BIG QUESTIONS
Are you missing out on all the fun?
Know anyone who wants to have less fun? No, you don’t. Because everyone wants more of it and it’s relatively easy to conjure. So why, pray tell, is fun in such short supply? Well, that’s probably due to the routine-filled lives we live. The repetition of routine lulls us into a rhythm and we simply forget to do the unexpected. Making the effort to have fun just doesn’t occur to us. But it should. Catherine Price, author of “The Power of Fun,” spent 4+ years researching the topic. She describes fun as, “Feeling alive.” Fun is a whoopie cushion in the brain. It lights us up, gives us energy, fuels play, makes us feel connected, and helps us get into flow. All things that help you do better work. So maybe the answer is to make fun a daily habit.
For example, what if you were to start every work day by asking yourself, “How can I have more fun at work today?”
TOOL JOY
Tool Joy: Wistia’s video marketing platform
As you surely know, video consumption is way up. And while we love partnering with our clients to figure out the perfect marriage of quality and affordability, the proliferation means some clients plan to do some videos on their own. If you’re a B2B company using branded video for marketing, support, and sales, you might consider Wistia. Designed for marketers, Wistia provides all the video creation, hosting, sharing, and analytics tools you need to integrate video into your customer journey. See how long they watch, see where they lose interest, and integrate calls to action. They even have a built-in SEO solution.
DESIGN WE ❤️
Magic Eye nostalgia
If you’re Gen X, or an “elder Millennial,” you may have childhood memories of Magic Eye posters, filled with mystery and wonder. Maybe you saw them in your local mall’s New Age store or even had one on your dorm room wall. Perhaps you spent way too much time staring at the abstract illustrations, trying to cross your eyes just the right amount to reveal the 3D world hidden just beyond the surface. It felt like magic in a simpler, more optimistic time – now far in the rearview mirror. Maybe the lesson here is when the world appears to be a jumbled mess, try crossing your eyes just enough to reveal the hidden patterns and meanings encoded in the noise. Every illusion is solvable, as long as you know how to look at it.
BEEP BOOP
It’s dream-o’clock: How to take the perfect power nap
TikTok therapy overload? Mental health professionals worry about the rising trend of questionable mental health advice (and self diagnosis) taking over social feeds. Yoiks.
No wine before its time. Archeologists in Spain have unearthed a 4.5 liter urn of red wine from the first century AD. Apparently, a sherry. Salud!
We have the power! Scientists (you remember science) are hard at work creating solar freeways and concrete that stores electricity.
SPECIAL FEATURE
What makes a good brand style guide?
Think of a brand style guide like a kit of partsNo locked or flattened graphics. Some designs should be print and go (but, of course, layered) and some should be there to inspire your own. Brand style guides should be built for longevity, and to do that, you need to provide the flexibility to elevate the brand while staying true to its IP. The graphics should ooze brand DNA in everything – from editorial graphics to a simple icon.
WORD TO THE WISE
“The faster you’re moving the more you’re in fear. The more you’re in fear, the more you’re thinking about yourself. The more you’re thinking about yourself, the less compassion and kindness you have for others. The more you’re hurrying and stressing, the more you’re missing the magic.”
— Trader Joe’s Wisdom
(From Reels, courtesy Swissmiss)
WHAT CLIENTS WANT
Snapshot storytelling
Storytelling. It’s a word that suggests long formats like chapter books, three-act plays, and two-hour movies. But it’s possible to hook your audience with a powerfully involving story in an instant with a visual and/or a headline and STILL have all the classic elements of story: hero, conflict, drama, etc. We call this “Snapshot Storytelling.” Take Hemmingway’s heart wrenching six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.” Or consider these classic print ads from GT Bikes (Agency: Crispin) using the theme: “Fast. It’s corporate policy.” This approach works because it evokes emotion and involves the consumers imagination all while delivering the brand’s single minded message. Fast.
ICEBREAKER
What career advice would you give your younger self?
Todd: “Be a goldfish.” Early in my career, I beat myself up after every undesirable outcome. I thought the best way to improve was using the psychic cattle prod on myself. Turns out, I don’t need much anxiety to improve. Just absorb the lesson and move on.
Melissa: If you make a mistake – it’s OK to admit it. You’ll get more respect by being willing to say “I messed up” as long as you also say how you’re going to fix it and what you’ll do to make sure you don’t make the same mistake in the future.
John: Try to appreciate the fact that your first creative attempt will most likely be hot garbage. And that’s totally OK. Iterate, and iterate again and again and again. Then riff off those iterations till your fingers go numb and your eyes cross. The good stuff will surface with patience and perseverance, like cold, sweet well water after a gush of mud.
Laura: None of the people above you is a god. Everybody’s just making it up and learning as they go. So don’t be intimidated by age or rank. Throw yourself in the ring and do the same.
Sarah: Graduating college early was dumb. The real world can wait.
Marielle: Go to medical school. As much as I love my career as a writer, sometimes I long to really help people gain true wealth in health.
FALLACIES, PARADOXES & THEORIES…OH MY
The Hedonic Flexibility Principle
Investigated in 2016 by a team of scientists at MIT, the Hedonic Flexibility Principle holds that people who fail to inject fun into their lives experience more burnout. This leads to a negative cycle that often results in unhealthy forms of escapism to alleviate discomfort…like tequila shots and pot brownies. In contrast, those who intentionally make time for fun tend to begin their days with more energy and enthusiasm. They’re more productive, innovative, and willing to take on challenges than those who are all work and no play. Fun feeds you. So find a way to integrate more of it into your life.
