It’s a duet: Play On Play unpacks the flourishing partnership that makes things tick at the studio

As the moniker ‘Play On Play’ fittingly indicates, the Australian creative atelier of Naomi Akikusa-Dawber and Lucy Fry are pioneers of injecting levity, joy, and expression into their work. Their creative approach has reaped dividends, amassing an illustrious clientele that spans from Melbourne Music Week to Christina Aguilera, not to mention a myriad of prestigious music and film events throughout Australia. We caught up with them for a conversation where they detailed the balance that keeps the practice thriving – from finding the sweet spot with client project workloads to the ways in which their skills and strengths complement each other. Their experiences in launching their own studio have resulted in many lessons and insights on cultivating their ideal work practices. With several years under their belts, Akikusa-Dawber and Fry cast their eyes to the future, sharing their hopes for the industry and what their own futures will look like.

PT Hi Naomi and Lucy! How are you?

POP Hi Poppy! We’re very well, enjoying the shift towards the cooler, spooky autumn weather here in Naarm/Melbourne. How are you?

PT Battling the unpredictable UK spring weather. But good, thank you! To get things rolling, how did Play On Play first begin? When did you first meet? And from there, when and why did you decide to launch a studio together?

POP It’s a love story that began in our first year of university. We were both \ a little coy about being the oldest in our year level (both 24). But fate had it that we spoke to each other first, and the rest is history. While at uni together we realised that we worked really well together and aligned on mostly everything.

After graduating, Naomi volunteered with Ladies of Leisure (LOL), a local publication spotlighting female-identifying creatives across Australia, while Lucy pursued roles within various agencies. Naomi found a sense of alignment with LOL, but also had dreams of expanding into new horizons. Meanwhile, Lucy found herself working in agencies whose values didn’t align with hers. Driven by a shared vision of collaborating with clients who shared our ethos, we made the bold move to establish our own studio.

We’re so proud of our client list to date, including Christina Aguilera, City of Melbourne, and Mushroom Records to name a few.

PT That’s a beautiful love story! How would you describe each other’s strengths and weaknesses?

POP Ooo that’s a tough one – the dreaded job interview question.

Our strengths and weaknesses complement each other well. Where one lacks, the other fills in the gaps, much like a balancing scale. Our ability to leverage our strengths while also recognising and addressing our weaknesses enables us to produce the work that we do. We’d say our biggest strength is being able to play on this and hold enough space to hear each other out through each phase of the project.

Our weakness as a duo would probably be taking on too much at once. As to be expected with creatives, we have hyperactive brains that are always multitasking and going a mile a minute. Recently, we’ve been learning to slow down and focus on one task at a time.

Our biggest strength is being able to hear each other out through a project.

PT When working on projects, how do you typically balance the workload?

POP Collaboration is at the heart of POP. We both thrive on bouncing ideas off of each other and working together to create something special. 

Naomi typically handles the project management, strategy and pitching; we come together to conceptualise and Lucy handles implementing feedback, finished art and roll out. However, there are moments where one or the other will take the lead.

We don’t have defined roles, but instead, we play off of each other’s strengths and take the lead when it feels right. We’re fortunate to have a broad range of skills between us, so we’re able to work on everything and anything.

We also believe that in larger studio settings, it’s easy for people to feel neglected and that their skills aren’t being recognised. That’s why we’re grateful for our collaborative approach, where we can both shine and create great work together. This approach keeps things exciting and satisfying for us both.

PT What is your work setup like? Do you mostly work in-studio together or remotely?

POP We currently have a studio space on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy in Naarm/Melbourne. We’re so grateful to have a space in such a central location. We’re next to lots of cafes, bars, restaurants, pilates studio and even the Carlton Gardens. We work in the studio every day except a work-from-home day here and there.

There was a point recently when Naomi worked in London and Lucy in Naarm/Melbourne, so we collaborated remotely. This was great for productivity because it allowed us to have what we called a ‘24-hour’ workflow. However, we ultimately find being in the studio and being together is the best for workflow and idea generation.

PT Do you have a daily schedule that you stick to?

POP At the moment we’ve been enjoying a 9am – 3pm (sometimes 4pm) schedule as we’ve discovered those are our most productive hours. We get a lot of work done in the morning and then get our afternoons free, which makes for a great work-life balance. Our typical day starts with coffee and some administrative work, followed by a team meeting to go over the day ahead. From there, we’ll either work together or separately to tackle our tasks for the day. On Fridays, we like to unwind, celebrate the week and welcome the weekend with some studio drinks. It’s all about finding a balance that works for us and our clients.

PT How much time do you normally dedicate to experimentation and play, either within or outside of client work?

POP We love to play and experiment in both our client work and personal lives. As the namesake of our studio suggests, we believe in injecting playfulness and creativity into everything we do. It’s a fundamental part of our design process, and we dedicate a lot of time to it. In a world of ubiquitous design, it’s important to push the boundaries and try new things. It’s through experimentation that we’re able to create something truly unique and exciting. So, we make sure to set aside plenty of time for experimentation and play, both within and outside of our client work.

PT As a female-founded studio, how would you encourage more women to launch their own practices?

POP Starting a new venture can be overwhelming, especially for womxn who are aspiring to launch their own studio. We know how challenging it can be to take the first step, but every successful studio started with a small step. Don’t let the fear of the unknown hold you back and keep moving forward.

We also understand the importance of having a support system. When we started our studio, we were fortunate enough to have the encouragement of our peers and mentors who provided us with valuable insights. If you don’t have access to such resources, don’t worry! You can still find a community online that can offer you the support and guidance you need to launch your studio.

In today’s digital world, social media can be a powerful tool to showcase your work and gain recognition. You can start by sharing your designs and ideas online, and gradually build a following that can help you reach your goals.

We truly believe that every womxn has the potential to launch her own successful studio. Remember, it’s the small steps that count, and with hard work, dedication, and support, you can do it too!

PT Is there anything that you would change about the industry?

POP Hmm, we would definitely change a few things. We talk about this a lot with our industry peers – one major area for improvement is the need for standardisation in rates and compensation for designers. While it’s great to have the flexibility to charge what your skills are worth, the lack of consistency in rates can make it difficult for designers to earn fair compensation for their work. This can also result in an unfair advantage for freelancers who charge very low rates, which ultimately impacts the entire industry.

In addition to this, there is a need for greater diversity and inclusion within the graphic design industry. By encouraging this, the industry can become more reflective of the communities it serves and create designs that are more relevant and meaningful to a wider range of people.

PT Have you got any upcoming plans to change or grow the studio?

POP We just want to continue on this upward trajectory. We’ve been able to work with some amazing people and organisations over the last six and would love to expand even further and continue our growth. Having another helping hand down the track would be fab.

PT Are there any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

POP Absolutely! We’re currently working on several exciting projects that we can’t wait to share. We’re currently in the process of re-branding a local sneaker store that stocks exclusive kicks for women.

We’re also excited to be hosting the second instalment of our panel discussion ’Breaking The Pixel Ceiling,’ during Melbourne Design Week in May 2024. The event will feature a discussion with some incredibly talented female creatives in Naarm/Melbourne. We’re excited to share insights and engage in a meaningful conversation about the industry.

We also have a few other branding projects in the works, but unfortunately, we can’t share more details just yet. What we can say is that we’re pouring all of our creative energy into these and can’t wait to see how they turn out.

Play On Play