Strands of Genius: The Value of Less Growth, The Value of Less Truth, The Value of Less Reality
Guest curated by Maximilian Weigl
This year we’re aiming to highlight 50 creative thinkers that have inspired us, by giving them the opportunity to guest curate this newsletter, Strands of Genius. Max works at 72andSunny and met Rosie and Faris through a mutual friend and colleague in Amsterdam.
:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, MAXIMILIAN WEIGL ::
LOCATION: Amsterdam
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: 72andSunny
I do strategy at 72andSunny Amsterdam where I help build brand behaviours that outlast campaigns.
When I’m not showing organisations how brand strategy can unlock value for their businesses beyond campaign objectives, I’m braving the gruesome Dutch headwinds on my race bike.
After following and reading their musings on the internet for a while, I met Rosie and Faris in the reception of 72andSunny Amsterdam. They were having drinks with Elena, a friend and former colleague who thought you all would enjoy a newsletter curated by me. (Let me know if she was right.)
Today’s guest curation is mostly about finding value in less obvious places.
Editor’s Note: Some especially great links and thoughts shared in today’s edition from Max, spurred originally from a friendly beer and seeeester Elena. Serendipity abound in the creative world, and we’re thankful for the chance encounter that connected us to him, and him to you, and we’re hopeful that we can all play bananagrams together one day.
:: THE LINKS ::
THE VALUE OF LESS GROWTH
Occasionally you read an article that makes you wish you had the time, the rigor, and the wits to write it. "An Evolution of Weeds and Trees" is one of those. Ever since reading Raworth's Doughnut Economics, I was wondering how the marketing and communication industry can add value to the doughnut shaped world she's sketched out: an economy (and society) that is thriving in a zone between the minimum requirements for a humane existence and the natural maximal capacity of our planet. How can our industry help increase (or decrease) demand for the brands and organisations that (don’t) get it? How do we incentivise and measure the contribution of our own industry? Omar El-Gammal’s article has made good leeway towards an answer – and planted a seed. (IPA)
THE VALUE OF LESS TRUTH
Conspiracy theories have an odd charm. I was often quick in doing them off as entertaining nonsense. However, with more and more conspiracy theories flooding the web and self-proclaimed theorists flooding the streets (often not wearing face masks), it’s worth diving deeper into the minds of those who conceive, merge, and spread them. The astonishing amount of creativity that goes into connecting dots that were never meant to be connected is worth exploring. This series of articles in The Atlantic is a good starting point, shining a light on some of the underlying motivations and reasons that birth some of the most absurd, creative, ridiculous conspiracies. Conspiracy theories might be utter nonsense, but they point to an underlying issue in our societies, culture, and economic and political system that is worth being mindful of. If they do one thing, conspiracy theories remind us that there is always multiple perspectives onto the same topic and that it (sometimes) doesn’t hurt to question what we’re served as fact. (The Atlantic)
THE VALUE OF LESS REALITY
Loads of stuff has been written about the lockdown and the impact it has on all aspects of our lives. Much of it is highly speculative and probably wrong. Some things, though, are well-researched and actually interesting. My colleague Charlotte wrote a great piece about virtual communities: a thorough, optimistic, and uplifting perspective onto the power of the seemingly unreal. It’s that kind of article you can share with those kind of people who always tell you that virtual worlds can never replace the real thing. At a time when Travis Scott can reach 12.3 million Fortnite players with a ten-minute live performance, it should be obvious that virtual realities can offer very tangible value to abstract constructs like friendship, relationships, ideas – or brands. (Little Black Book)
Looking for more from Maximilian Weigl? Those enrolled in The School of Stolen Genius will receive a deep dive from him in their inbox shortly! You can access all our expert interviews for SOSG here.
:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::
:: Game :: Bananagrams
:: City :: Amsterdam, Hamburg, Montreal – because they changed how I move through this world
:: Book :: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
:: Album :: "Revolver" – The Beatles
:: MAX WEIGL x MAXIMO PARK ::
"In the gaps between words are the things that really intrigue me.”
Maximo Park – Girls Who Play Guitar
Maximilian Weigl
maximilian.weigl@gmail.com
twitter | website
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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.
Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. Our Director of Operations is nomadic like us, our accounting team is based out of Washington, our company is registered in Tennessee, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.
Hit reply and let’s talk about how we might be able to work together :)