With more dads stepping up to share the parenting load, the conversation around fatherhood in the creative industry is long overdue. Our Creative Director, Ali Ozden joins Katie Cadwell on the NDA podcast to talk about being a Designer Dad — how fatherhood has shaped his creativity, career and mental health, and what it means to show up fully at work and at home.

Our Creative Director Ali Ozden sat down with The Brand Identity to chat about building brands from resonant, human experiences. From creative strategy to studio culture, it’s a great insight into what drives our approach at Universal Favourite.

We’ve just picked up a Graphite Pencil at the 2025 D&AD Awards for our work on The Dinner Ladies rebrand in the ‘Writing for Design’ category! Only four Aussie studios were awarded Graphite pencils this year, and we’re thrilled to be one of them. Crafted in collaboration with Cat Wall, the project gave the team the opportunity to craft a distinctive verbal identity that channels the warmth, confidence, and quietly rebellious spirit of The Dinner Ladies' founders.

Creating The Lake of Revitalisation was a true labour of love for Sherry, our in-house designer and illustrator. The composition leans into classical Renaissance principles — symmetry, proportion, and harmony — using linear perspective to create depth and balance. Inspired by the likes of Brunelleschi and Alberti, the piece blends grand architectural forms with playful, cheeky symbolism. The floral details mix Renaissance flora with refreshing botanicals like rose, mint, lilies and narcissus, all nods to purity, beauty, and renewal.

Our Creative Director Ali Ozden shares thoughts on what’s next for beauty branding in The Business of Fashion. Speaking to a shift away from trend-led sameness. (image: BoF)

KraveBeauty has always aimed to cut through the noise of the beauty industry by creating skincare products that are educational, sustainable, and free from unnecessary over-consumption. For their latest no-BS innovation, we teamed up with KraveBeauty to design a pretty unforgettable, sustainable (and triangular!) packaging concept for their ‘Plumptious Lip Jelly’, the world’s first refillable lip oil.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce we’ve scored ourselves a Bronze Cube at the ADC Global Awards for our brand illustration series for The Dinner Ladies. Working with Jake Foreman, we drew inspiration from traditional tattoo art to craft a suite of illustrations that serve as both storytelling tools and branding assets.

We’re very proud to see this work recognised on the global stage. Huge thanks to The Dinner Ladies and our incredible collaborators for making it all possible.

BrandNew's "The Year in Review" was released at the end of 2024. This annual review is highly respected by designers and marketers worldwide, so we were thrilled to see our work featured multiple times. A big shout-out to The Dinner Ladies and the UF team!

Our meeting booth was in desperate need of some jazzing up. So we tasked in-house designer and illustrator Joy Li to give it some UF personality and she did not disappoint, delivering this incredible karaoke inspired art installation. Check out the full artwork on our socials.

We’re excited to share that we've won two Certificates of Excellence at the ISTD’s International Typographic Awards! Our work on the Future Super and The Other Art Fair projects were recognised in the Identity category. A huge thank you to our incredible clients and collaborators—we’re so fortunate to have worked together to bring these amazing projects to life!

'It's Nice That' recently celebrated our Dinner Ladies rebrand project, praising its vibrant and dynamic visual identity. The article highlights how the new design leans into its punk flair and refreshing attitude, capturing the essence of Dinner Ladies with a fresh, engaging look.

We recently had the privilege of creating the artwork for the new SBS podcast, Grand Gestures. A heartwarming listen that shares the memorable stories, traditions and folklores that are passed down through inter-generational connections. If you want to tug on those heartstrings in the best way possible, go check it out.