Minami Sano, Representative and Art Director of SMDO (Sano Minami Design Office)

Using analysis cultivated in science, we can create creativity in any color.

Representative and Art Director of SMDO (Sano Minami Design Office)　Minami Sano(Minami Sano)

■ Profile
Born in 1983.
Graduated from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science. Dropped out of the graduate school.
In April 2010, he became independent and established Sano Minami Design Office (SMDO).
He was featured in the 2023 and 2024 editions of "MdN Designers File" as one of the top creators active on the front lines.
We handle a wide range of services, including VI development, graphic design, photography, web design, illustration, and package design.

Minami Sano has an unusual career path, having advanced to graduate school at Tokyo University of Science but then dropping out. She then transitioned into a completely different field from research, becoming an art director. Her strength is her logical direction, which has earned her the trust of many well-known companies. We asked her about the background to her decision to make the big switch from a research position to a creative path, and the secret to her subsequent success.

In high school, I was interested in painting rather than design, so I was the head of the art club. I worked hard, but I didn't feel like it was hard work, winning numerous awards for my pencil drawings. I then went on to Tokyo University of Science. Although my studies were challenging, I gained a variety of experiences, including a part-time job as a bartender in Harajuku and photography as a hobby. While I wanted to pursue a career as a photographer, I went on to graduate school with the goal of pursuing a research career. My research subject, inorganic chemistry, involves investigating the unknown. Since there are no clear answers, it requires both intuition and luck. Unlike creative work, which involves hard work but no hard work, I continued to experience unrewarded efforts. During my first year of graduate school, I realized that I wasn't suited to a research career. My parents were strongly opposed, but I made the decision to pursue a new creative career.

■Art Director as SMDO

An art director is involved in all creative aspects, so to speak, they are the artistic director. They listen to the client's requests for graphic design, package design, etc., organize them, make proposals, and then give specific direction to the designers to give shape to the visuals.
In addition to posters and CD jacket photos, he also works on spatial design, key visuals for television programs, and website design. He also occasionally takes photographs himself. Currently, about 80% of his requests are for beauty and sweets-related projects. Sometimes he also undertakes comprehensive visual branding in response to an order to "create a single brand."
My strength is that I am an analytical and verification-oriented director, partly because I have a science background.
Currently, SMDO employs approximately 20 people, but I am the only art director. We operate entirely online, recording videos of me speaking at a computer and sending them to staff. The videos can be reviewed multiple times, eliminating the need for staff to ask the same questions and eliminating the need to worry about "I said it, I didn't say it" disputes. By not coming into the office, I'm not impacted by interpersonal relationships and can evaluate work solely on the results. I often handle as many as 20 projects, which is a massive amount of multitasking. I believe this system allows me to focus on my tasks without unnecessary distractions, which is key to my success. I'm extremely satisfied with my current work style, as I can work in the environment I choose, dress how I like, and when I like.

■Supporting clients with overwhelming volume and analysis

There are some artistic art directors who want to "put their own stamp on it," but in my case, I am most conscious of fulfilling the client's wishes. The SMDO logo on my website changes color depending on the project, which means that it "takes on the client's colors."
Analysis is essential to truly embodying the client's style. We listen to what the client is looking for and provide reference images and various examples. When presenting a design, we typically present around 3-5 proposals, but with the client's permission, we may present around 100 proposals. This is also to present the possibilities possible within limited conditions and explore the creative ideas the client is truly seeking. Companies holding competitive competitions in particular have the goal of wanting to consider many proposals, so we put all our effort into submitting many proposals. Unlike companies that solicit many proposals from multiple companies, we can do it all as a single company, which is another selling point for us.
To come up with lots of ideas, I gather information, verify it, and think about what to combine. I'm always thinking about design; I'm even thinking about something while I'm sleeping, and I write it down as soon as I wake up.

■ Add color to your life with design

I feel that the best part of this job is seeing the things I design reach the hands of customers. When I designed packaging for baked goods with a cherry blossom motif for one project, it was during the COVID-19 season when the mood around the world was gloomy, so I made the packaging look like it was looking up at cherry blossoms. In the age of COVID-19, people tend to feel negative and look down, so I wanted to convey the message that we should look up and keep doing our best.
I received a direct message on social media from someone who purchased this product, saying, "I have a newborn baby and couldn't even go cherry blossom viewing because of COVID. But with this packaging, I was able to let my baby enjoy cherry blossom viewing for the first time. Thank you for making this packaging." It made me so happy to know that someone, somewhere, had been made happy through my design.

■Message to university students

You only live once. If you're in your twenties, I believe you can still go in a completely different direction. I myself went to graduate school but dropped out. At the time, my parents disowned me, and I decided to pursue a career in creativity. However, going in a completely different direction requires a tremendous amount of effort. When I first started out on my own, I spent about three years filling a thermos with iced coffee and working tirelessly, even sacrificing sleep. But I never thought of that lifestyle as painful. I believe it was effort, not hardship. Even if something is difficult, if you can think of it as "fun" rather than "painful," I believe it's a genre that will help you develop your skills. It's okay if you're worried or unsure about your aptitude. I want to tell everyone that if you put your mind to it, you can change your life.

Student Newspaper Online September 3, 2024 Interview by Yuka Matsuzaka, 3rd year student at Keio University

Sophia University third year student Minami Yoshikawa / Keio University third year student Yusaka Matsuzaka / Kyoto University of the Arts first year student Reina Inomoto / Toyo University third year student Chisaki Hashimoto / Bunka Fashion College second year student Momo Hashiba