Dress Codes Suck. Do They Actually Matter?
Should people be allowed to wear whatever they want in order to be their authentic selves at work?
Creativity
Four Inspiring Things To Watch on Election Day (Instead of Doomscrolling)
This is not a good day to watch the news. As the votes get cast and counted throughout the United States, it is hard for most of us to resist the temptation to tune into the constant “breaking news” as media pundits engage in minute by minute mostly irrelevant guesswork about who is surging ahead … Read more
5 Non-Obvious Megatrends Changing Our World In 2020
For the past ten years I have gone through an annual ritual of publishing a book about trends that describe our shifting culture and business environment. Over the past decade, my team and I have identified and written about well over 100 trends covering everything from the rise of the #metoo movement (a trend we … Read more
Selfie Dysmorphia, Celebrities Abandoning Social Media and the World’s Biggest Universal Income Experiment | Non-Obvious Insights 01.24.19
Why Every Ski Map Looks The Same This past weekend was a big one for skiing and so this article was interesting and timely – all about the life and work of a man who has drawn hundreds of ski maps for resorts. It is a fascinating reminder that there is beauty in the details of … Read more
Binge Rooms: The Ultimate Immersive TV Experience
Back when I worked at a marketing agency I remember those times when I would see a campaign so inspired it would immediately make me wish I had thought of it. This new effort from FCB New York is one of those envy-inducing efforts. The goal is to position LG TVs as the ones that … Read more
How The Backlash Of Superfans Might Ruin Entertainment For The Rest Of Us
Logan director James Mangold is worried that “the fear of upsetting an eager mob” of online fans might drive smart, creative people out of creating great art. For years comedians have been avoiding college campuses because of the inability for easily outraged youth to take a joke. Have we become so uptight that we are unable … Read more
How Hot Dog Water Became The Hottest New Health Drink In America
Hot Dog Water officially launched this week and you can have some for just $38 a bottle. Before you roll your eyes in disgust, would it change your mind to learn that it helps restore the body’s homeostasis after an electrolyte imbalance? It is only if you read till the end of the small print … Read more
Backlash On World Cup Jersey Design Surprises Adidas. It Shouldn’t.
This week there have been no shortage of World Cup memes. Everything from Senegal manager Aliou Cissé becoming the tournament’s coolest man, to the early domination of Ronaldo. Yet the one meme so far that might offer the best business lesson is the justified worldwide ridicule Adidas is earning for their confusingly designed official jerseys. … Read more
Spy Testing, Open Source Furniture and How To Find A Pet That Likes Your Music
I spent the early part of this past week thinking a lot about transformation as I spoke at the SocialMedia.org Winter Meeting in front of a group of strategists running social media for large brands. The theme, if there was one, seemed to be how to inspire more people around us (and especially our leaders!) to embrace … Read more
Why You Can Focus In A Noisy Coffee Shop, But Not A Noisy Office
For years one of my favorite tools for writing is a website called Coffitivity which simulates the background noise of a coffee shop. I find this little tool a perfect backdrop for writing and use it almost every day. In this article, author David Burkus shares some research behind why having this type of “white noise” in … Read more
