Friday Fives, Vol. 238
This week we’re discovering how “camel” companies go the distance, pumping the brakes on KIA’s new rebrand, and feeling no shame about how much Taylor Swift is featured in our Spotify Wrapped.
The recipe for startup success is funneling heaps of money into a billion dollar idea to scale it up as quickly as possible. Or is it? Blitzscaling these so-called “unicorn” companies to rapid growth was a method better suited for optimal economic climates and more certain times. The animal that better symbolizes the ideal company trajectory is the humble camel. Camels are made for the long haul. They don’t rely on mythical upward momentum like a unicorn company. Instead, they survive droughts and take slow methodical steps to their ultimate destination. If we may use an egregious pun — camel startups are able to get over the hump of changing markets with a balanced, measured approach.
KIA’s new logo is…different. It takes the KIA brand name and gives it a radical slant, perhaps to evoke a cutting edge, tech-forward feeling of motion. The rebrand has certainly driven brand awareness, but not for KIA. So many people perceive the new logo to read simply as “KN” that 30,000 people are googling it per month to figure out who makes the car they just saw on the street. Others look at it and see the logo for rock band Nine Inch Nails aka NIN. As brand people, we shudder at these results. Yet, here we are talking about KIA at this very moment. Maybe it worked out after all.
Spotify Wrapped Meets Personality Types
We’re in the final stretch folks. What better way to reflect on this chaotic year than to share who our top Spotify Wrapped artist is on Instagram while silently judging everyone else’s listening patterns. Spotify has creatively outdone themselves this year with new features like its “Listening Personality” types (tapping into the ever-popular Myer-Briggs personality test). They’ve perfected the art of personalizing user data with a compelling visual identity, and made it something that users genuinely look forward to. Last year, a whopping 120 million users accessed their Spotify Wrapped. Competitors like YouTube Music and Apple Music are taking note, having launched their own end-of-year listening habit experiences for users to interact with.
Gifs are now ubiquitous in our internet culture, acting as a lighthearted way to bond with coworkers on Slack, a loving reminder to faraway family members or a hilarious conversation starter in you and your friend’s group chat. Chances are you’ve sent a Gif or two in the last year, and Giphy has noticed. They’ve put together their own end-of-year roundup featuring their most used Gifs, from Zendaya crying on Euphoria to happy croquettes. Have you used any of these?
Gaslighting is Merriam Webster’s 2022 word of the year, which is likely causing all of our therapists to vehemently nod in agreement. Defined as the “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time” that causes the victim to quite literally question everything, it’s a dark behavior that’s gained steam in our age of misinformation. The term has seen a massive 1,740% increase in searches this past year. Any guess which famous businessman and politician tends to do this? This form of emotional abuse has been portrayed in hit shows like “The White Lotus” and movies like “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies”, though its severity in real life shouldn’t be downplayed. We’re glad to see that Merriam Webster is shedding light on this ubiquitous issue.
Our friends at Bawi and Sanzo are finalists for the BevNET Best of 2022, an award for the most influential and impactful companies, brands, people, products, ideas and trends from across the beverage industry landscape. The winner will be announced live at 12:10 p.m. PST on December 5th.
Oula founders Adrianne Nickerson and Elaine Purcell shed light on an important issue pertaining to fertility, maternity, and mortality in Newsweek.
Partake Foods makes the prestigious list of vegan businesses attracting big celebrity backers.
Tom’s Perfect 10 appears in yet another holiday gift guide. This time the granola king’s holiday sampler tin is featured in the Forbes foodie inspired 2022 shopping list.
It’s the MLB, but MassMutual is making big baseball moves. MassMutual is now a signature partner of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park. We can’t wait for next season.
Finally, Dieline Awards 2023, the premier competition for the finest packaging in the design community, is fast approaching. Our founder Jolene is a judge for the beverage category. Learn more and enter here.
The Working Assembly is an award-winning branding and creative agency.
Established in 2017, we collaborate with emerging and evolving companies for end-to-end brand building, including strategy and visual identity, print and digital design, content, and creative campaigns.
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