The audience will always bring their own context and meaning. That tension isn't a bug, it's what keeps brands culturally alive.
Check out the whole piece here:
selfprojectingprojections.substack.com/p/the-intere...
"Make something people want" vs "Make something YOU want."
The best brands do both, but they start with a vision, not market research. And it feels like we’ve tried too hard to overly engineer brands without some of that world-building that ironically is behind some of our brands we elevate.
I’ll use a simple, close-to-the-heart reference with Japanese brands like UNDERCOVER, NBHD and BAPE. They built global cult followings by staying true to their vision, even when most customers couldn't read or comprehend any of their limited interviews. That's the power of unwavering direction.
When you build something meaningful, does your original vision trump how culture receives it? The best brands exist in this tension, between founder intent and audience interpretation.
It started with an interview with Brendon Babenzien (ex-Supreme CD) of Noah, where he pushes back against the "streetwear" label others gave his brand. But here's the real question...
Internal vs. External Perceptions: Who Owns a Brand’s Identity?
There was an interesting debate that kicked off a little while ago. In short, it tackled this eternal brand paradox: Who truly owns a brand's identity? Is it the founder or the audience?
I jotted down some thoughts on why protecting passion matters more than we think:
open.substack.com/pub/selfproj...
When you find people who truly care about their craft, protect them at all costs!!!
They don't just add value to your projects, they provide that rare, sustainable energy that keeps everything moving forward when momentum ebbs and flows.
Their excitement radiates and elevates everyone around them. Even when the details were fuzzy, their conviction spoke volumes, and they always gave this sense of belief that they were going to stumble their way forward while having fun.
Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of building alongside genuinely passionate individuals. These people transform the whole experience from the process of working to the vibe itself.
Check some more of my detailed thoughts here:
selfprojectingprojections.substack.com/p/taking-age...
The takeaway? Creative shops, creators, and artists need to actively pursue ownership stakes while translating their expertise into valuable offerings. The most sustainable path forward isn't just helping others build their brands—it's building something you own alongside them.
It goes without saying that having an operational background helps, but the holistic requirements of running a brand require careful consideration.
We started to recognize the desire to transition from service provider to brand creator (and owner) several years ago. Truth is, not every brand-building opportunity will make sense or simply land in your lap.
But recognizing these gaps isn't about accepting limitations—it's about building something to overcome any deficiencies or mitigate the current setup.
What you don’t have in ownership as a "service provider” is hopefully balanced out by the freedom to decide.
This decision-making power becomes your anchor, especially when financial clarity or stability feels out of reach. You can choose to take a job that pays less cause it’s exciting just as much as you can say no because the budget doesn’t align with your bandwidth.
Peel away the layers of running a studio (in our case, Adam Studios), and hopefully, you'll find one fundamental principle matters above all else: your agency to make real decisions.
Studio work draws me in with its diverse creative challenges and behind-the-scenes access to different businesses, but while we're building equity for clients, we're often left without any of the upside. It's this reality that pushes us to seek opportunities with shared upside.
There's something oddly reassuring about brands. Good brands exercise a coherent identity and commitment, while much of the rest of the world shifts position and messaging based on the latest shiny thing.
selfprojectingprojections.substack.com/p/the-beauti...
Younger me was weirdly unable to grasp the relationship between brand, creativity, and consumption despite working in such a brand-centric world of media.
Some top-tier quotes.
every.to/superorganiz...
This was sitting in my Instapaper queue for almost a year, glad I came back around to it:
www.complex.com/style/a/mike...
Streetwear (and many consumption based subcultures) can’t negate the role that 3rd party retailers played in their growth.
Hong Kong at night.
🇭🇰🌚
In case anybody any of us need a reminder.
every.to/source-code/...
