Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin kick off the new year by reflecting on 2025 before looking ahead to 2026. They share their thoughts on design trends for 2026, framed less as visual styles and more as shifts in behavior and mindset. They also react to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what it suggests about the current cultural mood.

AI enters the discussion, as it has become part of nearly every conversation about the creative industry. Theresa and Mike talk about AI as one piece of a much bigger picture—how it’s influencing tools, workflows, and expectations without defining the entire creative process.

The episode wraps with a practical perspective on skill building for the year ahead and a look forward at what’s coming next for CreativePro, including the 2026 content direction they’re excited about.

This episode offers a grounded reset for the new year—reflective, forward-looking, and focused on helping creative professionals move into 2026 with intention and confidence.

Episode Highlights

• Theresa and Mike reflect on what stood out in 2025 and what they were proud of accomplishing.
• They discuss design trends for 2026 and why those trends are not about colors or type.
• Hear their reactions to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what that choice suggests about the current cultural moment.
• Follow how AI enters the conversation naturally, as part of ongoing discussions about design tools, workflows, and expectations.
• Hear how talking about AI leads to a broader conversation about fundamentals, judgment, and experience.
• Get a preview of what’s coming next for CreativePro, including what Theresa and Mike are excited to share in 2026.

Episode Resources

• CreativePro Events
• Design Trends for 2026 – Adobe Blog
• Pantone Color of the Year 2026
• Color and Culture by Nicte Cuevas
• Rebranding CreativePro – article by Nicte Cuevas
• Before&After – articles by John McWade
• How to Keep AI-Generated Presentations Fully Editable – tutorial by Camille Holden
• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code: PODCAST
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code: PODCAST

Theresa Jackson kicks off this episode of the CreativePro Podcast by digging into one of the most common frustrations for creative teams: review and approval chaos. She’s joined by Mike McHugh from PageProof. Listeners are invited to learn alongside Theresa as she asks the questions many teams wrestle with every day. Together, they unpack why creative reviews break down, why email and ad-hoc tools fail at scale, and how centralized proofing changes the way designers, marketers, legal teams, and executives work together. They also explore accountability, reporting, and the human side of approvals, including why people—not tools—are usually the biggest bottleneck. The conversation closes with a look at how AI is beginning to support review and compliance, and why clear processes matter more than ever as creative work scales.

Episode Highlights

• Hear Theresa slowly realize this is way more than a proofing tool—and why her workflow brain kicks into overdrive.
• Listen as Mike calls out email as the quiet culprit behind most approval chaos.
• Catch the moment when replacing copy without breaking styles feels almost too good to be true.
• Feel seen as Theresa and Mike put words to what you already know: people, not tools, are where things usually get stuck.
• Hear how visibility and accountability change reviewer behavior once everyone’s progress is out in the open.
• Listen as the conversation turns to AI, content credentials, and spotting what changed—and what shouldn’t have.

Episode Resources

• PageProof – website
• PageProof Adobe Add-on – learn more
• Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) – website
• ​​CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code: PODCAST
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code: PODCAST