John Buckell
Hands-on Design Director (Digital/Motion/Print) 18+ years
Ready for work
John is ready for their next project!
What happens when a brand leaves the screen?
That's the bit of design I'm interested in.
The spaces.
The screens.
The motion.
The physical stuff.
The moments people actually remember.
I've spent the last few years working across experiential, brand, film, motion and digital turning ideas into experiences rather than just assets.
So I pulled together 51 seconds of some of the work I've been lucky enough to be involved in.
Experiential Design Director.
That's the job.
Here's the noise. 🔊
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SHiFT – Digital Transformation Platform
Role: Design Director / Product Experience Lead
SHiFT is a digital platform helping global teams rethink how they work, collaborate, and evolve. I led the product’s creative direction — shaping everything from UX architecture to design system and motion identity.
The mission was clarity through movement: intuitive transitions, purposeful animation, and a tone of voice that turned complexity into confidence.
SHiFT became more than a tool — it became a mindset for change, adopted across markets as the visual and experiential core of transformation.
👉🏽 Full Case Study (https://whatthebuckell.design/shift-how)
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SAP x Elbphilharmonie – The Smart Table
Role: Design Director / Digital Experience Lead
Partnering with SAP and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, I led the design of The Smart Table — an interactive installation transforming complex data into a tactile, musical experience.
The challenge: make technology invisible, and emotion tangible.
The result was an experience that turned information into art — connecting visitors to music, data, and architecture in one seamless interaction.
👉🏽 Full Case Study
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The Balvenie – The Makers Project
Role: Design Director / Brand Experience Lead
For The Balvenie, craft is everything. I led the digital experience for The Balvenie Story — a storytelling platform celebrating creators who embody the same dedication to process and authenticity as the whisky itself.
Through immersive visuals, motion, and editorial design, we brought their stories to life with warmth and texture, reflecting the brand’s handcrafted ethos.
The result was an intimate digital experience that felt as crafted as the stories it told — a meeting of tradition, creativity, and design craft.
👉🏽 Full Case Study (https://whatthebuckell.design/the-balvenie-story)
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