Is Canva killing creativity? (Spoiler: not if you use it right)

When you’ve been a graphic designer for as long as I have - 16 years and counting - you see a lot of design trends come and go. But few have stirred up quite as much debate as Canva.

Depending on who you ask, Canva is either the best thing to ever happen to design, or the worst. I get it. As someone who has been Adobe Creative Suite for years, I know there’s nothing quite like the precision and power of Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign.

But here’s the thing: I also love Canva. And I’m not ashamed to say it. Used properly, Canva can be an incredible tool - not just for "non-designers," but for professionals too. It’s opened up creativity to a wider audience, made good design more accessible, and, when done right, it can actually strengthen a brand rather than dilute it.

The problem isn’t Canva. The problem is bad design.

In this blog, I’m breaking down why Canva gets a bad rap, why we’re big fans here at olio, and how you can make it work for you - without sacrificing creativity, consistency, or quality.

The good, the bad, and the ugly of Canva

First, let’s get something straight: Canva didn’t kill creativity. It just handed the tools to a lot more people — and like any tool, what matters is how you use it.

When used well, Canva makes good design faster, easier, and more accessible.

When used badly, you get... well, we’ve all seen the posters.

The truth is, good design has never just been about the software. It’s about ideas. Storytelling. Making sure every element — every colour, word, and layout choice — is working hard to connect with your audience. No app can do that thinking for you.

Why we love Canva (when it's done right)

At olio creative, we use Canva all the time — and we’re proud of it. Here’s why we’re such big fans:

1. It empowers our clients

We believe good branding shouldn’t live in a locked file where only designers can reach it. Canva lets us equip our clients with practical tools: like editable templates for social media, presentations, posters — you name it. No more panicked emails asking, "Can you just tweak this date for us?" — clients can confidently do it themselves, while staying beautifully on brand.

2. It's brilliant for collaboration

Whether we’re brainstorming ideas internally or working with clients, Canva makes it ridiculously easy to jump into a design together. Live editing, commenting, version control — it’s collaboration made simple (and fun).

3. It's a dream for social media

Social media moves fast. Canva’s flexibility means we can create graphics, videos, animations, and story templates quickly — while still keeping everything aligned to brand guidelines. Plus, the resize tool is a lifesaver when you need to tweak a graphic across different platforms.

4. It makes presentations actually look good

No offence to PowerPoint, but... sometimes you just want something a little less "corporate 2008." Canva’s presentation templates, animations, and easy customisation mean we can create decks that look polished, professional, and actually fun to sit through.

5. It keeps getting better

Canva isn’t standing still. New features like Magic Resize, AI photo editing, video editing, and brand hubs are making it more powerful all the time. And we’re here for it.

How to make Canva work for you, not against you

If you want Canva to enhance your brand (not weaken it), a little bit of upfront effort goes a long way. Here’s what we recommend:

1. Build a strong brand kit

Start by setting up your brand colours, fonts, and logos properly in Canva’s Brand Hub. This means every piece of content — whether it’s a social post, flyer, or presentation — will look consistent and recognisably "you." No rogue fonts or random shades of blue sneaking in.

2. Use templates wisely

Canva templates are a brilliant starting point — but they’re not the finish line. Always tweak them to match your brand. Swap out colours, update fonts, adjust layouts. That’s how you make designs feel custom, not cookie-cutter.

3. Keep good design principles in mind

Even with the best templates in the world, you still need the basics: hierarchy, alignment, balance, white space. (Trust us, these aren’t just things designers say to sound fancy — they really do make a difference.)

4. Work with a designer to set you up for success

One of our favourite things to do is create bespoke Canva templates for clients — so they have beautiful, ready-to-use designs that are easy to update. It’s the best of both worlds: professional design, plus the freedom to make changes whenever you need.

Final thought: It's not Canva vs Designers

At the end of the day, Canva isn’t replacing good designers. It’s just giving more people the tools to create — and that’s something worth celebrating. When you pair good design thinking with smart tools like Canva, you can build brands that are consistent, impactful, and adaptable.

That’s exactly what we help our clients do — and it’s why we’re proud to use both Canva and the full Adobe Creative Suite, depending on what’s needed.

Because great design? It’s never just about the tool. It’s about the hands - and the heart - that use it.

We’re here to help

Need help setting up Canva templates that actually look and feel like your brand? Or maybe you’re ready for a full brand refresh? Get in touch - we’d love to help.