What are NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens)?

If you asked my uncle, he'd laugh and say, "What, those pictures from the internet all the millennials are throwing away their money on? You might as well light money on fire!"

This was a real conversation that happened during Christmas this year. All I could do was stand there and smile.

He has no idea that:

1. NFTs are way more than images.
2. They have an endless amount of utility.
3. They are the future of digital ownership and authenticity.
4. All digital assets will eventually exist as NFTs.

(And just because Paris Hilton, Eminem, and Steve Aoki own Bored Apes doesn't mean NFTs are just a rich-people fad, either.) 

Working backward:

• A token
• That isn’t fungible (def: interchangeable with an identical item) 

In other words, unique tokens that live on a blockchain.

The first part of that statement is pretty important. NFTs are unique, meaning one does not equal the other in the way dollars or bitcoins do. That’s what non-fungible means.

Think of an NFT as a virtual trading card — one that also exists as an asset in crypto. 

The second part of that statement is equally important. To live on a blockchain is to live on a digital ledger verified by all computers that cannot be disputed or changed. It is a single, decentralized source of truth. 

NFTs are inextricably linked to the blockchain, which means they are built on a future of trust and decentralization.

They're very young — we're pioneering future utility of NFTs as we speak.

They represent ownership of digital assets, and they have fantastic metadata.

NFTs are more than just JPEGs of monkeys and pixelated punks.

(We call those Avatar or PFP (Profile Picture) projects, by the way. They are often used as Profile Pictures by those who own one — a status-symbol of sorts, or proud badge of community membership.)

If you engage in the NFT space on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of these. It’s some sort of character in a square and it’s selling for thousands of dollars — and you probably want to know why. 

The answer is simple: People love collecting. Think of it like baseball cards, Pokemon, or Beanie Babies. Some are rarer than others. They’re an addicting rabbit hole for those who enjoy games and/or collecting anything.

You’re likely in the middle of a shill storm on a daily basis consisting of person after person trying to convince you their project rocks friggin' socks and why you should spend $900 on their poorly drawn bird. If I’m being fair, a lot of these projects do have some deep roots in storytelling and are genius methods of forming communities (NFTs lend themselves well to that ability—more on that later.)

Unfortunately, we’re not currently encouraging long term holding in the space. 90% of projects won’t survive, according to Digital Transformation expert Swan Sit. Call me crazy, but I have a hunch that is because the majority of these projects don’t offer a collector external value (with the exception of bragging rights in select cases). 

So then, why are PFP projects so popular in the NFT space? Well for one, they’re status-symbols in the crypto community. It’s impressive to own a Bored Ape, due to their luxury price and affiliations. Secondly, many of these projects (at least the ones that last) form real communities, having a discord attached to them, exclusive parties that can only be attended by community members (holders of that NFT), or in some cases a game (like Divine Dragons, which is dropping very soon!).

NFTs are digital ownership.

Social media and NFTs are inextricably linked. Right now, social platforms own all of your content. Aside from a website, which is an owned digital property for brands. There is nothing that helps easily give content creators indisputable credibility of their work. It’s the wild west right now. Let’s be civilized. 

Instead of Big Tech owning our content and our data (shoutout to all of the creators who’ve been shadowbanned from TikTok), creators have full autonomy of their content.

You can think of NFTs like Certificates of Ownership. If the NFT exists in your wallet, you are the indisputable owner of said NFT. You may do what you want with it — nobody is going to take it away from you or tell you it isn't yours.

Individual's wallets are public and accessible by anyone with internet access. Because of this complete transparency, the authenticity of an NFT is always verifiable.

Rachel Wolchin is an author whose work was always reshared on Tumblr without credit. NFTs are a way to collect all of those external shares and link them back to Rachel. If every piece of content Rachel published was also minted on the blockchain, she would never have to worry about loss of credit again. NFTs allow us to truly own our content.

“I got famous on Tumblr and Pinterest, and a lot of the things I was saying were being circulated and people were sharing them as if they were their own thoughts. With NFTs… I don’t need to worry about if someone shares something on the blockchain — it says it's mine when it's mine.” —Rachel Wolchin @ NFT.NYC

NFTs are the gateway to Web3. 

There are three eras in the history of the internet (Think of them as “generations”.)

In other words, Web 1 was "read only", Web 2 is "read & create", Web 3 is "read, create & own".

The most important part about Web3 is the decentralization of the internet. Torrents, crypto, IPFS, and new forms of DNS like ENS and Unstoppable Domains all exist under the web3 umbrella.

I define web3 as the trustless web — a world that empowers us to make independent financial decisions without ever needing to “take anyone’s word for it”. Everything is provable. I don't have to trust a brand to send my money for me. I don't have to trust a vendor’s word that that file is what they say it is. I don't have to trust big tech not to lose, use, or sell my data. It's all distributed, code based, and free from middlemen.

As DCinvestor, a Twitter-famous NFT collector and avid DeFi supporter, once said:

“The value of the Ethereum isn’t that it’s a global cloud computer… rather it is a general purpose, shared source of truth which everyone can agree on, while remaining censorship-resistant and tamper-free with no one “controlling” it.”

I'm a big proponent of using NFTs and blockchain technology to improve authorship and opportunity for both artists and brands.

This is not a trend. This is a real solution to issues the internet economy has been facing for a long time — and you don't want to miss out!

So now that you know what NFTs are (unique crypto tokens representing a digital asset), stay tuned for my next article on why you should care, and what you can do with them.

(There are plenty of reasons, but I keep it to my top 6!) 

Coming Soon: Why the Hell Should I Care About NFTs?

If you're a crypto-curious brand, we'd love to work with you.

The post What the hell is an NFT? appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

So, is this just a power play aimed at quashing the competition?

While there might be a touch of that, that’s not the point. As I’ve argued in the past, the truth is that Microsoft, under CEO Satya Nadella’s leadership, has become more competitive and profitable by being open, transparent, and generous with their previously proprietary products.

Keep looking beyond those eye-grabbing headlines, and you’ll see another ginormous number, which is, in my opinion, the actual game Microsoft is playing. Currently, there are more than three billion gamers worldwide (and only 8% are dedicated console consumers, meaning the world is used to playing online games anywhere, anytime, with what they’ve got).

It would also be short-sighted to say this is just a play for gamers. So, let’s get a bit more granular: What are gamers anyways? Human beings. And what is the most valuable thing people have that all businesses desire? (Hint: Not just their money or time, although both are part of the mix.)

Their attention.

Pay Attention to the Metaverse

Let’s take a quick detour for a minute to focus on what we even mean by “metaverse.” Merriam-Webster devotes a whole page to defining the metaverse, starting with this nugget:

“In its current meaning, metaverse generally refers to the concept of a highly immersive virtual world where people gather to socialize, play, and work.”

There’s an inherent issue here: that definition emphasizes the virtual world itself first and then merely scratches the surface about what people can do there. Crucially, it’s missing the motivational chip: why do people do what they do? Plus, we need more details about where and how they get their desires and needs met.

To me, “metaverse” is just a fancy term to refer to where people are putting their attention that is not the real world. It’s about connecting with other human beings in a digital-first medium.

It seems Nadella agrees:

“Gaming is the most dynamic and exciting category in entertainment across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms. We’re investing deeply in world-class content, community, and the cloud to usher in a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes gaming safe, inclusive, and accessible to all.”

As he notes in his book, Hit Refresh, Nadella learned more than two decades ago about the power of inclusivity when his son was born with cerebral palsy. It’s what made him such an outspoken advocate of empathy and human-centric design. The metaverse is, by definition, an inclusive place — it’s decentralized, after all — so that people-first perspective and emphasis on safety and accessibility is a worthy goal. And promise.

It’s also a giant leap forward for everyday creators from the relative constraints of Web2 platforms, where the owners of the private platforms can tweak an algorithm and decimate your business. Still, it’s hard to imagine huge private companies like Microsoft with responsibilities to their investors aren’t looking to plunder the so-called Wild West of the Metaverse.

Well, time to picture it. If you think it’s about plundering, you’re not paying attention. It’s all about staking a claim and quickly developing the things people want and need — entertainment, utility, value — and embedding your business in others’. So, it’s worth watching, learning, and taking a page from Microsoft’s playbook.

The Game They’re Playing Is… Monopoly?

Ignore the word “Monopoly” for a minute (although arguably that is what Microsoft effectively is doing with its Activision Blizzard acquisition that makes its 2020 $7.5 billion purchase of ZeniMax Media, the parent company of beloved game maker Bethesda Softworks, look like peanuts.)

In the game of Monopoly, the more space you snag early on — particularly valuable space — the wealthier you are over time. It’s that simple. And as mega-companies like the company formerly known as Facebook and now Microsoft lead the way, the clearer it becomes that companies of all sizes need to think about staking their claim.

The building out of the metaverse is fascinating for many reasons, mainly because the infrastructure — the blockchain and cryptography — is already in place and decentralized. Nobody “owns” it. However, there will undoubtedly be centralized services. Don’t take my word for it, though — Chris Dixon agrees and then poses the $68.7 billion question:

There will be centralized services in web3 just as there were in web1. The key question in web3 is whether the network effects accrue as private goods (as they did in web2) or public goods (as they did in web1).

— cdixon.eth (@cdixon) January 23, 2022

Using blockchains to build networks helps ensure that the effects don’t accrue to the service but instead to public goods. That way, you get the best of both worlds: powerful, centralized services (what Web2 did so well) and openness (what Web1 and early Web2 did so well).

That’s the goal, anyway. I don’t think the intent is nefarious, but I do think it’s realistic and grounded in capitalism. By leaning into the creators, Microsoft and other companies like them can (and will) win big.

Hack the Attention Graph

There’s an old expression, “Where the attention goes, the energy flows.” And right now, all kinds of energy in the form of capital, from financial to human, is flowing in the Web3 direction. For example, Sunny Jain, President of the beauty and personal care line at Unilever, left after just three years to set up an investment fund in technology megatrends. And the now-former Global Managing Director of YouTube Gaming, Ryan Wyatt, resigned to become CEO in Polygon Studio.

Now, look closely at Wyatt’s statement:

“In my role at Polygon Studios, I will be focused on growing the developer ecosystem through investment, marketing, and developer support and bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3.”

All of those things in Wyatt’s new job description have one thing in common: getting and retaining core audience members’ attention.

And where do you go to capture people’s attention, and relatedly, hearts, minds, and wallets? Headfirst into the ecosystem — not by taking it over, but by seeding it with tools and support. What companies like Microsoft and leaders like Jain or Wyatt are doing is focusing on hacking the attention graph. Where is there endless growth? And how can you get a piece of the action?

Easy: be the toolmaker.

Put the tools necessary into the hands of the creators, and they will put their energy, focus, and attention into creating. And the audiences will come to participate, support, and invest. No need to be the center of attention — let the creators lead, the communities grow, and the ecosystems develop. These things can and will come and go. But the tools are always necessary.

That’s what Steve Jobs did when he put an iPhone in people’s hands that came loaded with a video camera and editing software. (You know I had to put an Apple reference in a Microsoft article ). The old way that limited creative expression snuffed itself out. By democratizing the tools of creative expression, industries are disrupted, and possibilities for new revenue streams are unlocked.

In other words, the more you create inclusivity by putting power in the hands of the creator, the more that you shape the future of the Internet, the future of commerce — the future of everything. You monetize the lifetime value of your audience by monetizing their attention within the communities they engage in.

Bottom line: if you can capitalize on human behavior, you’ll never lose.

The Metrics of Immersion

If you’re trying to grok the amount Microsoft paid for Activision Blizzard and you’re still not sure the deal makes any sense, then you’re just looking at the dollars, and that’s the wrong metric.

If you’re thinking that all they did was buy a massive IP portfolio, you’re quantifying the deal incorrectly. With all due respect to a game like Minecraft, for example (which, of course, Microsoft bought back in 2014), we could probably build a knock-off right now.

What we can’t get easily is the millions of kids worldwide downloading the game and spending hours of their life there. And, of course, you need a cloud-based solution to support all those gamers, as Kiplinger pointed out:

“It gives Microsoft (MSFT) another way to leverage its behemoth of a cloud-based services business. And make no mistake: That scarcity value is key at a time when major cloud companies such as Amazon.com (AMZN), Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) and Microsoft all have designs on the space.”

Now, gamers aren’t giving any of their attention to the cloud, but their attention is what fuels the growth of cloud-based services.

The metrics make sense. Not that it’s simple to quantify a whole new world, but then again, you don’t really have to. Just notice the flow and go to where you know you can be of service and your products and other offerings are needed. Microsoft knew the revenue of the gaming industry increased over 10x in a mere 15 years with revenue totaling $155 billion by 2020. Some people might think their move to acquire Activision Blizzard is a bold bet, but I’d argue it’s a calculated risk and an example of being great at the game of Monopoly when it comes to the evolution of Web3.

What do you think about Microsoft’s metaverse play? How does it apply to your business?

This article originally appeared in the UX Collective. A UX focused community of 434,000+ design professionals.

The post The game of monopoly that Microsoft is playing in the metaverse appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

But, you may ask how can I be so confident in these predictions. Well, I’ve not just worked on some of the world’s leading pet brands, I’m also just about the most obsessed pet parent you’ll meet, taking neverending deep-dives into different foods, their quality, their processes, and the brand’s believability, all for the health and well-being of my mutts. It’s literally the only place where I don’t follow trends.

Behold! My monsters!

And why is petcare and its trends something you want to watch out for this year? The global pet care market is projected to grow from USD 222.93 billion last year to USD 325.74 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.6%. It was quite literally pandemic proof and it’s not stopping. The new ways the brands in this industry find to engage consumers during this stretch will inspire and teach across industries.

So, let’s get into some overconfident predictions for the business of domestic animal care this year, shall we?

Digestibility Over Palatability

We've seen waves of popular food types and subsequent debates hit the industry for years, including grain-free, which surfaced over a decade ago and then sank at times, followed by wolf-inspired diets, human-grade, meat-alternative, and now palatability is a hot one. But, making decisions based on palatability is like buying more McDonalds because your kid likes the taste, while not considering the nutritional value. Certainly, your dog likes the taste of their food, but is it good for them? Maybe not, and that might mean some real health issues for your furry one.

Many years ago, a pet executive I worked with — whose brand will remain nameless — compared their food to “bags of dirt” and said it was “like feeding your kid a bag of chips each meal.” That’s because, while palatable, there was simply no nutritional value, but you won’t hear them complain because they’re riding high in the industry.

Of the many pet trends we’ve seen, digestibility is the one that you should pay attention to this year and beyond because you won’t be able to ignore it once more consumers demand it.

The digestibility of food determines how much is absorbed by your animal. Lower digestibility means more waste and less nutritional benefit. And, some of the higher digestibility ratings might surprise you. Some meal-based foods (meal is a powder-substance made from animal byproducts) have higher ratings than some whole proteins, like lamb, but the origins of the meal worry some pet parents. Sorry, China.

Digestibility all comes down to the way the food is processed, including the heating, drying, and adding of preservatives to ensure shelf stability. Higher digestibility can result in higher production costs and shorter shelf life, which eventually hurt the bottom line, so many dog food companies avoid the topic. Meanwhile, one of the better digestibility-rated brands out there and one I’m proud to work with at DS, Freshpet, largely buries their report in their investor information, so you have to know where to dig to learn more. They do this because consumers are not yet clambering for that info or level of transparency. But they will be shortly, and more brands will be talking about it in the coming months as consumers seek better nutrition for their pups, especially as more and more people speak out, like Healthbud founder Adrien Malka…

“Nutrition has been shown to be the most important factor for optimal health in our dogs and cats. However, roughly 90% of North Americans still feed their dogs a highly-processed diet, which often leads to chronic inflammation, overweight or obese dogs, and a wide array of other issues. Approximately, 60% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese and 90% of pet parents don't even know it. This is very alarming and millennials, which make up the largest cohort of pet parents in North America are starting to demand more transparency across the supply chain from their favorite brands."

Another perfectly odd and gross reason you aren't yet hearing much about it is that the way it's tested is not exactly appetizing. To determine digestibility, scientists have to study the poop after consumption. So, where you are seeing digestibility information is linked to the type of poop your dog is having, which means you’re shopping for a medical condition, oftentimes, not for nutritional value.

But that will change.

Fear of the Five-Year Foods

93% of all pet foods sold in the U.S. are produced by just 3 companies — Big Heart, Mars, and Purina. Meanwhile, the total number of brands has increased 71% in the last decade. For consumers, it’s become choice paralysis. It’s not only which one do I choose but which one do I trust? They all say “healthy.” They all say “nutrition.” They all say “superfoods.” Wait, but what are superfoods? (It’s a marketing term made up by someone like me to make you feel better about buying it.) The result is greater scrutiny and consumers avoiding those who are not in it for the right reasons. They’re called “The Five-Year Foods.”

Of the many pet foods out there, many are not the up-and-comers with new ideas and tech to transform the lives of dogs & cats for the better. No, many of these are the startup pet brands, looking to drive followers and subscriptions fast, increase valuation, and then be absorbed by the Big 3. And these investors want to do it in 5 years so they can move on to their next venture. Forget wellness or longevity and betterment of life! Focus on appearances. Make a splash! In and out in five years.

In fact, 83% of pet food recalls in recent years are linked to products of smaller brands, not the Big 3. That’s because, in their haste for growth and followers, these smaller companies are limited in the verification of their nutrient content or the safety of their foods. And there’s no law requiring any pet food company to do so. #merica

These are the Five-Year Foods, and the market will soon become wary of them because their intention is not health but convenience, brand awareness, growth, and an early exit. All industries reach a point where substance wins out over flash; where reality beats celebrity. This is the year for that to happen in pet.

As more consumers worry more about pets — especially Gen-Z and young millennials — brands not pursuing what’s right and sustainable for your animal will be revealed, scrutinized, and maybe even canceled. The ones that truly love animals and want to nurture their lives will thrive. Don’t worry, they’re out there! Our friends at Freshpet, Wild Earth, and Earth Animal are perfect examples of the heartfelt ones doing it right.

The Content Game is Going Pro

In years past, your vet was your one go-to for all things dog & cat, right? Nearly 60% of people still report that their vet is the primary source for information about pet food, but not so when it comes to every other facet of pet parenting. Because, as the internet grew and grew, the information and expertise regarding caring for a pet spread with it.

In recent years, and certainly during covid, many began turning to places like Tiktok and Youtube for the sourcing of information regarding training, feeding, and bringing joy to your animal. However, these locations were often sporadic, untested, and required much searching and/or trial & error. The “experts” were merely influencers, randos, or reality celebs, and therefore were not providing the useful, consistent, and tested information people seek and utilize over and over. It was about clever hacks, not real results.

While this shotgun influencer content has meant moving beyond centralized hubs of information, how do we know who to trust these days? That’s where we are now in the pet world, and it results in confusion and potentially dangerous situations for our pups. We’re decentralized across the real world and digital — experts and amateurs all mixed up together. Any Tiktoker has a fair chance at being a thought leader on topics associated with pet care, yet that does not validate their expertise.

Last time I got with my data-nerd friends on our strategy team I saw over 4 million hits a month across PetSmart, PetCo, and Chewy's blogs from people looking for answers. They want information, but they don’t want to keep searching. They will find those who are showing up in more places with better content that actually works. The brands that win here have a shot at earning me and other pet parents’ trust, so it’s time to invest in always-on content people can routinely find and utilize.

This is all why the cyclical nature of the human mind will begin shifting back toward centralized locations of information — those we can surely trust and access easily.

We’re seeing it in how younger generations are shopping for veterinarians. Whereas we once began shifting to independent vets — those smaller locations you could know and trust — they’re now relying on the larger, more centralized big vets, trainers, groomers, and now even daycare, like Banfield, who is in fact owned by Mars, one of the Big 3. Why? Because they are a central source for all things pet due to being largely located inside PetSmart stores, where you can get anything and everything you need in one easy trip.

Speaking of vets: their game is changing too.

Watch out for not only tele-vets but travel vets who focus on end-of-life care for our animals.

It may sound scary to consider our loved ones passing, but this service is an ideal way to make them as relaxed as possible at the end in the comfort of home. Simply imagine the fear induced by being at a vet or hospital. You don’t know where you are, your family might not all be there for you, and there are these weird people poking you and prodding you. This is not a gentle and loving way to pass, but fortunately more and more of these end-of-life services are popping up, including a friend to DS, Lap of Love.

Petcare is Going Culinary! (I volunteer to host the Food Network show, BTW!)

While vets have commonly told us to only serve one food, and stick to it, for the sake of the animal, now we’ll grow beyond that belief due to higher quality food benefitting the animal, and not upsetting their stomachs and digestion as unhealthy, processed foods have done in the past.

Beyond just a focus on the nutritional value of foods, more and more consumers are seeing animals as part of their family and therefore worthy of high-quality foods and meals.

What this means is we’ll see a rise in healthy, quality, and creative pet recipes, not just off-the-shelf foods like kibble served up each and every meal. Mixing proteins, textures, and ingredients can not only increase nutritional value but can also keep your dog excited about mealtime.

I myself have a series of dishes my dogs love, including Wakey, Wakey, Eggs & Bakey, which is a Sunday morning delight served with a bit of Earth Animal Wisdom dog food, then topped with chilled microwaved egg and some Freshpet Turkey Bacon. The moment I put the egg in the microwave, they sit by their bowls, ready to go!

But, don’t forget. Dogs are not humans. They have unique dietary needs, so these recipes will be about them and what they can digest because digestibility will be the top trend for dog food in 2022, my friends!

Now, let’s see how these predictions do throughout the year.

If you have any other thoughts on the pet industry for 2022 or want to debate these with me, give us a shout!

The post 2022 Pet Care Industry Predictions & Trends appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

It's a phrase we are all too familiar with over the last few years. A simple phrase makes us all feel human and momentarily powerless. While what is seen of us now lives in the rectangular confines of our screens, the real magic happens when we stare down what others call an impossible problem and we simply put on our headphones and get to work. We may not need to see work happening to know it is. However, the inspiring transference of energy we used to experience together now resides with keyboard warriors solving problems and inventing the next generation of the internet seemingly alone from home.

The design thinking process may be a gold standard that unites the design community, but every creative has a carefully curated approach to jumpstart their executive function in order to yield results. Sit around any creative agency table and the conversation is guaranteed to land on music and podcasts. In case anyone is confused by media representation, TikTok isn’t popular because it is a dancing app for Gen Z. It is wildly beloved across generations as a music and sound bite app. TikTok reinvented the user experience of the hashtag to be community-driven content creation that is centered around sound.

A career's worth of process refinement in order to put on that creative superhero cape looks very different in our new normal. Teams are left to co-create solutions remotely and asynchronously like never before. However, forward-obsessed organizations are already exploring Web3 opportunities on the blockchain to form new communities for their brand voice. As a leader in marketing strategy, I have traveled the country to consult with a range of leadership from small businesses to enterprise organizations. I can share firsthand that there is one universal human truth to team alignment. Seeing is believing. One of my favorite questions to ask a creative team is, "Should we say it or show it?" Visual communication has always been my superpower to influence change.

Do you want to make a big brand change?
Storyboard the target audience data.

Do you want to co-create with others?
Break out the whiteboard or post it.

Do you want to redesign your website?
You better show the research!

I don't like labels but if I had to pick, I identify as more of an elder millennial. One morning, my news algorithm chose hate with a headline that read, Why Do Millennials Fear the Sound of Silence? While that article clearly lived rent-free in my head for months it completely reframed how I thought about productivity in a pandemic. As a neurodivergent professional with a neurological prowess for pattern recognition, there is no line between scrolling for pleasure and scrolling for research. In my strategy world, form follows function and data paves the way for true performance. I started tracking content patterns and I couldn't help but notice the juxtaposition of Gen Z demanding bosses make work more meaningful on TikTok while Boomers recycle articles full of generalized operational or culture solutions on LinkedIn. While this may not be scientifically generational it's certainly a missed opportunity for empathic conversation across platforms.

If the future of work was an online group project then we are missing the first step to design thinking; empathy. The future of work needs to bridge the psychological safety gap between individuals being in full control of their environment and submitting to the office vibe that groups create. As headline after headline begged the question "what does the future of work look like?" I realized we are collectively solving the wrong problem and should be asking ourselves, "what does the future of work sound like?" According to TikTok, we didn’t understand the assignment! After all didn't we all find a quiet place to work from home before we questioned what it looked like? Only focusing on what we see limits our innovation.

Let's talk about the neuroscience of creativity...

What is executive function?

Remember the habit-forming craze in marketing? While "executive function disorder" does not officially live in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) there are parts of our brain responsible for developing the skills needed to be productive in our day-to-day. Executive functioning skills include working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. These mental skills are learned and can also be affected by trauma (like a pandemic).

How does the brain affect our ability to perform?

Consider the amygdala like the air traffic control of your nervous system. Trigger that sensitive protagonist and they'll shut the whole operation down to focus on your fight, flight, freeze, or fawn patterns. Anxiety, panic attacks, and nervous breakdowns are when the show just cannot go on.

• The temporal lobe powers language
• The frontal lobe powers decisions
• The cerebellum powers physical responses
• The limbic system powers emotional responses
• The cerebrum houses memories

My Heroes in Neuroscience:

• Visual Intelligence: Sharpen your Perception, Change your life by Amy E. Herman
• How Emotions are Made the Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
• How's Work Podcast hosted by Esther Perel

Where is the link between sound and the bottom line?

Phew, we got through feelings and by now you may be asking yourself... "okay, but where's the data?" Alex Edmans of London Business School and three coauthors collected data across 40 nations to measure the positivity of songs listened to on Spotify. They took the data from 500 billion streams and 58,000 songs and compared it to the equity markets in the US and 39 other countries. According to the story published in Harvard Business Review:

"We then looked at mutual fund flows and found similar effects: Positive music was associated with inflows. We even ran a test with government bonds, which should go in the opposite direction. Optimistic people should buy fewer bonds, because they’re at lower risk than equities are, thereby causing bond prices to fall. And in markets that listened to happy songs, they did."

If you're still unsure about the future of sound as a high growth category then you should know that Statista estimates that the worldwide music revenue in 2021 was $25 billion and is expected to grow to $35 billion in 2025. We are already seeing sound explode in home auditory innovations like Lovesac Stealthtech Sound + Charge. Its new technology leverages immersive Dolby Digital surround sound through their partnership with the premium audio company Harman Kardon. Also, the most recent CES technology and innovation conference this year debuted several luxury audio products.

How can everyone use sound to hack their human operating system?

Now, I can't share all of my brain hacks without also making it clear that not all brains are the same. Individuals with sensory processing issues, such as myself, experience the world with their amygdala ready to fire off a full-body alarm simply because the fluorescent lighting is too bright. Think of my neurodivergent brain like a manual transmission and the brain of a neurotypical like an automatic transmission. This means I spent my whole life studying what comes naturally to others and running an agile project for my executive function with software updates to my creative process. Luckily for you, I have become an expert in how to reset and get back into a flow state.

My Sound Hacks for Productivity:

Feeling low energy?
Skip the 2pm coffee that is only going to add to your anxiety and sing to a song out loud for a few minutes to increase oxygen in your blood. Make sure the song has multiple people singing. The choral effect releases the feel-good chemicals your brain craves. Daniel Pink dives into how to align certain tasks to natural rhythms of the day for peak performance in his book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

Feeling lonely?
Body doubling is where colleagues work muted on video chat. This ADHD trend and TikTok community have brought us Focusmate.com which enables anyone to find an online body double. 

Feeling distracted?
A perfect sunny day in New England means there are two choices. Work outside as a battery life and glare laptop warrior or admit you need two screens. When outside is a little too distracting I close the blinds and turn on atmospheric rain music to stay focused.

How can sound unleash creativity during any phase of design thinking?

The key to getting s#!t done is a carefully curated playlist. I actually organize mine by mood or vibe. I put together a guide below to get you started powering your creativity with neuroscience. According to a 2014 U.K. study by Mindlab International on behalf of MusicWorks 81% of people worked fastest and 88% of people worked most accurately when listening to one of four music genres. Fast forward to 2022, and we have amazing AI and applications like Endel which suggests soundscapes powered by neuroscience.

Hopefully you'll join me for the evolution of sound in the metaverse. I applied the core four music genres to boost productivity and organized them by design thinking phases and common tasks blocked by executive function. You can use this as a roadmap to customize your creative journey. 

In 2022 I hope you always have...
music to ideate
music to execute
music to think

Happy Streaming!
Alyssa

Sound & Science Guide for Productivity: 

Step 1: Empathize // Research
Toss upbeat instrumental and jazz on in the background while identifying the problem.

Step 2: Define // Write
Clear your mind from all lyrics and get lost in planning and writing ideas with atmospheric or calm classical music.

Step 3: Ideate // Create
Get out of your head and allow soft lofi into your heart for a more meditative and self connected approach to inspire creativity.

Step 4: Prototype // Build
Jumpstart that nervous system and get back in your body. High tempo EDM and video game tracks are literally designed for listeners to get lost in time.

Step 5: Test // Admin
It's a tough job but somebody's gotta do it. Turn up the pop or rap and sing for the serotonin.

Now that we are literally on the same page I'm curious...

What does your future sound like? 

The post How sound can transform productivity appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

From the Experts

In December, I attended my first face-to-face event at the 2021 Petcare Innovation Summit in Boston, MA. This two-day conference, hosted by Kisaco Research, was centered around disrupting the petcare industry to meet millennial pet parent needs.

For nearly a decade, the pet industry compound annual growth rate (CAGR) has consistently outpaced other industries (averaging nearly 5%). And when you unpack this trend, and consider 67% of American families are involved with pets and 1 in 5 pet parent homes adopted a pet during the pandemic (source: NPR), you quickly come to the realization that we are at the base of this hockey stick growth chart.

Oh, and get this, according to Capstone Partners, M&A transaction volume surged to 57 deals in 2021 (a 33% YoY increase) and the expectation is Private Equity firms will continue to drive growth, differentiation and innovation within the pet category.

(Zoe grabs the keyboard) Wooof, woofity woof woofff. With all this M&A activity there is bound to be an opportunity to try something different. Do this, when you are done reading this post, test out a new brand’s buyer journey and send me some treats (Jeff says “...reverse engineer competition”). How about picking up some meal toppers from Healthybud? Yes, meal toppers are the cats' meow these days. My cousin Phoebe said her mom and dad use toppers to make her kibble taste delish.

Now, a little voice in your head says: What does this mean for me? Where is the open space? Am I too late to the party? Nope! Although it would be impossible to share everything in this post, I’ve packaged up select learnings from the conference and sprinkled over the top some insights from our pet clients (Catit & Freshpet) at the consultancy.

Industry Shifts

There is a reason established players, such as Kinship (a division of Mars Petcare), Nestle-Purina, and Central Garden & Pet, joined me shoulder to shoulder.

“Industry leaders are looking for strategies to interact directly with pet parents. Although they have primo placement and distribution locked in, they often lack an engaging way to connect outside of the store aisles or the vet's office. Creating an authentic conversation online may require an investment in the start-up brands disrupting the category.”
– Tom Elliott, Managing Director, Consumer Investment Banking @ Capstone Partners

So it’s only natural that they turn to the hot start-ups disrupting the space: Pet Releaf, Healthybud, Ollie, Jiminy’s, Wild Earth, Cuddly, Happy Bond, Inclover, Diggs, Wagz and many others took their turn explaining why they are the next great thing since BarkBox went public last June. Ask me, I’ll share the start-up directory.

Spotting Opportunity

1 // Insurance

DYK that DS is only ½ hour from the Insurance capital of the world in Hartford, CT? So let's start by unpacking why Pet Insurance CAGR will go bonkers in the next three to five years.

“32% of consumers say that health insurance is important for their pet but less than 3% of consumers have purchased it. That's a huge opportunity for bundling insurance products with other products that are already in the market.”
– Richard Kestenbaum, Partner @ Triangle Capital LLC

• There are 70 to 80 million dogs in the USA and a whopping 47% of them are seven years old or more. Overlay those facts with the knowledge that over 23 million dogs found their forever homes (note: there was a spike in covid pets going back to shelters… but that has since subsided).
• Auto insurers see a 10% annual usage rate. Now contrast that with pet insurance yielding a 150% annual usage rate (i.e. the average pet owner will submit 1.5 claims/year)
• Pet insurance is not like health insurance. Pets are classified as property and are not subject to many of the protections we get from human health insurance (i.e. no such thing as covering a pre-existing condition; try to convert new parents early in their parenting journey).

KEY INSIGHT: As new pet parents are faced with end of life costs, they will think twice about acquiring pet insurance when they replace their fluffy ones. If you want to find the open space, open your mind to platforms like Embark or Basepaws. As they corner the Pet-DNA market, can they help you mitigate risk? Or even improve a pet's life with a special offer tied to your product?

“One overarching theme is the desire and ability to intervene earlier in developing diseases. Advancements in at-home monitoring and precision therapeutics have shown promise. In our mission to bring more pets to the veterinarian for proactive care, we’ve developed an early detection dental health test that is able to provide pet parents with knowledge of their cat requiring care before clinical signs appear.”
– Kristin Wuhrman, EVP, Biz Dev & Veterinary Strategy @ BasePaws

2 // Pet Food

Digestibility continues to garner a greater share of the conversation.

“Just because your dog eats their dinner does not mean it’s healthy. If you ask a five year old if they want a Happy Meal, they’ll probably say yes. It doesn’t mean you should give them Micky D’s for every meal.”
– James Dowd, VP, Creative Director at Digital Surgeons.

And guess what, Healthbud founder Adrien Malka had this to say: “Nutrition has been shown to be the most important factor for optimal health in our dogs and cats. However, roughly 90% of North Americans still feed their dogs a highly processed diet which often leads to chronic inflammation, overweight or obese dogs and a wide array of other issues. Approximately, 60% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese and 90% of pet parents don't even know it. This is very alarming and millennials, which make up the largest cohort of pet parents in North America are starting to demand more transparency across the supply chain from their favorite brands." So consider these truths:

• One of the key topics of the conversation was pet parent education. Jim Heim (President @ Central Garden and Pet) started off the discussion with a simple reminder: “It all starts with taking care of both ends of the leash.”
• The notion of making sure both ends of the leash are taken care of was a thread that was pulled through nearly every presentation. Pet parents must invest in their own education. Understand what to feed, when to feed and ultimately gain a deeper understanding of the “why” behind their pet’s nutrition plan.
• Human Grade dog food was also a hot topic. The question would continually arise; why does your Pet’s food need to be human grade? Pet’s are not humans. We may treat them as children and part of the family, but the fur-babies’ bodies are different and they digest food in different ways.

KEY INSIGHT: As pet category leaders, we can drive higher Lifetime Values (LTVs) if we educate our customers and prospects. We already know customer acquisition costs (CAC) costs are out of control, let's think about fixing that leaky funnel (i.e. customer churn). You can do this by tapping into a VAK paradigm (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic) and craft content that appeals to one’s unique learning style.

3 // Direct to Consumer (Services, Products & Non-vet)

eCommerce sales have soared during the pandemic and it is not just pet food. Today, online pet purchases equate to $9 Billion or 30% of the total market (source: Capstone Partners). And the environment is ripe for service providers to take their business online.

• The humanization of pets trend has no end in sight. 79% of dog parents consider their pet to be a part of the family. Treating your dog like a child opens up new opportunities to expand your DTC offering.
• Considering 33% of Millennials/GenZ believe their dog has specific needs that must be accommodated, it’s no surprise that this segment is growing in the industry. Services like pet training, doggie day care, massages, the list goes on and on. Compare this to 12% of Boomers believing their dog has unique needs.
• When it comes to pet supplies, customers are demanding more. Whereas pet supplies like leashes, bowls and crates used to be ugly, cheap and poorly made, customers are now seeking beautiful, functional, and safe products from brands they trust. Products that add value to the experience. For example, Diggs crafts their ergonomic crate to be the best folding dog crate possible, so you can set it up from its collapsed position with one hand. And all of their products are crafted to please the eye with smooth lines, modern cool tones, high-end materials, and safety for the pet.

Dogdrop is one startup that caught my eye. They are looking to capitalize on younger generations’ desire to craft all encompassing experiences for their pets. Dogdrop is building the largest network of dog care locations and is the first Millennial/GenZ tech first dog daycare brand. The organization has created flexible membership perks coupled with on-demand access to quality dog care anytime and anywhere. After all these are no longer animals. Most Millennials/Gen Z view them as children and will be looking to spend similar amounts of time, effort, and money as you would a typical child.

KEY INSIGHT: Look for trends in personal and professional life. Go beyond the work-from-home trend and hack into a new way of living. And build an experience around making sure your entire family is along for the ride (you picking up what i’m putting down!?!).

“The pet industry has 2 customers - pets and parents. Product design needs to cater to both and solve problems and deliver value to both. In our case, we call it "human and pet centered design". We spend countless hours researching pet and parent behavior to uncover pain points and unlock unmet needs. Customers' expectations are elevated - they are no longer satisfied with 'good enough' products.”
– Zel Crampton, President & CEO @ Diggs

4 // Veterinary Industry

Designing a pet experience that runs from cradle to grave has led brands to start crafting 360-degree strategies. Just check out what Kinship has done with the re-launch of The Wildest. Wildest is designed to offer quality content that helps pet parents solve many of the common challenges they will face throughout pets life. And guess what, they now own over 1,000 hospitals through VCA.

• The 2020 Veterinary industry is currently operating at a $30 billion valuation. Vets and their services are here to stay, but how different age demographics interact with vets is changing quickly. Only 64% of pet parents are using a local independent vet/clinic. Millennials/Gen Z pet parents are drifting away from local and independent vets. These two demographics and specifically Gen Zs have new expectations on various issues central to vet practices. 24% of Gen Zs want customized vet services and 18% want at home services. Seismic shift here.
• The lines between pet services and veterinary care are also blurring. There are currently many organizations who provide services on both the vet and pet parent side. Inulogica was created to help pet parents make better decisions about their pets’ health and then align with select vets.
• QSM Diagnostics is another example of a company helping vets and pet parents to fundamentally change how bacterial infections are diagnosed and treated. Their tech allows vets to provide better treatment for patients. Their products are designed to increase pet owner engagement and improve drug administration compliance by education and involving parents in their pet’s health.

KEY INSIGHT: Look for technology to disrupt the veterinary industry. Much like telehealth has done for health insurance, we can expect major changes and market consolidation to create opportunities for those that move quickly. Or as Wayne Gretzky said, those that skate to where the puck will be.

“Loved seeing the acceleration of innovation in the pet category that we've seen in both the consumer and future of food spaces, 2022 will see a continued acceleration in innovation of pet brands and products which we haven't seen in decades.”
– Ryan Bethencourt, Chief Executive Officer @ Wild Earth

My biggest takeaway, just for you.

Pet parent preferences have evolved to a point where the current brands can not meet these missed opportunities. Find a way to satisfy these preferences and design a solution around the unmet needs.

Woof wa woof woof,
Jeff Mard, SVP of Growth

Walk to More DS Thoughts

Roll Over to Our Pet Work

Bark at me here!

The post Love is a four-legged word appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

Throughout this blog, I will look to shine some light on why I believe this to be true. And how you can proactively start to apply some of this thinking to your business.

When it comes to Crypto, those who emerge victorious, often do one thing very well — they remove friction (hint: it is not just in Crypto; Netflix, Uber, you get the idea). Less friction means more ease of use. The one sure-fire way to remove friction is to focus on design.

Design driven companies outperform the S&P 500. The companies that make things seamless for their users rise to the top. Crypto and blockchain technology is the biggest disruptive technology since the internet. With over 6,500 crypto currencies, the category is fragmented. This fragmentation creates opportunity. Or, as we like to say at Digital Surgeons, some “open space.” And it is that open space (e.g. security, cashing out) that creates opportunity.

RELATED: Why Digital Real Estate is the Best Investment You Can Make

Arculus

One of the hottest topics in crypto is security. The most popular method of crypto-robbery is the infiltration of crypto-exchanges and wallets. We will see over $3 billion stolen by hackers in 2021. Arculus is a cold storage crypto solution built to maximize security, but also streamline transactions. The majority of crypto wallets are hot wallets which are connected to the internet and are vulnerable to online attacks. But, hot wallets make it easier to trade or spend crypto. A cold wallet is not connected to the internet (air gapped) so it is very secure, but much less convenient for transactions. Typically you need to connect these devices via USB to access and exchange your crypto funds. Arculus is changing that.

Adam Lowe, the Chief Innovation Officer at Arculus (a CompoSecure company), explains, “for everyone to feel comfortable using crypto it needs to overcome two main obstacles; outside security threats and complex management tools.” Arculus ushers in a new phase of cold storage technology by using three factor authentication and placing the device in the palm of your hand in the form of a credit card. Arculus’ three factor authentication uses something you are (fingerprint/ facial recognition), something you know (6 digit pin), and something you have (Arculus key card). To complete authentication users tap the card to the back of their phones. Arculus gives users the security of a cold wallet with the ease of use of a hot wallet. The design and technology that Arculus presents is a differentiating factor and the product’s design specifically addresses the job to be done of keeping your crypto safe. Arculus is a great example of design not always needing to be creative. The company’s tag line, “Simple. Safe. Secure” rings true. By removing friction and making a user friendly product, Arculus has set a new standard in crypto cold storage.

Want to remove friction for your brand? ThinkFwd is our technology and innovation incubator community with 30+ FREE toolkits. You will quickly see some low-effort high-impact strategies to remove the friction in your business.

Audius

Lets get back to the soup-du-de-jeur, and talk about a decentralized music streaming platform, Audius. Founder and CEO Roneil Rumburg, explains that while Audius runs on the ethereum blockchain “users don't need to know anything about blockchain tech, nor do I want them to.” Audius’ tech rides totally in the background. To use the dapp (decentralized app running on a blockchain) all you have to do is signup. Once registered you can begin listening and interacting with artists. Artists have the ability to upload unfinished works and test new mixes with the goal of getting feedback and input from their fans. Best of all, Audius cuts out the middleman, meaning artists don't need to sign with any record labels or play any licensing games to get on the platform. Audius has removed friction by creating a seamless onboarding experience for both the artists and fans. The ability to register and be listening, uploading tracks, or interacting with fans instantly is a differentiator (all other streaming platforms require payment).

Rumburg highlights that “the artist fan interaction” is what they are after. By utilizing the ethereum blockchain the entire product is by the community. The Ethereum blockchain also creates complete transparency on the pieces artists own. Rumberg explains,”if we dropped everything and left, the Audius platform would continue to function.” (The blockchain enables users to edit and update the platform through different protocols. Users acquire Audius tokens to have more influence on the direction of the platform.) The ease of use and removal of friction is what has made Audius a hit. It already has 6M users and has many big name artists such as Skrillex, Steve Aoki, and Alina Baraz using the platform. Through its innovative design and use of blockchain technology Audius gives everyone the freedom to distribute, monetize and stream audio. Going forward Audius will be one to watch in the music streaming wars.
Watch Rumburg’s Mainnet interview here

OpenSea

OpenSea has emerged as the front runner in the NFT exchange race (look out, CoinBase is hot on your heels). OpenSea was the first player in this space, coming online in 2017. Their tech is very good, but it's their design that stands above any of the other platforms. OpenSea’s CEO Devin Finzer explains that OpenSea wants to be the “Amazon or Ebay of the NFT space.” To stay on the forefront of this Finzer explains they are investing in better search, functionality, and overall exploration.

Finzer explains that there's a tremendous amount of friction in the crypto space. He hears the common complaint of “I tried to buy my first NFT, but it’s just too hard.” Finzer’s goal is to remove these barriers. OpenSea has worked hard to make the onboarding of newcomers easier. “We want to be the most trusted customer focused product. We have the highest degree of liquidity, the broadest set of assets, and are continuing to expand to other blockchains.”

With the NFT market so fragmented Finzer welcomes and encourages the competition. Finzer explains, “Competition is healthy as it helps lift all the players. A bit of a rising tide lifts all boats type of thing.” The NFT exchanges that allow users to get signed up and buy/trade quickly will continue to rise to the top. OpenSea has 11 + different wallet integrations, making it quick to get up and running. Finzer’s OpenSea is the current incumbent, time will tell if they can slide along the innovation adoption lifecycle from early adopter to early majority status.
Watch Finzer’s Mainnet interview here

Rally

Lastly, I want to point out an organization targeting non-native crypto creators and their fans. Chris Fortin of Rally explains that Rally is a platform for creators and their communities to build their own independent digital economies. Okay, so what does that mean? Ultimately, creators (artists, musicians, gamers, athletes, etc.) enter the platform and build their own digital economy (think Esty, Pateron, Twitch, etc. all rolled into one), independent from any specific platform (cuts out the middleman). Fans can then purchase (through tokens) curated experiences with creators. Through blockchain technology Rally gives power to the creators: no one can pull the rug out from under them.

Fortin explains the ease of use to get signed up, “Fans go on to the site and purchase creator tokens with a credit card, these tokens live in their profile. In reality the tokens live in a wallet on the blockchain but the fans don't need to know that.” This is a great example of crypto riding under the hood. Rally is small at the moment, but continuing to grow and gain traction demonstrating that users are engaging with crypto and blockchain technology without even knowing it. Fortin ends with my favorite quote, “by the time crypto makes it to skeptics it wont look like crypto any more.” Friction will be removed and all that is left will be a seamless user experience.
Watch Fortin’s Mainnet Interview here

Let's talk!

If you would like to learn more about how to enhance and incorporate design into your business, reach out to Digital Surgeons. 

The post Removing Friction in a Fragmented Crypto World to Win with Design Thinking appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

Instagram really changed the game for us artists.

Back when I first joined Instagram in 2013, the app was sort of a free-for-all. Nobody was really sure what content to post, and nobody was really thinking too hard about it. For the most part, it was a glorified public photo diary of your day-to-day experiences. It was common to see Angie posting herself playing guitar, Jake posting a pic of his dog in the bath, and Beth sharing the egregious length of the grocery store line. Very similar to the type of content you see now, but with one large difference: it was being posted without the knowledge that it was content.

In fact, I’m not even sure the word "content" existed back then in the way that it does now — as a commodity, as a career, as a highly desired good and service.

Sure, content marketing has been around since Jello started sharing dessert recipes in Ladies Home Journal in 1918, but the notion of “content” didn’t exist until 78 years later (and even then, it wasn’t “content” as we know it so colloquially in 2021).

Okay, how does this relate to art challenges? Because Content made it possible for artists to “make it”.

It was the first time we could take a step back, look around, and realize the only barriers were ourselves. Sure, there’s plenty of other people who make bank from sharing all kinds of Content: tutorials, music, crafting, gaming, talking, eating, petting, running, and gated Content (the holiest of Content), to name a few. So, one could say there is finally a field for artists to play in, but really it’s anyone’s game. Regardless, we (as a collective of folks throughout the history of time whose soul’s desire was creation) are being seen.

Because “making it” in 2021 revolves around your Content, let's talk through one of the best strategies I’ve seen artists use to SLAY the Content game: Art Challenges.

Everyone’s heard of Inktober—the famously popular Instagram art challenge that artists from around the world look forward to as soon as spooky season hits. Created by Jay Parker in 2009 as a way to improve his skills with ink, it soon grew into one of the largest art challenges on the interweb (and produced a LOT of Content — 21.8M on Instagram alone, to this day). Inktober inspired many other artists to start their own challenges within their own communities, and soon enough, challenges became one of the most popular ways for artists to put themselves out there.

The formula for “making it” in the art world today is essentially releasing enough quality Content to gain enough of a following to successfully make a living out of creating.

Sure, you could argue that your art is not mere content but an external representation of your emotions that you hold to the highest pedestal of expression, but once you subject your art to the black hole that is social media, it becomes Content, whether you like it or not.

Example of engagement from a #creativeglowchallenge submission.

Why Art Challenge Content is good Content (not just for your audience, but for your personal practice, too):

It allows you to practice your craft on a regular basis.

Even if you don’t believe in “Content” or side with Michael Rock on the idea — Art Challenges at the very least help you create a healthy and consistent practice, even if just for a sprint. When else do you feel so motivated to create regularly — and share the journey? An art challenge brings the combined pressures of time and community to light a fire under your pen, brush, hands or mouse.
It eliminates the noodling on “what” and allows you to focus on the “how”. (Get unstuck.)

To help yourself and your practice, you’ve got to create regularly. That’s the only way to improve. Regular wins, regular fails — the more public, the better. Creating consistently not only helps your art, but it helps fill the internet with content directly attached to you so that you have more discoverability and ultimately, more fans. If you want to reach your goals as a creator, you’ve got to create often. And nothing is worse than staring at a blank canvas, like Harry in the beginning of AHS Season 10 (for anyone else watching).

A creative challenge has rules — barriers, guidelines, structure, guardrails — it tells you the “what” so you don’t have to spend any time figuring it out.

All you have to do is decide “how” you’d like to interpret it. And that’s the fun part that usually happens naturally in the making process. Therefore, there is no getting “stuck” — the regulations that come with an art challenge along with the deadlines makes it difficult to waste any time thinking too much. That’s probably my favorite part about all of this: less thinking, more making.

You become a part of a larger creative community.

As I mentioned in my article on the Hue Year’s Resolution Art Challenge I hosted back in January, the community that surfaces during creative challenges absolutely rocks. Everyone supports each other in so many different ways, whether that’s sharing each other’s work, commenting with uplifting notes, DM’ing you through your stories or shouting you out as inspiration. This community is not only awesome to inspire and motivate you along your journey, but it can gain you some loyal followers! Most of the time, participants follow each other and engage with each other’s work, which is a big boost in engagement for your account. And in many challenges, if you’re lucky, the host will share some of their favorite entries, which boosts followers and engagement for that account.

You can create a larger project out of it if you have time to prepare.

Basically what I mean is—the challenge can be as big or as little as you make it. Make the challenge your own! Don’t love the pressure of a daily challenge? Create one prompt a week, or don’t pressure yourself to post to your feed—stories function just fine for sharing work you don’t feel is “feed-worthy” (although I have a whole other article I could write about that notion). But if you’re really into the idea of going all out, you could go above and beyond and not only participate in the daily challenges, but coordinate beforehand to set yourself up to have 1 cohesive larger project in the end! For example, in the Hue Year’s challenge, the prompt was to create something that featured 1 particular color each week. I took this as an opportunity to make a larger piece from this prompt, challenging myself to create a collection of zines around the topic of past relationships in my life.

5 Creative Challenges you should absolutely take part in this fall:

Mab’s Drawlloween (Starts Oct.1)

Mab Graves has been hosting her Drawlloween Club for 7 years now, and with over 400k followers, she’s got a hell of a community. And for good reason — she’s highly talented, down-to-earth, and a proud member of the #sickgirlsclub. She leaves the prompts pretty open, which leaves a lot of room for creativity.

Creative Glow Design Challenge (Ongoing)

More of a designer than an illustrator? No problem! Abi Design, Queen of Content, runs a highly successful design account and releases semi-regular design briefs focused on a single color palette in which you need to design a brand! (Even if you don’t feel like taking the challenge, definitely check out her page as an example of how to keep your audience highly engaged.)

Brief Club (Ongoing)

Another one for my fellow designers — Brief Club is a highly aesthetic, quickly-growing community of designers who respond to weekly branding briefs. The results are pretty impressive. If you need some inspiration for some new spec portfolio pieces (or just need to keep on your Content grind), this will most definitely spark your fire.

Absurdist Collage Challenge (Ongoing)

Can’t really draw, can’t really design? Literally cut & paste images together as a form of expression, meditation, or just plain content generation with this weekly collage challenge. As you’ll find out, submissions truly span the breadth of this medium and leave plenty of room for play.

Visual Mixtape (Starts Oct. 4)

This one is for all types of makers — videographers, photographers, designers, illustrators, painters, animators, crafters, builders, coders, and assemblers. The concept is simple: Create a piece of Art or Content that is directly influenced by a piece of music. You might choose to spend this challenge creating a series of animations for various songs by a single artist, or crafting collages based off of your favorite Spotify playlist. It’s starting October 4th, so get ready!

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Header img credits
@gracie.brands
@khingscollage
@katduboseart
@hellotaralou
@wildflowerdesign.co_
@snowsart
@treastudio
@tajerin.collage
@luckyfig.design

The post 5 Art & Design Challenges to Get Creative This Fall appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

But, I will tell you something no other brand archetype article is saying, and that’s that every brand doesn’t just need an archetype to help them portray and connect with humanity, they need MANY archetypes, working together to create depth and dimension!

Archetype + Archetype = Thorough, Effective, Fleshed Out Brand.

Consider yourself. Are you one simple archetype, or do you represent many, at different times, in different places, with different people? Do you use the variances to better relate to people, or fit in?

Are you not more of a Comedian with friends, and more of a Sage with your children? Are you not a Lover with family at times, and a Caretaker at others?

Do you not sometimes feel like a Royal, some days a Hero, some a Visionary, and some maybe nothing at all recognizable?

On a good day maybe your Innocent shows, others more the Rebel, and others you just need to Explore!

The point is we’re never one thing. We’re a collection of personas and archetypal models of normal, everyday people. Some we strive for; some come naturally. Some are masks we wear for others; some are our true selves shining through. We are complex, and so too are brands; if done right.

Like us, brands should bend and evolve for the environment. They should think and emote and cause the same in others. And if they don’t, we humans sense the lack of humanity in them. We see them as bloated beasts wanting to bleed us dry. They are simple, one-dimensional play-it-safers out for one thing and one thing only — our money. We don’t relate to them. We don’t feel for them. We don’t praise them and introduce them to our friends and family. We just utilize them as needed. There is no residual impact burned and etched into our memories. They are a fleeting utility, not an enduring brand as they could be.

So, why don’t brands leverage multiple archetype combinations to better reflect their humanity and connect with fellow humans? Because it’s difficult, and in the expensive, dangerous game of branding and marketing, best make things easy and cheap, right? Well, the best ones never do.

Brand Archetype Combination Examples

As with every single brand archetype article, I have to mention Apple.

Since you’re not new to brand archetypes, you might have read multiple articles; each representing Apple differently. On some, it’s the Rebel (Think Different). On others, it’s the Visionary (because of Steve Jobs at the helm). Others, the Creator (because of all they’ve created, obviously).

Why? How? They can’t be everything! Is it just that these article writers are dumb? Sure, maybe. Or, it’s because they’re seeing a multi-faceted gem as something less than — something grossly oversimplified and stripped of its complexities to make the article an easy read.

But, remember, Apple is not one thing, as you are not. They are Visionaries in their craft and pursuit of technological advancements, and Rebels in their hearts. As Creators, they believe in not sacrificing design for simplicity but instead finding simplicity through design. And in their stores, they are Sages — geniuses using their advanced knowledge to teach and repair, while also being Caretakers, helping you through difficult times. They have dimensions, and weight, and complexity, but they are not chaotic. That is because they have form and structure to their personality. It is all strategic branding. It’s based on need and opportunity. ​​Who they are in awareness-based campaigns is different than who they are in the product experience, and the in-store experience, and the repair experience. In awareness, they need differentiation from Microsoft and other tech brands — the Rebel. In-store sales need expertise — Sages. In-store repairs need comfort and reliability — Caretakers.

However, it’s unfair to compare any brand to Apple, so let’s look at another: Harley Davidson.

They’re often the first brand attached to the Rebel archetype, but are they really rebellious? What do they do that’s at all rebellious? Nothing really. Surely the history and lore of motorcycles evokes that rebellious sense, but as a brand they are more than just the Rebel. That archetype lets the everyday rider feel like a Rebel, but the everyday aspect is what’s key for Harley. They utilize the Everyman archetype, or Neighbor, to bring the Rebel to reality, making it feel relatable and achievable. The Everyman works with the Rebel to say, “You can be on the outside of the mainstream, but you’ll be there with friends who understand you and this shared hobby.”

Creating Character By Combining Archetypes

Brands are simply characters in a story, on a journey, interacting with other characters along the way. Some of them we call consumers. So, consider your favorite characters in any story, and you’ll see archetypes. But, the best, most dynamic characters are so because they are multiple archetypes merged together. This allows them to react to their journey and the characters and conflicts they encounter. It lets them change, and that change intrigues you. You, as a story-loving animal, are entertained by the dynamics of multi-dimensional humanity and the potential for change and growth. It’s no different from how you view brands!

And, much like how Apple is the go-to example for brands, so too is Star Wars for modern stories…
Consider Luke Skywalker. He’s clearly the Hero archetype. Also called the Champion or Warrior archetype. He wields the saber, does the right thing, saves the day. But, he’s more than that, which is why he’s endured as a compelling character. He’s also the Innocent. When faced with the chance to join the rebellion, he refuses. He needs to stay with his family and do his chores. Why? Because he’s just like you, a normal person with responsibilities at home, so when he’s thrust into the action, you feel as if it’s YOU being the Hero, overcoming everyday obstacles to save the galaxy!

Two archetypes, working together to make the story more engaging.

How about Han? He’s the Heroic Maverick. At any moment he could save the day, but you can’t really trust that he will, because he is the Rebel of the group — out for himself. But, when it comes down to it — when his friends are in danger — he swoops in to blast Vader, setting the main Hero up for the win. That push and pull of Hero and Rebel make Solo the intriguing rogue character — the anti-hero — that we can’t help but be captivated by.

For Obi-Wan, he’s surely the Sage character. He has the ancient wisdom and knowledge that he uses to transform others’ understanding of the world and universe, but he’s also a Warrior Hero himself, with a lightsaber to back it up. This Hero Sage combination we often call the Warrior Monk archetype, in the biz.

Leia? She’s our Rebel Royal. A princess by day, but never delivering what you expect from one. She’s got the poise but is merely poised to kick your ass. She can lead with all her knowledge of the political and royal world, but she also fights against it, which makes her unlike any damsel in distress we’d seen, thereby, once again, making her a dynamic, multi-archetype character that we can’t ignore.

Now, I dare you. Watch TV and try not to dissect the dimensions of the characters and their multiple archetypes. Study how they evolve and grow with time and conflict. See how they work together and against each other to drive the story.

Then, look at brands. See how the great ones flex and grow to adapt to different audiences at different times in different places. You’ll see them because they’re winning, and they’re winning because they’re not afraid to be many things to people, to adopt and adapt archetypes, to blend personalities, to tell human-powered stories. And that’s the secret behind great brands.

What's your brand essence and expression?

Brands are much more than a ‘one-and-done’ logo or tagline – they are living organisms that must be built to scale and consistently cared for as the needs of your business, industry, and audiences evolve. Our Approach to Brand Experience Design >

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Not only does a challenge scratch that itch, it guides you while doing it, and creates a community that encourages and inspires you to keep going.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always in the bucket of “What do I make?” and can easily pass things off till tomorrow if there isn’t a good reason that I need to make today. It’s not that I’m lazy — it’s just that I function optimally when there is a sense of urgency involved.

In early December of 2020, I found myself in a place of limbo, floating through my days, making things here and there, but desiring a larger project with more meaning than the one-off experiments I was sharing once or twice a week. When I shared these feelings with my friend Jenn (an Art teacher) one night over Zoom, she immediately related.

“We just need something to give us a little kick,” she said.
I responded excitedly, “Let’s encourage each other to create every day!”
Jenn’s eyes grew wide and she smiled and exclaimed, “Let’s start an Instagram art challenge!”

I matched her wide eyes with my own, taking a moment to let the idea sink in. I had never even taken part in an art challenge before, let alone hosted one.

“Do we know how?” I asked.
“Does it matter?” Jenn responded.

From that moment on, we took off ideating on different topics (some of which I’d like to host a challenge on in the future) and yayed or nayed each other’s rapidly incoming ideas. We had been circling around the idea of color, and creating a challenge in which color was the base factor. Out of nowhere, Jenn said, “Hue Year’s Resolution!” and our challenge was born.

That same night, I hopped on my laptop and drafted a post announcing the challenge for us to promote on Instagram that weekend. Creating that initial promotional post forced me to ask all of the right questions: What should be the duration of the challenge? How many days a week? What medium? Any other restrictions or parameters to include in the challenge instructions?

We ended up creating a 6-week challenge, open to any and all mediums, prompting creatives everywhere to post 5x a week, focusing on a different color each week. We kept the colors as broad as possible to allow the most amount of freedom for our participants: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. We wanted the challenge to be as inclusive as possible to attract the most amount of people. If we were doing this, we wanted to go big!

Hue Years Challenge Promo Art

When Digital Surgeons Chief Growth Officer and Co-Founder Dave Salinas saw the post, he immediately advised that I put some dolla bills behind the post so it could get higher visibility. I did, and was shocked by the results.

In total, we had over 50 participants, and an ending total of 1,100 individual submissions.

Collection of submissions

But the numbers aren’t what I’m here to talk about today. I’m here to share three invaluable takeaways from this experience that I hope inspire you the way they inspired me.

1 // Starting a community of creative minds is super rewarding

After I finalized the promotion of the announcement post, I watched followers trickle in for three days, many of them messaging me how excited and grateful they were to have stumbled upon the challenge, and how much they were looking forward to creating together.

The work that came from this community throughout the challenge was outstanding. I loved seeing the variety of mediums being submitted by artists from around the world. If it wasn't for all of the talented artists participating, I'm not sure I would have made it to the end of the challenge. It was the community's talent and rigor that kept me inspired. We fueled each other's creativitiy by engaging each other in a plethora of ways, including (but not limited to) DMs to check in on mental health, comments to boost each other's spirits and story shares to keep the confidence running high.

Instagram stories used to promote each weekly color prompt.

2 // People are really cool and supportive

Throughout the challenge, there was a beautiful “we’re all in this together” mentality. Without ever needing to encourage it, participants were actively commenting, liking, and even sharing each other’s submissions along the way. I made an effort to share as many as I could through my own stories, and comment on every piece submitted. As co-leader of the challenge, I was quickly overwhelmed with the amount of submissions and found myself strapped for time when making my own.

I didn’t exactly choose a light subject for my work during this challenge, and definitely felt drained at times, emotionally, mentally and physically, both from the subject matter I was creating art about and from being the active face of the challenge and keeping up with participants. This is where I just want to say: The community is what kept me going. As much as I gave, I received. People were really enjoying the challenge, and were telling me! The comments I received both in my inbox and on my own submissions were really what fueled me to push forward with everything I was doing.

Messages from my inbox from throughout the challenge

3 // A loose prompt goes a long way

Not to take a stab at Inktober (arguably one of the most popular IG art challenges out there), but not everyone wants to make art containing ghosts, or teeth. Sure, those prompts are loose enough to leave a little open for interpretation, but there are only so many ways you can include teeth in your work.

One of the most important things to Jenn and I when creating this challenge was its inclusiveness. We wanted the prompt to be so loose that it could fit any style or medium, but just strict enough to act as a guide. Color was the perfect way to give everyone an amplitude of freedom, while also giving them a single element to focus on.

And even with that single element of color, we welcomed all interpretations. Red week didn’t need to be monochrome—it could include every color of the rainbow for all we cared (I know mine did)! Red was just simply an idea to guide everyone with their work. Red could be pink. Red could be a black ink drawing interpreting the color. It could be an audio track that reminds you of the color. It could be a piece of writing, a painting of a single red dot. We truly didn’t care. At the end of the day, this challenge was meant to encourage others to create, and that alone was the purpose. If you’re creating at all, you’re doing the challenge right.

A few submissions from Blue, Green, Yellow, and Orange weeks.

Reflecting back on the challenge now that it’s over is so surreal. And I’m already planning the next one! (Music, anyone?). The diversity of the work that was contributed to the hashtag (#hueyearsresolution) over those six winter weeks is astounding. I’m humbled by the quality and quantity of submissions and can’t wait to share them all back with the world in a more permanent way very soon.

Follow me on Instagram for the next challenge! @kellie.vibes

The post How Hosting an Instagram Art Challenge Gassed Me Up appeared first on Digital Surgeons.

Ryan originally from San Diego, CA was a member of the US National Sailing team from 2014 to 2020. During this time he won six national titles and narrowly missed selection for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic team. He is excited to be working with an organization whose values are rooted in team collaboration and co-innovation.

Ryan explains, “As an elite athlete you spend a lot of your time training and competing, but what is often overlooked is the amount of effort that must go into sponsorship negotiation and building relationships with potential donors. The Digital Surgeons team has made me feel at home and I am excited to start adding value."

“Judge’s active listening, attention to detail and proactive leadership are just a few of the many ingredients that make him a terrific value add to the growth team at Digital Surgeons. I am looking forward to his contributions across current and future clients”, said Jeff Mard, SVP of Growth.

Ryan will be working closely with Mr. Mard and David Salinas, Agency Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer to fine tune the growth and expansion strategy of Digital Surgeons. Ryan holds a B.A. in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations from Brown University, an M.S. in Real Estate from the University of San Diego and most recently completed a management certificate from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Ryan also sits on the Board of Directors of U.S. Sailing helping to implement the organization's new strategic plan.

Based in New Haven, Digital Surgeons is an independently owned, creative consultancy and full-service marketing agency in Connecticut. The agency focuses on clients that believe purposely driven design can transform and improve brand value and the customer experience, and drive demand. The agency’s capabilities fall into three areas: branding (development, expression, and execution), experience (CX/UX, research, CRM, eCommerce, and design systems) and marketing (demand playbook, content production, social, paid media, and analytics). As co-owners of the $25 million technology and innovation campus District New Haven, the consultancy brings a forward-thinking perspective to every client engagement

The post Meet Judge Ryan, Digital Surgeons’ newest Growth Marketing Associate appeared first on Digital Surgeons.