BITES // 1.09.20 // NARRATIVES
Every month we collect six of the best pieces of content published on the web and share them with you, because we believe that the most extraordinary thinking is inspired by looking to unexpected places. BITES is a reading list for those who want to bring a little of the outside, in.
1. THEY CAN BE THEMSELF
The once unassuming word “they” has undergone radical transformation, finding itself at the heart of cultural conversation as well as Merriam Webster’s 2019’s Word of the Year. The dictionary officially added the present-day definition — a single person whose gender identity is non-binary — late last year despite the fact that many have been using it for years. Non-binary individuals now have an “official” pronoun to call their own, and with that, the freedom to embrace language and be in control of their own narratives. As culture continues to evolve its understanding of gender identity, it’s important to recalibrate the language we use in order to better communicate with one another.
2. DATA-DRIVEN NARRATIVES
When brands get personalization wrong, the result feels like a blatant breach of privacy. But when done right, it can create a deep, unbreakable, and sometimes unexpected connection with its consumer. The key to personalization is data, something Spotify’s annual ‘Wrapped’ campaign has perfected the use of. Last month, tens of millions of users received a detailed report of their top songs from the last year and the past decade, featuring most played, favorite genres and other stats. Not only did the initiative beautifully illustrate the brand’s ability to understand its listener, but told a personal narrative that cracked humanity wide open, both exposing and entertaining.
3. SELLING OUT GETS A NEW NAME
The twenty-teens marks the decade of personal branding, or the intentional, carefully crafted management over our content. The phenomenon is polarizing: Advocates understand the payoff lies in the ability to control how others view us, and maybe even make a living off it. Critics, however, see it as selling out; projecting a reality without necessarily having to live it. Despite the judgement, personal branding continues to thrive and normalize, especially during a time of polarising tastes. Understanding you face an opposing side either way, you might as well, unapologetically, use it to your advantage.
4. NEUMANN’S OWN
There’s no case of personal branding quite like WeWork’s Adam Neumann. As Bruce Dunlevie, a member of WeWork’s board described it, “[He wasn’t] selling coworking, [but] an energy I’ve never felt.” When the decade began, the commercial real estate company meant promise, offering not only a coworking space but a new way of working. But along the way, the flaws of the organization became abundantly clear and the narrative Neumann was telling began to unravel. The strength of a narrative has the power to supersede red flags and justify exceptions. So what are the boundaries to crafting perceptions? When does it go too far? How do we balance a compelling story and reality? The lesson here is to keep your narratives in check, or someone else will.
5. READING BETWEEN THE HEADLINERS
Coachella is coming…again. No matter your level of enthusiasm (or ambivalence) for the annual music and arts festival, its influence is undeniable. Like clockwork, the much anticipated lineup officially came out January 2nd, and the internet has been quick to analyze the iconic festival poster. Beyond a bill of mainstream to underground artists, the collection of musical acts tells a story about our current tastes and sheds light on where it’s going: Our generation continues to crave nostalgia and novelty with acts like Danny Elfman and Hatsune Miku. Globalisation still permeates with the inclusion of international stars BIGBANG and Ленинград. However, with this year’s headliners all being male acts, when will the narrative of gender disparity in festival booking finally come to an end?
6. AN OPEN INVITATION
How can you help somebody better understand the world, and contribute to making it better? In the case of Lual Mayen, a refugee who fled from the civil war in South Sudan to America, video gaming is the answer. “Salaam,” meaning “peace” in Arabic, is an innovative video game that brings players into the life of a refugee escaping a conflict zone. Its originality lies with the objective of the game, as players are encouraged to take actions towards peace and conflict resolution as opposed to violence. Giving people an authentic experience, albeit simulated, of what lives on the other side, Mayen hopes to bring empathy to the narrative on refugeeism.
TAKEAWAY:
Narratives are essential to every society, as we try to make sense of it all. Standing at the genesis of a new year and the next 10 years, it’s important to reflect on the stories we’ve been telling, and choose how we will tell it moving forward. What will you keep, and what will you reinvent? Is your message clear or is it up for interpretation? What words, numbers, associations, or mediums will you use to convey it? Because if you’re not the author of your own narrative, plenty others will be happy to write it for you.
