your creative spark. Got it? Ok...good.
Xo Jody Orsborn Medina, Founder of RECESS
DOWNLOAD THE 2026 PLAYBOOK
Sign up for the RECESS newsletter and get the 220+ page PLAYBOOK for free. You can unsubscribe at any time (but we sure hope you don’t) 👍
The Playbook Credits
→ Created + curated by Jody Orsborn Medina of RECESS
→ Support from Anna Macko + Jocelyn Hayes
→ Designed by Julie Vaccaro
→ Photos from Unsplash + Pexels + Creative Market
Discover insights, tools and tips from
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![ZAKIR HASAN]()
ZAKIR HASAN
CONTENT STRATEGY DIRECTOR,
MOTHER LONDONLONDON, UK
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Alex Morris
FREELANCE STRATEGY DIRECTOR,
STRAT_SCRAPSTACOMA, USA
-
![AN CHEN]()
AN CHEN
ILLUSTRATOR
LONDON, UK/ TAIWAN
-
![ANDY PEARSON]()
ANDY PEARSON
VP OF CREATIVE,
LIQUID DEATHLOS ANGELES, USA
-
![]()
Anya Victoria Ita Macdougall
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIST,
MONKSAMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
-
![ARIBA JAHAN]()
ARIBA JAHAN
HEAD OF TRANSFORMATION, ANOMALY /
CREATOR, UNMISSABLESNEW YORK, USA
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![BEA ROSENSVARD]()
BEA ROSENSVARD
ASS. DESIGN DIRECTOR,
OLIVERSTOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
-
![BIANCA LUBBERS]()
BIANCA LUBBERS
ART DIRECTOR,
THE LEGO GROUPBILLUND, DENMARK
-
![CHRISTINA ESSUE]()
CHRISTINA ESSUE
ARTIST / BRAND + CREATIVE STRATEGIST
TORONTO, CANADA
-
![DANIEL CHONILLO]()
DANIEL CHONILLO
HEAD OF ART,
BBDO ECUADORGUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR
-
![DENISSE MANCERA]()
DENISSE MANCERA
HEAD OF CONTENT,
WIEDEN + KENNEDYMEXICO CITY, MEXICO
-
![DIANA GANEA]()
DIANA GANEA
ART DIRECTOR,
ULTRA SUPER NEWTOKYO, JAPAN
-
![ERIN BAI]()
ERIN BAI
CCO,
DFYSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
-
![GEORGIA ARMSTRONG]()
GEORGIA ARMSTRONG
ART DIRECTOR,
MOTHER LONDONLONDON, UK
-
![GUSTAVO “GOOSE” SOLIS]()
GUSTAVO “GOOSE” SOLIS
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
SPOTIFYBROOKLYN, USA
-
![HAJIN JUNG]()
HAJIN JUNG
CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
INTERBRANDSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
-
![HELENA WAY]()
HELENA WAY
AI CREATIVE DIRECTOR CONSULTANT,
IBMSÃO PAULO, BRAZIL
-
![HIANN PRUM]()
HIANN PRUM
ASSOC. DESIGN DIRECTOR OF GRAPHICS,
FACTORY360NYC, USA
-
![ISHAAN MISHRA]()
ISHAAN MISHRA
CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
TIKTOKNYC, USA
-
![JACOB ZINNECKER]()
JACOB ZINNECKER
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIST,
MASBROOKLYN, USA
-
![JANELLE WALLACE]()
JANELLE WALLACE
GROUP CREATIVE STRATEGY DIRECTOR, WIEDEN + KENNEDY/
CO-HOST OF PODCAST, WITCHA BLACK ADSPORTLAND, USA
-
![JESÚS PACHECO VELA]()
JESÚS PACHECO VELA
SENIOR SOCIAL CREATIVE,
MONKSMEXICO CITY, MEXICO
-
![JC AUJERO]()
JC AUJERO
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR,
BLKJ HAVASSINGAPORE
-
![JOY RICHU]()
JOY RICHU
CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR + ILLUSTRATOR,
JOY RICHUNAIROBI, KENYA
-
![JODY ORSBORN MEDINA]()
JODY ORSBORN MEDINA
FREELANCE EXPERIENTIAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR /
HOST, RECESSTORONTO, CANADA
-
![JUNIOR AGBENOWOSSI]()
JUNIOR AGBENOWOSSI
SOCIAL STRATEGY SPECIALIST,
ADOBE FIREFLYSAN FRANCISCO, USA
-
![LAUREN AUSTIN]()
LAUREN AUSTIN
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER,
MKGNYC, USA
-
![LEDEEBARI NWIZUG]()
LEDEEBARI NWIZUG
SENIOR COPYWRITER,
SPICE 360 LIMITED (TOLARAM GROUP)LAGOS, NIGERIA
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![LOUIS AMEZAH]()
LOUIS AMEZAH
LEAD CREATIVE,
INNOVA DDBACCRA, GHANA
-
![LUKE SOMASUNDRAM]()
LUKE SOMASUNDRAM
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
BBH ASIA PACIFICSINGAPORE
-
![MARC HUENERWADEL]()
MARC HUENERWADEL
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR,
PIERCE CULTUREBERLIN, GERMANY
-
![MARK POLLARD]()
MARK POLLARD
CEO,
SWEATHEADWORLDWIDE
-
![MAYA IWATA]()
MAYA IWATA
SENIOR CREATIVE,
TBWA\MEDIA ARTS LABTOKYO, JAPAN
-
![MEL (MELISSA) DANIELS]()
MEL (MELISSA) DANIELS
REGIONAL HEAD OF INNOVATION,
TBWASINGAPORE
-
![NATALIE ALCIDE]()
NATALIE ALCIDE
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR,
TBWA\CHIAT\DAY NYNYC, USA
-
![OTTO PLESNER]()
OTTO PLESNER
CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
RENAIXANCECOPENHAGEN, DENMARK
-
![PHUONG TRAN DUY HOANG]()
PHUONG TRAN DUY HOANG
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
LEO BURNETTHO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM
-
![PIERO RONCALL]()
PIERO RONCALL
ACD + SENIOR CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR,
VALORLIMA, PERU
-
![POROMA PANT]()
POROMA PANT
SENIOR CREATIVE STRATEGIST,
PINTERESTNYC, USA
-
![POOJA MANEK]()
POOJA MANEK
FOUNDING MEMBER + CREATIVE,
TALENTEDBANGALORE, INDIA
-
![RAHMAN YILDIZ]()
RAHMAN YILDIZ
CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
MULLENLOWE ISTANBULISTANBUL, TURKEY
-
![ROO YESHPAUL JOHNSON]()
ROO YESHPAUL JOHNSON
SENIOR MANAGER, SOCIAL,
ADOBEHONOLULU, USA
-
![RYAN ESQUIVEL]()
RYAN ESQUIVEL
SENIOR DESIGNER,
POLAROIDAMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
-
![RYAN HO]()
RYAN HO
CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
INVISIBLE NORTHBROOKLYN, USA
-
![RYAN MILLAR]()
RYAN MILLAR
AUTHOR, THE CONFIDENT PRESENTER/
FOUNDER, DASHWELL COACHING + TRAININGAMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
-
![TAYLOR TABB]()
TAYLOR TABB
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY,
SPAK STUDIOSAN FRANCISCO, USA
-
![TONY BOWE]()
TONY BOWE
JUNIOR ART DIRECTOR,
LEO BURNETTCHICAGO, USA
-
![VICTORIA STOYANOVA]()
VICTORIA STOYANOVA
HEAD OF EXPERIENCE,
HURRY UP WE'RE DREAMINGLONDON, UK
-
![VIKKI ROSS]()
VIKKI ROSS
BRAND, VOICE & COPY CONSULTANT
LONDON, UK
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The 2024 + 2025 PlaybookS ARE still available!
Discover another 240+ pages of insights, tips and tricks from 30 industry veterans.
Who’S Behind RECESS
Hey there! I’m Jody Orsborn Medina. I’m an Experiential Creative Director who has worked on projects for Shopify, Canva, Vice, Live Nation, Nvidia, Intel, Google and more. As a freelancer, I missed having a time in the day to connect with other creatives and share inspiration. So I created one! Hope you enjoy digging into all things RECESS 🤘