As brand professionals and brand freelancers, we're expected to have one finger on the pulse - of economy, of industry, of popular culture - before you know it, you've run out of fingers. The best brand identities and strategies have an innate awareness of the world and context they operate within - and for the ones creating them, staying on top of that context is time-consuming!
We thought it'd be helpful to this community to round up some of the most useful sites, mailing lists, and platforms we use to make our to-do list that little bit shorter. Enter 'Resources we love' - a series we'll be bringing to you as often as we can, to help make that wide world of branding a little easier to navigate. And for this first post, we thought we'd start with some tastemakers... aka, where we go when our inspiration reserves are dwindling.
Creative Boom: Creative Boom exist to 'celebrate, inspire, and support the creative community' and tbh, that is a mission we can get on board with. Made up of roundups of inspiring work, helpful advice, and thought leadership, their content is equal parts stimulating, educating, and diverse - we vibe with it. In particular, right now we're loving their resources for creative freelancers during tough times.
It's Nice That: It's Nice That is the kind of place on the internet that you can't remember life without. It's a creative temple for those that worship at the altar of beautiful design, the vanguard of visuals. We really love their write ups and brand ToV - practical, insightful, and forensic. A place for brand geeks to find solace and sigh longingly at their screens.
BBH Labs: Now this we remember being recommended vividly. And for good reason - this blog reads like lifting the lid on any strategist's mind. It's a fast-paced trip through think pieces, new creative, and cultural commentary, all served up with irreverence and wit. As heady and full-on as it is, it's a super helpful reminder that to work in brand, you're almost certainly wearing a lot of hats at once!
Read. Look. Think.: A mailing list with heart, this endlessly inspiring selection curated every so often by Jessica Stanley is like email's version of IYKYK. A round-up of some of the internet's most thought-provoking and beautiful, you're just as likely to find a link to new Childish Gambino as you are a Renaissance painting, or an essay from Shelley.
The Know: If the news isn't rounded up for us by The Know, we don't want it. Not only is this one of the most visually pleasing newsletters we're subscribed to, they deliver well-researched, timely stories, in an optimistic and practical way. No doomscrolling or clickbaiting here. And for women by women? We love!
What makes the cut for your inspiration folders? Comment below, and be sure to give this post a like if it was helpful!
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