BIG QUESTIONS
Would you wear your brand’s logo on your shirt?
Sure YOU (probably) would. You probably do. But would your audience wear your branded swag? The “t-shirt test” is interesting because it makes you contemplate what your brand’s meaning truly is and what kind of identity it conveys. If you’re able to sense that objectively, this test reveals the likelihood that your audience identifies with your brand and the degree to which your brand represents some part of who they are. Because, for many people today, consumption (even B2B consumption) is a form of self-expression. It’s not about brand loyalty so much as it’s about identification. Think about the farmer who proudly dons a John Deere hat. That hat serves as an expression of his authenticity, his love of the dirt, his hard-working nature, his appreciation for American craftsmanship, and so on. So take a look at your logo now. Yes, right this moment. Stare at it for a minute. Does it give off any vibes? Do you think your customer would proudly wear it on their shirt? If not, why not? Think about it.
TOOL JOY
Game changer alert: ChatGPT Search
Open AI just launched real-time web “search” into ChatGPT, offering written summaries of all relevant details from around the web, tailored answers based on prior context, the ability to ask follow-up questions, and step-by-step problem solving. You can even ask to have your answers delivered in the voice of Daffy Duck (or any other public persona): “Ah-ha! So you’re looking for search results, eh? W-well, you came to the right duck…” Yes, it includes linked sources and you can pick up a handy Chrome Extension for it here.
DESIGN WE ❤️
Google’s AI journey
The current cultural and technological zeitgeist is centered around Artificial Intelligence, and Google has been at the forefront of its development since the beginning. For better or worse, AI will likely play an increasingly important role in our lives over time, so it might behoove us to get some context around how the story of artificial intelligence got started via this beautifully designed and animated timeline.
BEEP BOOP
Founder downer: If a founder stays too long at their company, the staff can become too reliant upon, and too influenced by their personalities. This can lead to stagnation and an unhealthy reciprocal dependence between founder and organization. This is called “Founder Syndrome.”
Let’s not do that: One way for marketers to exercise their creative muscle is to create a list of things that you abso-posi-lutely WOULD NOT DO (and why). This can help you explore that risky territory where the big world-changing ideas are hanging out. Hey, it’s just a list.
You’re all doomed! Just because Freddy Kruger is fictional doesn’t mean nightmares are harmless. The fear is real and that can impact your body. But there’s a way to fight back.
That’s bananas: It’s been said that, given an infinite amount of time and a typewriter, a chimpanzee could type out the complete works of Shakespeare. This has just been proven false. In fact, the chimp only has a 5% chance of typing the word “bananas” in its entire lifetime.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Introducing Assembly: Your team of agencies
Jason, Melissa, and Todd have just spun up a completely new model of agency: a partnership between five agencies that work as a team on content, media, digital product, social, and brand. We’re calling it Assembly. And it’s the perfect answer for marketers who are dealing with too many disparate agencies or don’t know whom to trust. We work under one contract, one invoice, and one point of contact. Clients we’ve talked to are pretty excited about it. If you’re curious, give Jason (Woodley) a shout at @ jason@teamassembly.co.
WORD TO THE WISE
“The best way to get the best work is to combine deep-category experts with naive, optimistic dreamers.”
— Michael Dunn, CMO
We overvalue those who’ve seen it all before. We need people who can bring wild thinking down to earth while understanding the realities of business and life. We underestimate the power of those who ask ‘stupid’ questions that unlock new possibilities, who dare to challenge assumptions, who bring the breadth from other sectors into play, who don’t know what can’t be done. These often left out individuals are catalysts for innovation and progress.
WHAT CLIENTS WANT
8 ways to get the most value from a creative agency
A good agency partner can make a big difference in your success. But there’s a role that you play that can make or break that relationship and, importantly, keep your costs down. Former Pinwheel client and Content Strategist/Writer, Marielle Leon, takes you through eight ways to squeeze maximum value out of your agency – without squeezing your agency.
ICEBREAKER
What brand logo do you wear proudly?
Nick: Not necessarily a brand, but I have over 10 t-shirts from instrumental & experimental math-rock band Polyphia after over 8 years of fan-dom. Some of them are getting a little old.
Todd: I have a 25 year old t-shirt from Blind Willies, a cozy little juke joint in Atlanta’s Virginia Highlands near where my wife and I once lived. When people recognize the club, there’s sure to be a spirited rehashing of the many $5 blues shows we had seen there.
Melissa: I am 100% anti-brand logos… except for WWOZ. The best listener supported radio station in the world! Based out of New Orleans, it is my go to for Blues, Zydeco, and Cajun music.
Sharon: I only wear plain t-shirts, but I’m always tempted to buy Nike’s city t-shirts or sweatshirts when I travel.
Laura: I don’t ever wear any logos on purpose, but half my closet is from Patagonia, so there’s a good chance if we’re Zooming, their mountain range logo will be present. Luckily, I love their business ethos as much as the gear.
Jason: I do wear some of my favorite brands proudly. Nike, Icebreaker, and Patagonia are probably my favorites. If only I could stop buying Nike Air Force 1’s, so comfy.
Sarah: I’m generally logoless, but do have a fairly robust collection of Vans, Syracuse hats, and a closet full of L.L. Bean gear—a New England’er requirement.
John: I generally avoid t-shirts with visible brands, but I have a couple that were given to me by a friend who worked at a boutique bike manufacturing company out of the North Bay called Volagi. They were pioneers in the endurance road bike category, and the first to put hydraulic disc brakes on a road bike.
FALLACIES, PARADOXES & THEORIES…OH MY
The “Bowling Alone” theory
This theory refers to the increased social isolation we have due to the internet, television, video games, COVID-19 generational changes, suburbanization, and our overscheduled lives. We just don’t DO things together anymore. Our civic engagement has fallen off a cliff, which has led to a deterioration in the trust in our democracy.
In contrast, places with robust community engagement have more successful democratic governments. And that’s because people who engage with their community build up social capital and develop more trust in, empathy for, and understanding of other people. When that happens, we get better at arguing, reasoning, and debating (working out our differences) and we get better at organizing. And when we organize, it benefits the society as a whole. So let’s go bowling…together!
