The Creatives Note: A 2024 Recap
While 2024 was a tough year for the media industry globally, it proved pivotal for The Creatives Note. Thank you to everyone who supported The Creatives Note all through 2024
Compliment of the season! I believe it’s not too late to say Happy New Year. I hope you enjoyed your holiday! I want to believe that most people who closed for the year are already back at work. And for those who didn’t take a proper break because you had to work through the holiday, I hope you made time to have fun despite working.
Personally, I took some time off to travel to see my family. I visited some friends I had not seen in a year and also met up with some friends for the first time. I didn’t want the break to end because I enjoyed every bit of it. It was nice to laugh, smile, and dine with loved ones. I feel refreshed and energised to go again.
As we begin this new year (2025), I want to thank you—our subscribers and readers—for your support. I want to thank you for being a part of The Creatives Note and sticking with us this past year. A very big thank you to everyone who read and shared our stories. And a special thank you to everyone who shared their stories with us.
Before we begin 2025 and start sharing some of the amazing stories and things we have in store for you, I want to look back at some of the highlights from 2024. While 2024 was a tough year for the media industry globally, it proved pivotal for The Creatives Note.
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2024 Highlights
At the beginning of 2024, I wrote, “Personally, I am looking forward to reporting more impactful stories and opportunities, curating important conversations, spotlighting platforms, products, and businesses solving problems in the African creative space, and covering more events for creatives—in art, design, and film.”
I am happy to share that, with the support of you—our readers, we were able to curate, document and tell important stories throughout the year. For example, our reporting on Google Fonts’ type project in Africa has proved definitive. One of the highlights from covering the Google Fonts projects last year was the official Google Fonts account on LinkedIn sharing one of our stories and other platforms picking up some of our stories.
Read Also: Google Fonts adds Ga Maamli, a font inspired by handwritten posters found in Accra, to its catalogue
Another highlight from 2024 was the launch of TCN Monthly Recap in January. With TCN Monthly Recap, we recapped all the exciting stories—news, events, opportunities, resources, insights, opinions and conversations—we published each month, and also shared and recommended other interesting reads and stories you should check out.
Another highlight from 2024 was The Creatives Note turning 2. Considering how The Creatives Note has evolved and the challenges the publication has faced, it was heartwarming to make it past the second-year mark. You can read about it all in this note I shared.
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One other important thing to highlight is how much The Creatives Note grew in 2024. While we published almost the same number of stories in 2024 (117) as we did in 2023 (107), we saw the page views more than doubled and saw a 250% increase in visitors, crossing an important milestone of 10,000 visitors. Our social media channels—IG, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn—also saw a 100%+ increase. We saw a 250% increase in subscriber growth as well.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible by liking, reposting, and interacting with our posts on social media. Thank you to those of you who took out time to like, comment, share, and provide feedback on our stories as well.
Special appreciation to those who always recommend The Creatives Note to friends and share on social media. A big shout out to the Substack pages that recommended The Creatives Note here on Substack. I do not take it for granted. Thank you!
Read Also: 5 African Film Festivals you should know
Top 15 Stories in 2024
In 2024, we published over 100 stories ranging from exclusive interviews and special features to news reporting, creative opportunities and events. Here are the top 15 stories that resonated most with you—our readers.
“It's a dream come true” — Zimbabwean visual communicator and type designer, Taurai Valerie Mtake, on working with Google Fonts to create the Madimi One typeface.
Google Fonts adds 2 typefaces—created by a Nigerian and a Zimbabwean designer—to its catalogue.
Chisaokwu Joboson talks working with Google Fonts on the Ojuju typeface, the public reaction to its launch, and his mission to create more type support for African languages
Seyi Olusanya on getting into type design, founding Afrotype, and collaborating with Google Fonts
Inside Creative Nestlings’ evolution: From a community to an African creative network and startup building for African creatives & entrepreneurs
Tunji Ogunoye: On finding design, leaving physiotherapy for design, paying attention to details, and the impact of teaching design and building a community on his career — #021
Liz Ogunoye: On how curiosity led her to design, finding a community of diligent people, and her mission to tell stories for the next generation
How Album Cover Bank is archiving, documenting, and preserving Nigerian album cover designs from 1950 to date
The Torsche wants to redefine the narrative around design in Africa
Bolutife Awakan: On finding design, constantly learning and investing in herself, and the role of strategy in design
TCN Monthly Recap: March 2024 Edition
The Creatives Note is 2: Two years of documenting and telling important stories
Nonso Eagle: On being a creative director, leading the creative team at PiggyTech, and how he approaches design
The Next Batch: Rowland Olamide on the inspiration behind Batch's first community project and collaborating with Tendril
Osun State gets a new logo; winner of the logo competition emerges
Special mention to some of my personal favourite stories: the piece on the AFCON 2023 Identity, the story on Collaboration gone wrong and design and copyright, the ongoing coverage of Google Fonts’ type project in Africa, the coverage of the Osun State logo brouhaha, and the Seyi Olusanya story on closing Dá Design Studio.
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Looking Forward
Going into 2025, the mission to curate, document and tell stories of creativity (art, design, and film) in Africa remains the same.
Same as last year, I am looking forward to reporting more impactful stories and opportunities, curating important conversations, spotlighting platforms, products, and businesses solving problems in the African creative space, and covering more events for creatives—in art, design, and film.
Also, this year, I will be writing and sharing my opinion regularly on topics relating to design, creativity and issues affecting the ecosystem at large.
Read Also: 10 African digital products and platforms you should know and use as a creative/creator
In 2025, I look forward to growing The Creatives Note, deepening the relationship with you—our readers and subscribers, building a sustainable revenue stream for the publication and expanding the team. And I look forward to your continued support.
If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, writing a column, or getting featured on The Creatives Note, feel free to reach out via thecreativesnote[at]gmail[dot]com. Also, feel free to send stories, tips, press releases, and product announcements via our email.
All general and business inquiries should also be sent to thecreativesnote[at]gmail[dot]com.
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