ATOM FUTURES

One of ATOM FUTURES most important meetings this week: #Inspiration #Communication #Networking #London #Wildlife 😊🙏🏽 🐈⬛❤️🐿️

Heinz latest ad campaign in collaboration with VML titled 'Family Portraits' has brought outrage to many (myself included). The concern playing out on social media and beyond centres around a campaign poster depicting an interracial family wedding with the Black father notably absent from the scene. While many may be oblivious to the blatant and subliminal harm caused by such an image, this serves as an important reminder for marketers and brand strategists to be aware of nuance and the perpetuation of negative stereotypes. While family portraits are rarely picture perfect, let us be considerate of the plurality of modern-day family dynamics, particularly when it comes to inclusivity. Ad campaigns need to be respectful of a range of family structures - be it traditional, chosen, or those who have lost loved ones. This is also a clear example of the need for diverse semioticians in #Marketing and #BrandStrategy. #BlackHistoryMonthUK #Semiotics #Equality

“Wholesomely Unhinged” is the marketing strategy behind language app Duolingo. As the brand transitions to AI-driven learning models, its existing blend of guilt-tripping, obsessive tones and reverse psychology create interactions with users that resemble the dynamics of mildly toxic/manipulative human relationships (be it professional or personal). Watching Duo’s bird notifications on my phone go from cute to needy to demanding wore me out eventually, and made me miss a more in-person approach to tutoring. My experience aside, the existential question remains - should machines be learning from the unhealthiest parts of humanity in order to appear more authentic? The little green bird on my phone screen seems to “think” so. Image Credit: ‘It Started with a Desire to Learn Zulu’ - A digital collage of Duolingo notifications by ATOM FUTURES, Summer to Autumn 2024. #Marketing #BrandStrategy #Future #Education #Technology #AI #Languages #Semiotics #Art #Psychology

Leading Yourself Through the Pits of Hell: How the Truest CEOs Rise from the Ashes 🔥 In life and in business, pain is unavoidable. As leaders, we all face moments that feel like they might break us; the weight of responsibility, the pressure to succeed, and the hardest choices that keep us up at night. But through that pain, you may find the strength that you never knew you had. Triumph doesn’t always look like a formidable win. Sometimes, it’s quietly standing firm in the face of tough decisions or pushing forward when the path feels uncertain. It’s the moments that no one sees that test our resilience and shape our character. Leading yourself can mean navigating the turmoil of storms, not always the pleasures of calm waters. It’s about showing up, for yourself, when everything feels like it’s falling apart and finding a way to move forward, no matter how hard it gets. The real victory isn’t just in building a business. It is in leading it through the hardest of times, and knowing you will come out stronger on the other side. Image quote credit: Alain de Botton #Leadership #Art #Psychology #Mindset #BusinessGrowth #BrandStrategy

Eminem vs Eminem: The Future of Self-Reflection? Eminem’s latest artistic composition, the album "The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)" provides fertile ground to analyse the cyclical nature of semiotics, cultural analysis, and perhaps most importantly, our perception of “the self”. The album is his attempt to “cancel himself”, performing a “coup de grâce” on his own divisive alter-ego, Slim Shady. It is both a provocative confrontation and a tête-à-tête with different versions of himself. This was best visually captured by Complex NTWRK, using an AI generated version of the younger Eminem (Slim Shady) positioned in conversation with his mature, and arguably more socio-politically aware, current self. Reminiscent of a “rap battle”, Eminem reckons with the younger AI replicas of his image as Slim Shady (paired with higher pitched vocals resembling his early rap voice), finally making peace with his alter-ego. There is an honesty to the deconstruction of Marshall Mathers' own identity, reminding us that he is “Not Afraid” to go toe-to-toe with anyone, including himself. #AI #Technology #Music #Semiotics #Culture #PopCulture #Future #SelfReflection #Psychology #BrandStrategy #Metaverse #Art #Evolution See link to Complex’s July 2024 cover story video promo in the comments section (not for the easily squeamish!).

For anyone having a weird time understanding race, representation or themselves in 2024 - I highly recommend Jill Olumide’s book ‘Raiding the Gene Pool: The Social Construction of Mixed Race’. The book highlights the plurality of selfhood and addresses the nuances and misconceptions rooted in historical biases, at an international level. It is essential reading for all, not just self-identifying mixed-race or bi-racial people. A long overdue thank you to the mentors and professors at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and St Mary’s University, Twickenham, whose modules, particularly in anthropology and popular culture, helped illuminate the beautiful spectrum that is identity. #SummerReading #Anthropology #History #Colourism #DEI #Future #Culture #Tolerance #Equality

A Statement in Support of Atom Futures’ CHO (Chief Happiness Officer), Zen. As a currently childless cat-lady, Co-founder and CEO of ATOM FUTURES, I am appalled by JD Vance’s statements regarding childless women and cats. Zen has worked tirelessly behind the scenes at Atom Futures, even before its inception, to bring joy and emotional well-being to the company, particularly during its most trying times. He has often gone above and beyond (from waking me up with his alarm clock-like miaows to partaking in many business zoom calls he was not invited to, but nevertheless attends with fervour, or “fur-vour” as he would probably describe it). He has been a source of comfort and inspiration, and is often credited as the true heart of Atom Futures. For that, I am forever grateful to Zen. Image Credit: Atom Futures' Chief Happiness Officer, Zen. #Wellness #Leadership #Health #HR #MentalHealth #AnimalWelfare #Wellbeing #Work #Culture

The Captivating Craft of Visual Activist Zanele Muholi – And What Brands Can Learn Zanele Muholi’s craft, currently exhibited at London's Tate Modern, is a truly visionary and potent act of resistance. Their “visual archive” of around 600 portraits and stories of South Africa’s Black LGBTQIA+ community demonstrates how activism and storytelling should be a meaningful and sensitive collaboration with those whose stories and perspectives are rarely told. By turning the photographed individuals into “participants” rather than “subjects” in the artistic process, you can feel Muholi’s transference of power and honour to them, and how their involvement allows for an intimate view into the lives of a community which has historically experienced discrimination and hate crimes, despite South Africa’s progressive legal protections. This visual archive, along with Muholi’s stunning self-portraits and sculptures, also beautifully challenge binary notions of sex, gender and racial identity by showing diversity in all its boundless expressions. Their craft serves as a moving reminder that hate and prejudice are best opposed through love (and self-love) as a form of activism, and that we can elegantly transcend archaic societal binds by boldly celebrating our differences and plurality. It is paramount that brands move away from performative DEI initiatives and take inspiration and guidance from authentic storytellers and stories that contribute to successful, unifying collaboration and measurable ROIs. The exhibition of Zanele Muholi’s work is on until January 2025. Photo Credits: Zanele Muholi Alexandra Ncube Aura Freeman #Art #Culture #Semiotics #Photography #Future #Diversity #Equality #Brands #Activism #Curation #Collaboration #Craft #FuturesOfCraft #BrandStrategy #DEI #Foresight #Anthropology #Policy

Software is Never Done, Neither is Humanity: Mirroring empires, humanity’s rise and fall also mirrors the ever-changing world of technology. Recognising this can help us work better with these new advancements. Our predictions of outcomes often fail due to personal biases, affecting even the most expert futurists out there. AI, as an imperfect human creation, needs good governance beyond politicised rhetoric. We need an inclusive approach that embraces bold, innovative thinking. Let us acknowledge the Black Innovators and artists playing a crucial role in this field. Image Credit: "FERAL BLUEPRINT" by Linda Dounia (Senegalese artist and designer) #AI #Technology #Finance #Collaboration #Philosophy #Futures #Policy #Art #Investment

On The Future/s Of Craft: Craft is not just a technique or process, it is a way of living, thinking, an act of service. It is a powerful source of identity and transformation. Craft literally shapes the evolution of our human experience, as we witnessed through moments in history such as the Industrial Revolution, and now today in the unnerving and incontestable proliferation of Generative Artificial Intelligence. The synchronicities between the visionaries of the past (who were often marginalised), and the few today who inspire innovative change through art and science, for the common good, usher in the future of polymathic innovation.   “Craft stands in for the whole idea of what it means to be human, and why that matters.” Glenn Adamson, curator and scholar Image Credit: “Nautilus” (sea creature) by Wim Delvoye, a sculpture made from laser-cut steel, 2012. #Art #Culture #Technology #Foresight #BrandStrategy #History #Leadership #Brands #Innovation #Futures #AI