Take five with POV Budapest: Base Design on culture-driven branding

With studios spanning Brussels, New York, Geneva and Melbourne, Base Design has spent over three decades perfecting an approach to branding that treats each client as a unique culture worth understanding. But rather than building carbon-copy agencies across cities, they’ve cultivated a network of autonomous studios under a common mission. As the studio prepares for POV Budapest – with Associate Creative Director Ross Gendels speaking and Editorial Director Julie Tentler hosting – both reflect on how Base navigates an industry in constant flux, from AI integration to economic uncertainty. For Gendels, branding exists in the fascinating space between fiction and reality, while Tentler ensures Base’s voice remains consistent while celebrating each location’s distinct culture. TBI: Hey Julie and Ross! Are you feeling ready for POV Budapest? JT: Yes! We’re really excited, and grateful for the chance to play such a big role this year as both headliners and hosts. We followed the conference from afar last year and knew we wanted to be part of it, so it feels especially meaningful to step into it this time around.