Kevin Finn
"There is wisdom in learning."
Kevin Finn is an author, advisor and internationally recognised designer. He began his career in Dublin with Averill Brophy Associates (now called Amp Visual), the studio that has designed all of U2’s album covers. Following this, for seven years he was Joint Creative Director of Saatchi Design, Sydney, part of the Saatchi & Saatchi global network.
In 2007, he launched his independent design practice TheSumOf in remote Kununurra, Western Australia, working with local and regional Aboriginal businesses, while also redesigning the identity for SBS—the world’s most multicultural broadcaster.
Currently based in Brisbane, he has since designed the identity and visual language for Edward de Bono’s life’s work and continues to help some of the world’s leading thinkers and businesses to be better understood. For over fifteen years, he actively explored the intersection of design with social, cultural, political and economic issues through his independent publication Open Manifesto.
In 2022, Open Manifesto: An Anthology was published by Formist Editions featuring a selection of contributions from the 15-year project. Later that year, Finn published Brand Principles: How to be a 21st Century Brand through Booktopia The title was a finalist in the Communications and Sales category at the 2023 Australian Business Book Awards.
He was also the inaugural TEDxBrisbane speaker and has spoken extensively around the world, often being called on to host events and panel discussions. Finn lives and works on Turrbul and Jagera Country, and acknowledges Australia’s First Peoples as the original knowledge holders of this Country, paying respect to Elders, both past and present.
Visit Kevin's website at thesumof.com.au
What subjects and genres does Kevin Finn write about?
Finn writes about design, branding and visual identity, and the intersection of design with social, cultural, political and economic issues. His work mixes practical brand guidance with essays and design criticism.
Which of his books should I start with?
For practical guidance on branding start with Brand Principles: How to be a 21st Century Brand (2022). For a broader collection of essays and perspectives on design read Open Manifesto: An Anthology (Formist Editions, 2022).
Are his books part of a series or are they standalone?
They are standalone works. You can read them in any order based on whether you want practical branding advice or a wider anthology of design ideas.
What themes commonly appear across his books?
Recurring themes include brand strategy, identity and visual language, how design shapes public understanding, and the role of design in social and economic contexts.
Has Kevin Finn received recognition for his writing?
Yes. Brand Principles was a finalist in the Communications and Sales category at the 2023 Australian Business Book Awards.