Hot@Dot: Pocketknife Energy

Hot@Dot is a blog series where the Red Dot team explores what’s catching our attention—and why it matters. From emerging tools to standout ideas, we connect inspiration with real-world impact. In a crowded comms landscape, these are the sparks that lead to smarter strategies, stronger brands, and better business decisions.

By Tony Lieb, Creative Director

Function.

Could be the dad in me. Could be that I’m creeping up on the age where arch support is a personality trait. But more and more, I seem to be more inspired by how real stuff works these days. I dig it when I see how someone’s moment of insight made something do its job better.

Somebody looked at a jacket and thought, “You know what this needs? Pockets.” And boom—the shacket was born. (I wear one almost every day.)

It’s the same story with pocket knives. Somebody wanted to carry a knife without looking like Crocodile Dundee, and now we’re casually flipping open blades at birthday parties. There’s just something about the quiet confidence of being the person who pulls out a pocketknife like, “Yeah, I got you.” It’s practical. It’s cool. It’s function with a flex.

Or that one genius who thought: Digging through my backpack is annoying, I wish I could just open it up in the middle. Yesssssss. Backpacks with belly zippers were born. (Not to mention a top zipper that makes plane rides breezy.)

That kind of insight? I love it. Not just because it’s clever, but because it’s grounded in real life. Real friction, real people, real fixes.

I think it helps to put my “how is the arch support?” dad energy to good use. I feel blessed to have worked in a creative field for over 20 years, but it can sometimes be a bit of a fashion show. And I like cool, weird stuff as much as the next person. But these functional design moments remind me to keep it honest. To say when something isn’t working. To be open to ideas that might seem off at first, but actually solve the right problem.

And that shows up in the way I work with clients, too. I know my face in meetings has the warm, approachable energy of a semi-retired MMA fighter. But that face? It means I’m thinking. I’m squinting at what we could do better.

Because that’s my job: making things do a better job.

We all love a clever headline or beautiful brand video. But if it doesn’t help the business move forward, what are we doing?

Function doesn’t mean boring. It means thoughtful. It means taking the time to ask: Is this doing what it needs to do? And if not—what could?

That’s what good creative does. It solves for real life. 

Bonus points if it has pockets.