Joy as the original UX design The optimization hangover Rethinking the brief: from hook to lift Joy as compass Choose joy in the design process The strategic imperative of joy
The case for joy. Rebellion in soft clothing Urgency is brittle. Joy is renewable. What joy as strategy actually looks like 1. Designing for emotional lift 2. Surprise and delight as brand currency Joy as KPI Did it spark delight? If so, it deserves to ship. Micro-case studies (Joy in the wild) Marimekko’s 2025 collaborations…
Opening scene: Everyone’s a sleuth now Act I: Mystery is engagement, not murder Act II: Layered worlds instead of single stories Mini case reference: Amos Rex x teamLab: Massless (2025) Act III: Your audience is the detective Act IV: Build characters, not just content Act V: Don’t just deliver content. Create a case Closing line
Act I: The mistake of all action, no change Act II: The difference between what happens and why it matters Plot arc Character arc External events Internal evolution What happens What it means Linear Fragmented or circular Transactional Transformational Focus on doing Focus on becoming What we plan What we feel Act III: You are…
Myth used to mean something The flatlands of Brandland Think like a myth maker, even in a funnel The North remembers. Nordic brands channeling myth Write a myth, sell the shift The Gods are not gone. They’ve been rebranded
The power of darkness in narrative Contrast, the memory mechanism of story Case studies. Brands that let the shadow in & Other Stories Allbirds. The end is just the beginning Selvyt How to weave tension without tearing the aesthetic The gentle confrontation. Add emotional honesty to your soft brand The quiet descent. Build tension through…
Welcome to the apocalypse (It’s branded) What makes story move people? (Literally and metaphorically) Anatomy of a story-driven behavior trigger Story element Marketing parallel Clear stakes (zombies) Problem agitation: what happens if they do nothing? Progress tracking (5K prep) Milestone mapping: visible transformation Sound design, audio characters Immersive brand voice: make it feel like a…
The myth of “too short for story” What is a micro-arc? Micro-arcs that hit hard Rovio’s Angry Birds “Level Up” shorts Too Good To Go’s zero-waste surprise Notion’s dashboard demos Duolingo’s push notification LinkedIn carousel posts telling micro-stories How to build a micro-arc without losing the plot Where micro-arcs work best Arc is more than…
Opening the gate. The Fool, not the Hero The Fool’s Journey: a (brand’s) walk through the Major Arcana Case studies: brands that embrace the Fool Oatly: absurdity as strategy Monzo Bank: naïvete as transparency Bereal: anti-curated authenticity Startups in Beta Mode: constant Fools The Fool in your funnel. Surrender as strategy Launching Rebranding Experimenting A…
Most brands write themselves into the story like they’re Iron Man. But no one likes a hero who won’t stop monologuing about their own brilliance. Especially when what your customer actually needs is a J.A.R.V.I.S. Narrative confusion or, how brands misuse the Hero’s Journey Enter the Mentor. The gift of StoryBrand (and its limits) Case…