Rule29

The best ideas do more than communicate something. They give people a way to participate.

That belief is central to our work at Rule29. We help turn meaningful ideas into brands, stories, tools, and experiences that invite people in and move them to act.

Being HumanKind, created by our President and Chief Creative Officer, Justin Ahrens, is one example of that philosophy in action.

What began as a book has grown into a platform of stories, prompts, conversations, and shared experiences, all built around a simple belief: each of us has opportunities to show up for others in meaningful ways.

Most of the time, that does not require a huge gesture. It is checking in. Listening. Encouraging someone. Showing grace. Making time. Being present.

So we want to ask: Who has been Being HumanKind for you lately?

Tell us about someone who showed up for you, encouraged you, helped you, or simply made your day better. We’ll choose several participants to receive a signed copy of Being HumanKind from Justin.

Because Making Creative Matter® is not only about what we create. It is about what that creativity makes possible. https://www.behumankind.today/

Great work gets even better when the collaboration is strong.

We’ve loved partnering with the team at AANA to help shape the look and feel of their annual meeting and bring the experience to life across the event.

For us, event design is about more than making things look good. It is about creating a clear, consistent experience that helps people know where they are, what matters, and how they can engage.

That takes a strong brand, thoughtful details, and a client team willing to collaborate closely from idea through ex*****on.

We’re grateful for the trust AANA continues to place in Rule29 and for the chance to help make an important gathering feel as strong as the work happening inside it.

Planning an annual meeting, conference, or event that needs a stronger creative point of view?

Let’s connect: https://www.rule29.com/contact

🚀 Meet one of your Mission Specialists and PHXDW Spotlight Speakers: Justin Ahrens of Rule29. As Founder, President, and Chief Creative Officer of Rule29, and Chief Creative Officer of O’Neil Printing, Justin has spent more than 30 years across design, brand strategy, business, education, social impact, and creative leadership.

A longtime member and former national board member of AIGA, Justin has helped advance Design for Good and has spent much of his career exploring how design thinking can build stronger organizations and address meaningful human challenges.

At PHXDW, Justin will explore the ideas behind his newest book, Being HumanKind, through the lens of a creative life. He’ll look at ways of being — including kindness, gratitude, curiosity, courage, vulnerability, creativity, presence, and connection — and ask a simple but meaningful question: Who are we becoming while we are busy doing everything else?

Designers spend their careers practicing curiosity, empathy, experimentation, and imagination. Justin asks what might happen if we applied that same intention to ourselves and to one another. What kind of orbit are we creating around us? How do people feel after spending time in it? And what if some of our most important creative work is not simply what we make, but who we help one another become?

We’re excited to welcome Justin not only as a Spotlight Speaker but also as a sponsor supporting the creative community that brings PHXDW to life.

Welcome to our orbit, Justin. ✨

🎟️ Get your boarding passes now > https://dsh.re/5d6da

Conference: October 23–24
Online Portal: PHXDW.com

Great creative work does not start with talking. It starts with listening.

The best brands, campaigns, and experiences come from paying closer attention to customers, teams, culture, and the stories beneath the surface.

In our latest article, we look at what great podcasts can teach all of us about curiosity, conversation, and creating work that connects more deeply.

Because when you listen better, you understand better. And when you understand better, you create work that matters.

Read: The Design Of Listening: What Podcasts Teach Us About Creative Work

https://www.rule29.com/stories/the-design-of-listening

Twenty-five years later, we remember.

We remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We honor the families who continue to carry that loss, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the countless people who stepped forward to help one another.

Today, we remember their lives, their courage, and the enduring reminder of how much we need one another.

What should we be able to expect from one another when we're in need?

It's a question designer George Aye has been thinking deeply about.

George's path is anything but predictable. Born in Myanmar. Raised in England. Nearly didn't make it to college. Studied engineering. Found his way into design, IDEO, the Chicago Transit Authority, and eventually co-founded Greater Good Studio with his wife, Sara Cantor.

For 15 years, they've built a studio around a remarkably clear idea: design should serve people, not simply the person paying the bill.

Our newest Design Of conversation explores saying no, moral clarity, "Pissed-Off Optimism," Angry Hour, the Livid Conference, and George's newest work, Designing a New Social Contract.

It's a thoughtful conversation about what design can do, what it shouldn't do, and the responsibility we have to each other.

Listen to the latest episode of https://www.rule29.com/podcast/the-design-of-pissed-off-optimism-meet-george-aye

Some of the best work happens when the people across the table care as much about the outcome as you do.

It’s been great collaborating with the West-MEC team and getting a closer look at the work they’re doing to prepare students for what comes next.

We love partnerships like this. Good questions. Shared ideas. A team willing to collaborate, challenge thinking, and keep the people they serve at the center of the work.

Thanks to the West-MEC team for trusting Rule29 to be part of it.

If your organization is working on something that matters and needs a creative partner to help bring it to life, let’s talk. https://www.rule29.com/contact

Welcome to Rule29, Tatiana Pisoni.
And welcome to the O'Neil Printing Companies team.

Tatiana joins us as a Designer, bringing curiosity, strong craft, and a thoughtful approach to solving creative problems. We’re excited to have her perspective on the team and to see what she helps us create next.

There’s plenty more to know about Tatiana, but we’ll let her tell you herself.
Meet Tatiana: https://www.rule29.com/team/tatiana-pisoni

We’re glad you’re here, Tatiana!

AI is making creative production abundant.

That does not make creativity less valuable. It changes where the value lives.

The advantage is no longer simply making more, faster. It is paying closer attention. Noticing tensions others miss. Listening long enough to uncover the real problem. Staying curious before rushing toward an answer.

Technology can help us generate. But meaning still depends on human perception, empathy, and judgment.

In our latest post, we explore why attention may be the most valuable creative skill in an AI-driven world, and why protecting it matters for creators, leaders, and organizations.

The future will not only belong to those with the best tools. It will belong to those who notice.

Read “Creative Presence: Rediscovering Meaning in the Work Itself”: https://www.rule29.com/stories/creative-presence-rediscovering-meaning-in-the-work-itself

A brand should do more than look good at launch. It should keep helping an organization show up clearly wherever its mission comes to life.

A few years ago, Rule29 had the opportunity to rebrand the California Friday Night Live Partnership. Now, we are grateful to work with them again, helping promote the Leadership Training Institute Conference and apply the brand throughout the event experience.

LTI brings together youth leaders, advisors, and coordinators to learn, connect, strengthen youth-adult partnerships, and turn ideas into community action.
These young people are not simply attending a conference. They are learning how to use their voices, lead with confidence, and help build healthier communities across California.

That is why we love working with CFNLP. They make a real investment in young people. We get to help make that mission more visible, memorable, and meaningful.

A good brand should never sit still in a guide. It should grow, adapt, and help create impact.

That is Making Creative Matter®.