This weekend, America's Superbowl LX reminded the world of something that applies far beyond football: greatness happens when we choose to be unmistakably, unequivocally ourselves.
Whether it's in branding or in life, there's always pressure to smooth off the edges. Make it safer. Make it broader. Make it more like what's already working. Safe is tempting, right?
But when everything blends in, the world becomes flat. A sea of sameness where nothing resonates. On Sunday I saw an incredible performance by Bad Bunny centering his Puerto Rican culture on the national stage. I saw the Seattle Seahawks' logomark inspired by a Kwakwaka'wakw transformation eagle mask, a clear nod to the Pacific Northwest. Both of these things had one key ingredient: a unique point of view at the forefront. They stand out because they were rooted in something original. And that's the lesson.
The most compelling brands lean into their roots, culture, and values, in order to build an identity that could not belong to anyone else. That means courageously embracing who you really are. Originality will carry a brand further than imitation ever could.
From musicians, to artists, to brands, and more, everyone has a version of their unique voice waiting to be heard. The question is not about how to fit in, but how to stand out.
Who are you really?
What would it look like if you expressed that originality to the fullest?
Stay inspired,
Natalie Kent, Creative Director
LINK ROUNDUP
1. Sculpting Harmony
An scrolling interactive website tells the story behind one of Los Angeles' most famous buildings: the Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank Gehry.
2. Constraint.Systems
Designer and engineer Grant Custer brings you "36 alternative interfaces for creating and editing images and text." Go make something weird.
3. The Mask That Inspired the Seahawks Logo
The Seahawks logo depicts a Kwakwaka'wakw transformation mask of an eagle, drawing inspiration from the Northwest Coast art seen throughout the region.
4. Marty Supreme Identity
Marty Supreme is the highest grossing A24 film and the agency behind the identity, production design, and original soundtrack share some documentation.
CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT
If you're of a certain age, you may remember a very different Internet: illegally downloading Avril Lavigne midi clips for your MySpace page, sparkles that followed your cursor around. Remember StumbleUpon? But as social media platforms grew, profiles were standardized and algorithms took over. Enter doomscrolling and screen time addiction. Now, some creatives are pushing back. Elliott Cost and Kristoffer Tjalve's Internet Phone Book encourages "a diverse, public and experimental internet," reminding us that the internet is something we make—and can remake differently. Similarly, Chia Amisola's "Poetic Web" envisions "a web that is more handmade, expressive, and intimate; where site-making is a political, personal, and poetic act."
