Marketing is not evil. We live inside brands – the books we read, the clothes we wear, and the company we keep envelope us with images that shape how others interact with us. Brands are essential to how everyone experiences life.
“The usual” and “industry-standard” are not just boring. They are lazy. They are thought-less. They are less than our client deserves, and less than we deserve.
We learned the rules so we can break them. We do not care about rules; we care about doing the right thing and creating quality work.
Comfort equals danger. Change is inevitable. To be ready for change, we make the change ourselves.
Change requires research and experimentation. Assumptions keep us from exploring. We discover answers when we dig into the data.
We can find solutions for our clients only by working closely with them – so closely there is no more “us and them,” only “us.”
No one holds a monopoly on creativity. The best ideas come not from the mind of a lone genius, but from a team working in concert.
There is no ideal team. There is no ideal team member. Each person brings skills and experience and a unique viewpoint. What makes the difference is communication. When each of us trusts himself and holds nothing back, the team can shine.
Teamwork thrives on an unimpeded flow of information, and wilts where there are secrets. We each tell what we know and listen as hard as we can.
Truth is often uncomfortable. But to create an elegant solution with our client, we look harsh reality in the eye.
Fear is normal. It tells us there’s something to notice. We use fear to direct our attention to the interesting challenge.
There is no excuse for not having fun. Fun brings energy, it builds confidence, it creates connection. We seek fun to find answers.
Tight fit and finish support the message. Craftsmanship creates clarity. We drive out clutter in all our work: design, writing, thought, and action.
Acting without forethought wastes energy. Thinking too long paralyzes action. We stop and think. Then we stop thinking and do.
