A—Z is an open source curatorial magazine that captures the themes and elements that shape our present. For each issue, we pick a theme (from A to Z) and invite A—Z’s community to submit their reflections on it, in the form of any content visual or textual via a designated Are.na board, and a curator to support us in shaping and exploring a vision around the theme.

The second issue of the zine centered around the theme (B for) “Bored”. We asked ourselves; are we still capable of being bored? Do we in fact need to? Through six lenses supplied by curator Joachim Baan, various writers and artists submitted their views. One of which is my own. I thought it might be nice to also share it here as a little sample of the mag.

Basically in my piece I try to explore the dichotomy between boredom as a chosen state, and as something that happens to us beyond or choice. And how it sometimes seems we want to avoid boredom at all costs, vs. our (supposed) longing for nothing.

For the other’s perspectives on this matter, find B is for Bored here, here, or here. And to submit to the next issue, “C is for Care”, go » here.

The Boredom Paradox

Boredom can sometimes feel wasteful, unproductive—Unwelcome in our optimization-obsessed culture. Yet, ongoing research reveals a different truth: this seemingly empty mental state actually creates necessary conditions for growth. By stepping away from the stream of stimulation, we unlock capacities for self-directed learning, resilience, and innovation.

When boredom strikes, the brain activates what neuroscientists call the Default Mode Network (DMN). A constellation of regions that hums to life during rest. This is not mental laziness; it's the brain's creative systems at work. In this state, consciousness shifts inward, allowing for the kind of associative thinking that forges connections between seemingly disconnected ideas. Your parents were not wrong, when they told you to “stop complaining”, because “being bored makes you creative”, when you had absolutely nothing to do on one of those eternal, rainy (depending on where you grew up) Sunday-afternoons. They might have only lacked the neurological vocabulary to explain why those rain-soaked hours were actually cognitive gold.

Without external factors drawing attention, the mind turns inwards, excavating thoughts and reassembling them in new configurations. Introspection as innovation, daydreaming as problem-solving. The brain, deprived of constant stimulation, begins generating its own. And often discovers something remarkable while doing so.

Famously, J.K. Rowling, once stranded on a delayed train, years before her public persona would take darker turns. She credits those hours of enforced stillness with birthing the wizarding world that would eventually make her a -literal- billion dollars. Her mind, freed from distraction, wandered into territories that active engagement might never have reached. So the next time an announcer at Central Station delivers the news of daily delays, make sure to tune in: your fortune might be around the corner. When it does, just please leave the transgender community alone.

But the Default Mode Network does more than spark creativity. It operates as something like the neurological foundation of selfhood itself. The DMN doesn't only daydream; it constructs and maintains our sense of identity, weaving together memories, traits, and emotional states into the narrative we call "self."

Basically it orchestrates our ability to remember the past, and project into the future, to understand others and ourselves. It deactivates during external, goal-oriented tasks. Visual attention, working memory, the cognitive demands of our hyperconnected lives. Scientific proof that all you have to do is pull out your phone and scroll through some reels or stories for a while if you’d want to block out the innovative ideation for a sec.

What struck me most when cognitively processing all this input for this piece, is that the functions and triggered neural systems mentioned above all do the same thing; they pull you out of the current moment.

Reflecting on yourself and others, daydreaming, thinking about past and/or the future, they’re interestingly all opposites of now. Boredom essentially liberates us from the current, opening neural paths to reflection and innovation.

And given the particular intensity of our zeitgeist. Given 2025's cascade of crises and distractions so far, this feels to me like more than academic curiosity. It's an argument for resistance. So clear your schedule for this Sunday. Look out the window for a while. And just see what happens.

I've gathered three pieces that each, in their own way, challenge the seductive promise of easy answers. From Amsterdam's high-stakes experiment with "fair" AI to the neuroscience of creative mastery, to hopes for a more authentic creative future, these stories to me reveal a common thread: the irreplaceable value of doing hard work.

Each piece offers insight into why shortcuts often fail, and why the most meaningful progress—whether in governance, creativity, or building better systems—requires patience, practice, and genuine human engagement rather than technological quick fixes.

The Neuroscience of Flow: Why "Just Feel It" doesn't work

We've all heard the advice from creative teachers: ‘Just feel it.’ ‘Let go.’ ‘Be present.’ But as neuroscientist and former professional dancer Julia Christensen reveals in Aeon, this guidance misses the fundamental truth about how creative flow actually works.

Flow—that magical state where time disappears and we become one with our creative work—isn't about letting go of structure. It's about having so thoroughly mastered the technical foundations that conscious effort can finally step aside, allowing deeper neural systems to take over.

The paradox is actually beautiful: to transcend technique, to be able to ‘let go’, you must first master it completely. To "let go," you must first build something solid to release. There are no shortcuts to the neuroplastic changes that enable true creative expression—just the patient work of practice, repetition, and building what Christensen calls "pathway prompts" that guide your brain into flow.

→ "You need to build mastery in order to find your flow" — via Aeon

When "Responsible AI" fails: A failed experiment in Amsterdam

In an investigation by MIT Technology Review, Lighthouse Reports, and Trouw, we get access to Amsterdam's attempt to build the "perfect" algorithmic welfare system. The city followed every rule in the responsible AI playbook—bias testing, stakeholder consultation, technical safeguards, transparency measures. They even discovered and corrected for discrimination in their initial model.

Yet the system still failed spectacularly.

Despite years of careful development and €500,000+ in costs, Smart Check proved no better than human caseworkers at detecting fraud, while introducing new forms of bias against Dutch nationals, women, and parents. The city ultimately scrapped the entire project.

→ "Inside Amsterdam's high-stakes experiment to create fair welfare AI" — via MIT Technology Review

Seven Things to wish for, in a New Creative Era

In the latest episode of their "New Creative Era" podcast, Yancey Strickler (co-founder of Kickstarter and Meta Label) and Joshua Citarella present their wishlist for a more human-centered creative future.

They envision artists creating and selling mid-priced work again—escaping the false binary of either expensive art for the wealthy (which tends to lead toward safe, boring work) or cheap "non-art" merchandise. They want creative people connecting through fluid networks of small collectives rather than isolated individual struggle. Most intriguingly, they call for a more "childlike, fearless and curious" creative culture and an end to cross-subsidization—where artists could make everything they do viable instead of one practice funding their "real" work.

Their vision extends to "performances of everything"—more live, real-time creative experiences—and "creative capitalism" where artists get equity in businesses rather than accepting exploitative deals. Perhaps most ambitious is their proposed "artist reserve" that would vet business ideas based on global unsubscribe rates, essentially managing the flow of corporate content.

What's striking is how each proposal requires dismantling existing systems rather than optimizing them. Like the Amsterdam welfare experiment and the neuroscience of flow, there are no quick fixes here—just the patient work of building something fundamentally different. Their vision suggests that meaningful creative change, like fair governance and genuine mastery, can't be shortcutted through better platforms or smarter algorithms but requires restructuring the basic incentives and power dynamics of how creative work operates.

→ "Seven things we want from a new creative era" — via Metalabel

What strikes me about all three pieces is their shared skepticism of the easy solution and call for a renews appreciation of some things being hard and complex, and that some good things take time to accomplish. Whether it's algorithmic fairness, creative inspiration, or better creative systems, the promise of simple fixes keeps failing us because it misunderstands the nature of the problems we're trying to solve.

These aren't technical problems requiring better tools—they're human problems requiring wisdom, patience, and the willingness to do difficult work over time. The most meaningful progress happens not through shortcuts but through sustained engagement with complexity, whether that's building truly equitable systems, developing genuine creative mastery, or reimagining how we want to live and create together.

Perhaps the real myth isn't just that solutions should be easy, but that solutions exist at all without ongoing human effort, care, and commitment to doing better.

That's it for this week. Wishing you a thoughtful summer weekend—Cheers! ✌️

I try to make a habit of saving all the articles I think say something valuable about the times we live in. To share or revisit. Some of them I use to reference in projects I work on, other I’m just intrigued by. Feel free to find more of them, not linked here on Are.na.

This month, I've gathered four fascinating articles that I felt capture different dimensions of contemporary human experience — from our complicated relationship with money in the age of social media, to our pursuit of transcendence through fitness rituals.

Each piece offers a window into what makes us distinctly human in turbulent times: our need for connection, our quest for meaning, our evolving relationship with technology, and our experience of both discomfort and awe.

Secular Devotion: Finding Transcendence in Modern Exercise

📎 “Keep Up” — via GRANTA

In a thoughtful meditation on fitness culture, Saba Sams reveals how exercise classes have evolved into quasi-religious rituals for the modern age.

From the red-lit underground chambers of Barry's Bootcamp to reformer Pilates machines that resemble instruments of devotional torture, these spaces have replaced traditional houses of worship for many seeking transcendence through physical suffering. "Where once devotees entered a social space for the benefit of their immortal soul, now they enter a social space for the benefit of their mortal body," Sams observes.

The communal aspect is crucial—participants could exercise alone but choose to gather with "strangers united by a single appetite," moving in synchronicity through physical trials that result in something approaching ecstasy. The comparison to addiction is explicit, though exercise offers a unique paradox where pleasure comes not from chasing the initial high but from reaching the endpoint and experiencing profound relief.

Rethinking Intelligence: From Cells to AI

📎 “The Prospect of ‘More Than Human’ Intelligence” — via NOEMA

In an exploration of intelligence across domains, Nathan Gardels highlights a fundamental paradigm shift in how we understand computation. Scientists now recognize that computation isn't merely a human invention but a natural phenomenon underlying all forms of intelligence. From DNA's "tape-like" instructions to cellular chemical signaling, nature has been computing long before we built our first machines.

Google researchers Blaise Agüera y Arcas and James Manyika argue that this understanding reveals a universal principle: intelligence emerges through self-organizing computational processes that enable learning, adaptation, and reproduction. As AI advances through stages of neural computing to predictive, general, and collective intelligence, we're not creating something entirely artificial but extending patterns already present in nature.

This perspective suggests we're on the cusp of developing "more than human" intelligence—not as a replacement for humanity, but as an extension of our collective cognitive capabilities that may ultimately help us better understand ourselves.

Money Dysmorphia: When Social Media Distorts Financial Reality

📎 “Are You the Only One Who’s Broke? Or Is It ‘Money Dysmorphia’?” — via The New York Times

In an age where Instagram feeds showcase endless luxury — martini glasses clinking, steakhouse dinners, and tropical vacations — many young adults are experiencing what financial planners call "money dysmorphia."

This phenomenon describes people who have a distorted view of their financial standing, often feeling inadequate despite objectively stable finances. A 2024 study found 43% of Gen Z reports this condition, fueled by the stark contrast between social media's "boom boom aesthetic" of lavish consumption and news headlines warning of economic turmoil.

The psychological impact is profound: some young people unnecessarily restrict spending while others make impulsive purchases they can't afford, driven by a mix of FOMO and fatalistic thinking. As one 27-year-old put it, "What are we saving for?" when crisis seems perpetual. This generational tension between aspirational spending and financial anxiety reflects how social comparison has transformed from "keeping up with the Joneses" to keeping up with carefully curated online personas—leaving many wondering if they're the only ones truly struggling.

Cringe = Sublime: When Discomfort Transcends into Awe

📎 “Cringe = Sublime” — via Protein

In an intriguing exploration of cultural sensibilities, Elizaveta Federmesser proposes a provocative equation: cringe equals sublime. While seemingly opposites — one making us recoil, the other inspiring awe — these emotional responses actually operate on the same spectrum of heightened awareness.

Federmesser defines cringe as "a strong emotional response to the recognition of a failed attempt," suggesting it creates tiny ruptures in our mundane reality, momentarily shattering our comfort and potentially allowing the sublime to slip through.

That’s it for this week. Will be back soon. Wishing you a happy easter/spring weekend for now — Cheers! ✌️

So… thought about ways that fit within a simpler, quicker frame. Because I do love writing as a way to process information, and to share findings, prompting cool new conversations. Lucky for me I’m not an influencer and I don’t have to do this regularly. But I want to. In ways that add something to my day and hopefully yours. So I’ll be trying out some new formats. Shorter, quicker, and hopefully still somewhat interesting. First one to try out today; “Currents”. A regular analysis of emerging trends in culture, creative business and strategy.

In a time when trends (micro or macro, preferably transcending the realms of just TikTok at least) emerge and fade faster than your morning coffee gets cold, it might make sense to every now and then fixate on one, and explore it a little bit—First up; Vibe coding.

What is Vibe coding?

If you read or listen to tech media a lot, “vibe coding” all of a sudden is everywhere. Partly for what it is, but also because it pretty accurately describes something new and impactful in a way that sounds cool.

WHAT? WHY?

Vibe coding uses AI-assisted programming, where you describe a desired software functionality in normal-people’s language, and large language models (LLMs) then generate the corresponding code. Tools like Cursor, Bolt, or Loveable now enable everyone to go “from idea to app in seconds”.

So if you feel for instance that what you’re really missing in your life is an app that scans the contents of your fridge and suggests recipes based on that, like New York Times tech-journalist Kevin Roose, you can now very quickly create that. For yourself, or everyone in the world.

The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy in February, emphasizing the conversational, intent-based development process that democratizes software creation by reducing the need for much technical expertise.

SOME EXAMPLES

1. LunchBox Buddy: Created by Kevin Roose that scans his fridge’s contents and suggests recipes based on available ingredients

2. TimeSync app by @Morilliu: Columbia University student went viral on TikTok after effortlessly creating a mini app to sync timezones.

3. FindAsks.com: A website that finds questions being asked by people anywhere online, revolving around what your business does, allowing you to get involved in relevant discussions

4. Summed Up: A summarization tool for condensing files, web links, and text into concise summaries

AND… WHAT’S NEXT?

Probably a whole lot of crazy little projects that won’t make much impact, and then some actual big disruptive apps (initially) built by people that would otherwise not have come to life because people didn’t have access to the coding resources needed for it. Which is obviously what makes this seriously interesting as a movement.

I think what’s most interesting about this trend though, definitely is that it removes basically all barriers to go from an interesting idea to a tool to prove the idea solves actual problems. Extending the concept that “good ideas can come from anywhere” to digital startups. Literally. Democratization, baby.

Got an idea yourself; why not build it? For instance with Cursor, Bolt, or Loveable, possibly combined with Claude, Gemini or ChatGPT.

“READ MORE”

• On Wikipedia

• Over at the New York Times

• Or here

• More on Index.dev

• And here, if you’re “New Scientist-level” smart

That’s the first “Currents”. I’ll also soon try out “Reads” and “Conversations”. And also have some new ideas for longer reads liek I used to do. Hope you like this. For one, I did, writing something again. Tips to improve are welcome. Hope to speak (IRL) soon!

In this edition, inspired by the aforementioned FT-article, a book I recently read by NYC-restaurateur Will Guidara, and Episode 7 of Season 2 of The Bear, I explore how businesses can rediscover their raison d'être through "hospitality thinking"—a concept that transcends mere transactions to create truly memorable customer experiences.

Rediscovering Hospitality

Will Guidara, a famed New York City restaurateur known for his work at Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad, champions what he calls "Unreasonable Hospitality." This philosophy and its workings go far beyond standard service; it involves creating unforgettable moments that exceed expectations. I recently found his book in the midst of my journey down a rabbit hole that started with watching Episode 7 of the second season of The Bear—If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend.

In the episode, one scene captures the essence of Guidara's approach. Cousin Richie, sent off to intern at an unnamed 3-star restaurant by Carmy, overhears guests lamenting their missed chance to try authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza. After an off the cuff moment of pure hospitality thinking, he quickly orders take-out from a local favorite and elevates the ordinary pizza to a Michelin-level experience—a brilliant depiction of turning simple acts into extraordinary memories.

And one I believe, that many brands, from car companies to retailers, should learn from.

As I found out when reading the book, the scene above is actually based on true events. Only the pizza was a hotdog, and cousin Richie, Mr. Guidara.

Delighters: The Key to Brand Loyalty

"Delighters" are intentional enhancements that make a service or product stand out. In my projects, I've long used this term, originating from the Kano model of customer satisfaction developed in the 1980s, which classifies customer preferences and how exceeding these can dramatically boost customer satisfaction levels.

I passionately believe that good delighters elevate the experience of a product or service, and therefore are a unique tool for building brands, beyond for instance your traditional marketing campaigns (which are by default temporary).

Delighter Building-blocks

Unpacking the elements that make up a delightful experience, here are 5 parts I think every brand delighter should always have.

1. Uniqueness: Delightful moments are distinctive to your brand

2. Surplus Value: They’re “unnecessary” (they’re by definition not industry standards, your product or default service)

3. Relevance: They feel personal, and add to what you’re offering, they don’t distract from it

4. Value Addition: Whether through economic means or by bringing ‘badge value’, pride, or a sense of belonging/community

5. Unexpectedness: Surpassing customer expectations is key

Some industries are traditionally really good at building memorable moments for their customers. There’s tons of amazing lessons we could learn from frequent flyer programs, to many many cool examples from the hotel or restaurants-industries (just read “Unreasonable Hospitality for a good dose of them). Often they involve premium service levels focused on rewards or building loyalty. I’ll share some other examples here.

IYKYK

”Easter Eggs” —undocumented features hidden in (often) tech products, set in motion by a sequence of commands that nobody would hit accidentally— can be great delighters for those who know where to find them. They provide an “insider-feeling” to the community. They are often quirky and unnecessary, and fun. They bring a smile to people’s face and underline the values and culture of its manufacturer. Some delightful examples:

• Tesla’s Dance Performance: From the Model X’s 'dance performance' to hidden features activated by obscure commands, Tesla embeds unique elements that amuse and engage.

• Google’s Dino Game: A quirky offline game that appears in Chrome when your internet connection drops, providing a light-hearted diversion while waiting for the WiFi to work again.

• Pixar’s Pizza Planet Truck: A recurring cameo in every Pixar film since Toy Story, offering a subtle delight for sharp-eyed fans.

Delightful Sustainability

A go-to example for basically every marketer in the last decade, Patagonia stands out with its commitment to aftercare and environmental responsibility. Their repair services not only extend the life of their products but also emphasize the brand's dedication to sustainability.

From inviting customers to get actively involved in events or volunteering work in their communities, supported by the brand through grands, to offering very accessible repair services stating “repair is a radical act”. You simply register your repair request online, send it to Patagonia, after which they’ll fix it, or recycle it if it’s broken beyond fixing.

On a smaller scale —customer-wise— Amsterdam kids fashion brand Gray Label opened their “restore” last month, where parents can buy or rent kids-clothes from the GL-archive, find repaired goods, and upcycled collections in collaboration with Anhem-based sustainable fashion pioneers Hul le Kes.

Nestlé Japan's initiative to replace the plastic wrappers of their hit-brand KitKat ("kitto katsu" translates to "you will surely win”) with origami paper highlights an innovative approach to packaging that encourages reuse and conveys cultural respect.

Unboxing delight

Apple's rigorous focus on the unboxing experience showcases their commitment to delighting customers from the first touch. Each aspect of the packaging design is meticulously engineered to ensure that the process of opening their products not only pleases but also aligns seamlessly with the company’s ethos of accessibility and user-friendliness.

This commitment to design and detail —Apple employs designers whose sole job is to focus on packaging, ensuring that opening the box is a unique experience— ensures that every customer feels a sense of excitement and anticipation that builds even before the device is powered on. The tactile sensation of the packaging materials, the satisfying removal of protective films, and the strategic placement of each component within the box are all carefully considered to create a memorable opening ritual.

This ritual reinforces Apple's brand values—simplicity, elegance, and innovation—through a choreographed presentation that deepens the customer's connection to the product. In doing so, Apple transforms the simple act of opening a box into a defining moment of brand experience, setting a benchmark in packaging that others strive to meet.

Conclusion: The Responsibility of Magic

As Will Guidara writes, businesses have "a responsibility—to make magic in a world that desperately needs more of it." Whether through innovative service concepts, thoughtful product enhancements, or sustainable practices, the opportunities to delight customers are vast. It’s about creating moments that stick with them—moments that turn customers into loyal advocates and vocal ambassadors for your brand. Think about it. What can you do to elevate your customer experience beyond expectation?

Off-topic \ 3 Recommended Reads

🦜 How to Discover Your Own Taste — Ezra Klein and Kyle Chayka talk about how today’s internet encourages averything to look more the same

🧍 The Post-Individual — Yancey Strickler on a state of being in which people seek new forms of identity

🅰️ Absolute Zeitgeist — “A is for Action”. A collaborative open source magazine project between design studio HouseTMM and myself is live and for sale

Thank you

…For reading edition no. 003 of FIELD NOTES.

I hope you enjoy receiving and sharing these emails. You are very much invited to join the conversation and provide feedback. It greatly improves the quality and makes these newsletters infinitely more enjoyable to do. Thank you in advance.

martijn@mv37.xyz

Both in a business context and as consumers of brands we follow, or buy from, people seem to be looking for stories or POV’s that provide perspective on possible futures.

As one former US-president put it; “Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it It's what gives us the strength to push for a better future, even when the road ahead seems uncertain.” Just do it -almost, kind of- right? No?

In this second ‘Field Notes’ dispatch here, I’m looking at how three brands publicly explored possible futures. Yes, futures, plural, because the future is what will actually happen, but until then, anything could be possible. So we talk about futures when we’re exploring how scenarios could potentially unfold.

I’ve been specifically looking at cases where brands didn’t just think, or strategise for future scenarios (much has already been written about that), but also materialised or published their research and scenarios publicly.

I also didn’t want to pull you back in the avalanche of brands throwing their “state of the industry in 2024” trend outlooks online in December of last year. As there are so much more interesting ways to underline industry thought leadership, build an insider-community and guide vision, design and innovation within a company itself.

First off; Literally a Moonshot-idea; The LUNAR HILTON

Two years prior to Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon, the HILTON chain of hotels was already planning to welcome guests in space. The "LUNAR HILTON" project was a visionary concept developed by Barron Hilton in the 1960’s, mirroring the era's fascination with space exploration.

The hotel was envisioned to be located below the moon's surface and include about 100 guest rooms. Barron Hilton was a firm believer in lunar colonization and spent much of his career studying the moon's potential for industrial development.

The estimated price of a stay at the LUNAR HILTON was mentioned in a brochure from 1973, which invited potential guests to the moon. The brochure stated that the costs could be up to $25,000 per person for the trip — I guess inflation-calculation wasn’t part of their future-forecasting extrapolation efforts.

While the project didn’t come to fruition -yet- it remains a testament to the bold thinking, that characterized the late 60’s and early 70’s in the United States.

Proving that even the most ‘out-there’ ideas (pun intended) can become possible futures, in 2022, HILTON HOTELS added a surprising new chapter to this plan, when VOYAGER SPACE announced that HILTON will be the official hotel partner of STARLAB, VOYAGER’s planned free-flying commercial space station.

Unfortunately, Barron Hilton himself wasn’t there to witness the advent of this new stage of his original vision. He passed away, aged 91, in September 2019.

Fueling Internal Innovation, Publicly; IKEA’s SPACE10

IKEA's SPACE10 in Copenhagen was an innovation lab and exhibition space dedicated to creating better and more sustainable ways of living, in line with IKEA's commitment to positively impact people and the planet.

The lab explored the future of living, by addressing major societal challenges such as urbanization, resource scarcity, climate change, and food security, regularly hosting talks and expo’s accessible to the public, publishing books and research reports, and developing products and services.

The inception of SPACE10 was driven by a need for innovation within IKEA. At its foundation, IKEA lacked a strong focus on innovation, and one of SPACE10's primary objectives was to ignite a culture of innovation within the company. It collaborated with experts and trailblazers from around the world to prototype, test, and develop and push innovative ideas around said topics.

SPACE10 announced its closure in August 2023, having achieved its goal of bringing an outside-in approach to innovation to IKEA and influencing the company's innovation culture.

Five cool examples of SPACE10-projects;

Tomorrow's Meatball

A project exploring the future of food consumption, presenting alternative food sources shaped like IKEA's iconic meatballs, including bug-based options

Future Food Today Cookbook

A cookbook aimed at bridging the gap between future food trends and current kitchen practices, featuring recipes with both traditional and unconventional ingredients

Bee Home

An open-source project enabling people to design and create their own bee habitats, addressing the risks to bee populations due to urbanization and agriculture practices

Carbon Banks

A concept linking physical furniture to a digital asset (NFT tree) that grows in response to the care and repair of the furniture, promoting sustainability

The Algae Dome

Highlighting the potential of algae as a sustainable supercrop, produced during the Copenhagen CHART Art Fair

Moving Targets — “After all, there is No Finish Line”

Last year, NIKE published “After all, there is No Finish Line”. A future design manifesto meets speculative fiction, meets design strategy, meets bundle of essays.

Following the conceptual and visual playbook of Douglas Coupland’s Shumon Basar’s and Hans Ulrich Obrist’s “The Age of Earthquakes” (or Coupland’s “Shopping in Jail”), this book is a very nice example of a brand putting time and energy into probably a very niche audience that is interested in more than just product, events or commercials.

“No Finish Line” invites and aims to inspire readers to imagine the infinite possibilities of design and sport. It celebrates 50 years of design and innovation in the service of athletes and sport — and sets a vision for the next 50 years.

The book includes a foreword by NIKE’s Chief Design Officer, John Hoke, speculative fiction by journalist Geoff Manaugh, and essays by author Sam Grawe that describe five major shifts design may undergo in the coming decades.

In Hoke’s foreword, he writes, “NIKE’s creative telescope to the future rests on three steadfast and guiding truths: we exist to match our athletes’ dreams and ambitions; the progression of sport requires audacious imagination; and one innovation can ultimately benefit millions. With these truths in sight, we remain fixed on amplifying athletic ability, advancing human potential and inviting everyone - and importantly, every body, to experience sport for themselves.”

The book should be for sale at (or at least orderable by) a local book store near you.

Key takeaways

• Formulating and actively sharing informed future visions provide welcome guidance, and inspiration to both internal and external brand-audiences, and an accent of (thought) leadership to a brand’s story

• Materialising this vision and really doubling down on execution and fidelity of plans takes them to such a much-much higher level, compared to posting an ‘annual trend report’ online

• Ideas can seem outrageous and wild (like Barron Hilton’s), but they can transmit a higher meaning in the short term (HILTON HOTELS is willing to go to the moon to deliver delightful customer experiences) and -who knows- they might come significantly closer decades down the line

• Inviting outside voices and collaborating with external experts (like NIKE and SPACE10) elevates your vision from ‘brand message’ to (at least partially) objective view on the matter

Off-topic \ 3 Recommended Reads

🐇 Did You See the Rabbit R1? — a device for doing almost anything. Potentially.

💸 What if Money Expired? — on the idea of money as a perishable good.

🧶 Luxury Fashion Prices have gone Too Far — on conspicuously expensive t-shirts.

Thank you…

…For reading the 002nd edition of FIELD NOTES on Substack!

Going forward, I’ll try to stick to sending an email like this every two or at least three months (it was two weeks more this time, I’ll be better), focusing on one topic related to branding, culture, or creativity. Including references, thoughts, and theoretical background.

I hope you enjoy receiving and sharing these emails. You are very much invited to join the conversation and provide feedback. It greatly improves the quality and makes these newsletters infinitely more enjoyable to do. Thank you in advance.

martijn@mv37.xyz

The day before that, I had taken my own car to an Audi dealership for service at a windy industrial estate. On my way back, on a loaned bike in the rain, I tried to find a silver lining in at least having avoided the typical car dealer's (paper) cup of coffee.

NIO House, located next to a high-end jeweler and a wine shop, is a space designed by MVRDV where you can book meeting rooms, work, attend or host talks, have breakfast, and enjoy a more than acceptable cup of coffee. And if you want to buy a 72K NIO ET7, they can help you with that too.

This first edition of my renewed and refreshed 'FIELD NOTES' newsletter zooms in on ‘Brand-Clubhouses’.

Defining 'Brand-Clubhouse'

NIO is one of many brands that are exploring the world of hospitality and incorporating elements from other service-based industries (such as co-working spaces) to reinvent key brand touchpoints. They are transforming traditional retail experiences into Brand-Clubhouses.

Brand-Clubhouses are spaces hosted by non-hospitality brands that focus on providing hospitality, and other lifestyle functions, to cater to their specific community. Let’s use this as the starting point and definition going forward.

An 'unpurchaseable trinket'

Aimé Leon Dore, the NYC fashion brand, has built a community that has grown into a global cult-following over the past few years. They offer experiences beyond traditional fashion retail. In addition to unexpected brand collaborations and projects, they opened a coffee spot at their previous flagship store on Mulberry Street in NYC. However, as people started spending their whole day there, it became too crowded for actual shoppers to visit the store.

To address this issue, the brand expanded the space last year. They opened a larger store, a separate cafe, and a secret clubhouse in between. This clubhouse, with no official name and not even officially open, was described by the New York Times as an 'unpurchaseable trinket'. It hosts surprise DJ sets and small gatherings, adding a desirable mystique to the store-as-clubhouse experience. It's an exclusive space that creates a sense of belonging for those in the know.

ALD's initiatives successfully merge exclusivity with a genuine connection to their Queens NY roots. They make their audience feel like they are part of an insider community while also creating anticipation and excitement.

But why?

What are the prerequisites for these places to be successful? What does success mean in this case?

There isn't a single reason for brands to pursue these initiatives, nor is there a single metric to measure their success. For brands like NIO, or as another example Lynk & Co with their "club" in Amsterdam (and quite some other cities), there is a mix of reasons. Firstly, there is the need to be visible in the right places. NIO House's ginormous glass storefront alone, in its prime location, considered as a year-round brightly-lit billboard, could in itself justify the investment.

In addition to visibility, these Brand-Clubhouses attract a specific type of consumer who visits for talks or meetings and learns more about the brand. They also provide PR value and cater to potential buyers who are not easily impressed by traditional showrooms. They offer a forward-looking narrative that appeals to executives.

Mythologising the brand

For brands like Aimé Leon Dore, the rationale behind creating these spaces seems more personal and less rational. These founder-led companies rooted in culture operate differently. They have a strong desire to take their brand to places that resonate with their community. There is a sense of pride in these initiatives, and they contribute to the mythologizing of the brand.

Looking at their flagship store on Mulberry Street, it is reminiscent as an evolution of places like Supreme's stores, which became cultural hangouts.

This way of thinking could be interesting for other brands, but there is also a risk of over-saturation and cringeworthy iterations if it becomes a trend among marketers with big budgets. Brand-Clubhouses only truly work when they are exceptionally well-executed. Most people don't want to hang out in a place that feels like a marketing ploy.

Lastly, there is the risk of local saturation. If multiple brands, such as Lynk & Co, BMW, VW, and Alfa Romeo, were to open clubhouses in Amsterdam, the novelty would quickly wear off.

Three more examples

Two examples can be dismissed as coincidences, but five examples indicate a trend. Right? Here are a few more quick examples:

From ⬅️ to ➡️

• Nike has opened various 'House of Innovation' experience stores worldwide, blending in elements of clubhouse culture. These locations primarily serve as retail stores but also include running clubs, training sessions, and interactive experiences for sports enthusiasts.

• Red Bull has established Red Bull Studios in various cities. These creative spaces allow musicians, artists, and creators to collaborate, record music, and work on their projects.

• Gucci Garden is a museum and concept store in Florence, Italy, housed in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia. It showcases Gucci's creative heritage and exclusive collections.

Key takeaways

• Brand-clubhouses can be an opportunity for brands to foster community and build relationships in ways that are immersive, genuine and (therefore) impactful

• They can set a brand apart, underlining original thinking (doing things differently) and sincerity in wanting to service customers

• However, they only truly work when they are exceptionally well-executed and real. No gimmicks. Also; local saturation could be a risk

• And the experience needs to make sense. Workspaces make sense for a car-brand focusing on a modern business audience, music studio’s for Red Bull, for many other brands they wouldn’t

Off-topic \ 5 Recommended Reads

Unrelated to the matter at hand, but highly recommended

🏝️ Love in the Time of Prompting — Shumon Basar and Y7's CORE+LORE

👧 Everyone Is a Girl Online — the internet is a girl's world now

📉 Trends lost their meaning — Matt Klein on the devaluation of trend forecasting

🕹️ Gaming for good — designed to speed up finding a treatment for Alzheimer's

📜 A Manifesto by Marty Bell — tips for a more fulfilling (and fun) life

Hey! You made it to the end! Wow. I sincerely thank you for reading this 001 edition of FIELD NOTES.

Going forward, I plan to send out an email like this every two or three months, focusing on one topic related to branding, culture, or creativity. Each email will include references, thoughts, and theoretical background.

I hope you enjoy receiving and sharing these emails (again). You are very much invited to join the conversation and provide feedback. It greatly improves the quality of the writing and makes these newsletters more enjoyable to do. Thank you in advance.

martijn@mv37.xyz