HUMAN BY WONDERLAND #19
Discover more from Creative Currents
HUMAN BY WONDERLAND #19
A newsletter about design and creativity, and how they contribute to a better world.
Hello, Friends. Welcome to Edition #19 of HUMAN.
This week we’ve shared part one of our two-part data series about how we use data in our creative process, and why it’s important to include it. We’ve also added our usual favourites from the internet for the past few weeks, and shared our thoughts as to why creativity is critical during economic downturns. Finally, enjoy the hyper-realistic and beautiful 3D artworks of Hanna Hark.
Enjoy!
[PT:1] Our Data-Driven Approach to Creativity
We talk a lot about the use of data in our creative process, and how we can use it to the benefit of our work, and our final deliverables. While we’re still realising the full potential of data in our process, we’ve seen some early successes so far. Already we’ve been able to better understand naming conventions in specific categories and gathered key insights for logo and brand design to better validate our work, amongst other things.
Curious about the history of literally anything? Histography has you covered.
Ford’s new electric pickup can power your home for up to 10 days in a blackout.
Proton is taking a shot at Google, without taking your data in the process.
Danone x LanzaTech have broken ground for lower-carbon plastic production.
Palau is rewarding conscious travellers with unique and exclusive rewards.
Cave explorers have found a 630ft sink whole with a long-lost ancient forest.
We could be the first generation to reverse the impacts of deforestation.
The NL Salvation Army have released their own destroyed sneakers.
Earth.fm: “like Spotify, but for natural soundscapes.”
Ocean health is at an all-time low, according to the WWF.
The curious economics of bringing NFTs into the real world.
Consumers are opting for cheaper alternatives over sustainable options.
Why Creativity is Critical in a Slower Economy
Just like the rest of you, we’ve found ourselves inundated with videos, news articles, social posts, and the odd pigeon-delivered message warning us about the looming economic downturn, and what it means for individuals and businesses alike. Rather than become bogged down in the quagmire of doom and gloom, we decided to instead focus on the importance of creativity in times like this, and why studios and brands alike shouldn’t ignore it.
Slower economies suck. They’re frustrating, stressful, depressing, and uncomfortable and, if they were a colour, they’d be 1990s Windows grey (you know what we mean 😉). For that reason, we wanted to put pen to paper - or finger to key - and explain why we think creativity is critical in times like this.
Compared to 2008, the internet has become a much more impactful beast today, and with that development comes ominous social feeds packed full with news of our next dip. However, amidst the endless grey come flashes of creativity and innovation. A new typeface, a 3D animation, an adjusted logo, or even a rebranded brand. They make us smile.
A slow economy is the moment for creatives and brands to stand out while others begin standing back. It allows them to double down on creativity and take risks in a market that is suddenly silent and cautious. It’s a scary thought, especially for a brand facing dropping share value or less favourable funding terms. But it’s also a strategy that’s proven to work, as noted in James Hurman’s book The Case for Creativity. In Hurman’s book, he provides the “evidence that creative work is more memorable, more effective, and more able to drive overall business performance," as noted by Keith Weed, former Chief Marketing & Communications Officer of Unilever.
It’s easy to become bogged down by the bad in a world swamped with negative and stressful press and endless opinions shared through social. But a slower economy brings opportunity, as noted above. For us, we want to find the positive amongst the negative, and find opportunities to create and inspire, and along the way make the world - and your social feeds - a little more positive.
Image credit: @jimmypremier and @labeks.
Bored in lockdown, like most of us were, Hanna Hark used the time to discover techniques to create beautiful 3D artworks. Hark describes her work as “3D surrealist dreamscapes” with minimal settings that ride on textures of metal and water. Enjoy!
If you're enjoying HUMAN, feel free to share it with friends and colleagues! We’re always happy to welcome new readers! If we’ve left you wanting more Wonderland, you can check out our latest work here, or follow us on social.
Thanks for reading,
Team Wonderland.
