Ideas, insights, and opinions
12 items
12 items
Who gets to break into design, and who gets left out? Koto’s new project Seasoned lowers barriers with a step-by-step recipe for making branding knowledge accessible and inclusive.

Breaking into design should not depend on insider connections or luck. For many emerging creatives, whether students, self-taught designers, or career switchers, that first step into the industry can feel closed off. Seasoned is Koto’s answer: a practical set of digital “recipe books” designed to demystify branding and lower the barriers to entry.
Born out of lockdown conversations about diversity and representation, Seasoned translates Koto’s real-world process into accessible guides. The first two books, Start with Strategy and The Power of Good Ideas, break down how to define a problem and build a strong idea. Two more, Making Your Ideas a Reality and Delivering the Goods, cover execution, cohesion, and launch. Each one is simple, practical, and rooted in how brands actually get built.
What makes Seasoned different is the philosophy: curiosity over perfection, sharing over gatekeeping, access over exclusivity. Designed with custom type, motion, and interactive storytelling, the experience is both a teaching tool and a creative showcase.
The response has been clear. From students to clients, people are finding real value in seeing the process laid bare. By stripping branding down to the essentials, Seasoned offers a playbook that makes the creative industry feel more open and achievable. Read more in our interview with The Brand Identity.
Los Angeles