ManvsMachine was founded in 2007 when Mike Alderson met fellow designer Tim Swift — a meeting that sparked the creation of a multi-dimensional creative studio specializing in design, film, and visual arts. Since then, the London and Los Angeles-based studio has become a global reference, designing and directing award-winning projects for leading brands such as Apple, Google, Meta, Spotify, Nike, BBC, Xbox, Volvo, Lexus, Balenciaga, Maxon, Discovery, and Ogilvy.

Mike’s journey began far from the creative world — he left school at 16 to work as an apprentice welder in a glass factory in Northern England, before briefly pursuing a career as a professional cyclist. A chance encounter with graphic design changed everything. He moved to London to study and graduated with First Class Honors in Moving Image Design — a pivotal step that eventually led to the creation of one of the world’s most innovative studios.