How we do what we do.
If our scars could tell stories they’d say we’ve learned the hard way the three things that matter most when designing for cultural LEVERAGE; Meaning, Values and Tensions.
You may think differently. That’s cool. See you at the finish line. Oh, by the way, what’s your drink? We’ll have it waiting for you…
Meaning
The past steers the present toward the future.
We decode what matters, looking beneath accepted convention to gain an understanding of the constructs that shape our society.
Values
Values frame our human experience, allowing us to make sense of the world.
Beliefs and behaviors, present in every culture, are a shared definition that codifies what is acceptable and attractive or not.
Tensions
We identify cultural dynamics, often in the form of tensions created when values are threatened. We leverage these opportunities to create brand experiences that generate mythology and motivate human behavior. It’s easier said than done.
The Vital View
Who matters, what matters to them, where they are and how to reach them. Kinda simple.
In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto observed that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. Then he discovered that in his own garden, 20% of the pea pods contained 80% of the peas. Pareto’s Principle, or, The Law of the Vital Few was born.
Design Targeting
Focusing is not limiting, it is liberating.
Design Targets are audiences that represent a disproportionate source of value to your endeavor. They are predisposed to love you and influence others to do the same. We intentionally design brand experiences for them.
Design Targeting yields exponentially higher returns through organization alignment, resource focus and cost avoidance. It’s the antidote to the ‘shotgun' approach.
Leveraging Culture
Brands are inherently cultural expressions. Success requires a strategy that works within culture, specifically focused on the Design Targets that create culture.
A CULTURAL BRAND STRATEGY is the connective thread between business strategy, creative expression and brand experience. It provides the permission to participate in culture. It’s a license to help others create mythology and rituals that promote self-identity, with your brand. IYKYK.
