The future is less about "brand"
Happy Friday and happy 4th of July to all those who celebrate.
Summer is in full swing, and as I scroll through my feed, I can’t help but feel a bit jaded about every new launch or activation. Everything is hyper-branded and designed to sell you something in the least discreet way possible. It’s rare for any of these brands to sell on the basis of quality or heritage - everything is engineered for “media impact value” or for short term spikes in sales that would look good in the next quarterly report.
I wouldn’t be surprised if others felt similarly, as the meaning of “brand” has lost its impact and real credibility. There is a palpable difference between storytelling manufactured as a branding exercise and storytelling that comes from an authentic and thoughtful place. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic - do you feel like you’re being oversold to?
In today’s newsletter: private equity has entered the design chat, sauna raves, we have reached peak members club, three hotels I’m excited about…
