ISSUE 58 /

A BULLETIN FOR
BIG IDEAS AND
BETTER BUSINESS.

OPINION / IDEAS

Culture is
the route
to greatness

💬 Sir John Hegarty 

Ideas are the currency of great creative companies. In most organisations that are driven by imagination, the pace at which you can come up with new thinking dictates your success. It’s no use having a great idea every week (or month, or year). You need to be able to arrive to the office each day fizzing with concepts, schemes, theories, and observations. All of which you can re-focus into something that moves audiences and drives revenue. How do you make sure the well never runs dry? Furthermore, how do you keep the stream of great ideas flowing as you move up the ranks of the company?

I recently caught up with James Vincent and asked for his take on this. He was founder and CEO of Media Arts Lab, the agency dedicated to creating campaigns for Apple (and only Apple). For a decade, he worked with Steve Jobs building the company’s narrative for its ground-breaking products. Since then, he’s worked with an impressive group of founders such as from Brian Chesky (Airbnb), and Evan Spiegel (Snap). Vincent advises that culture, and someone to check your biases is key.

“The most important and iconic brands are run by the people who bring form to something that exists in culture, but has not materialised yet,” he says. “The greatest leaders have independent working minds around them. They are smart enough to be OK with being challenged and will become alerted to the fact that they’re in a bubble. In my position with leaders, I was always given license to be the challenger. The CEO needs to make sure that there’s an allocation, an individual or some group constantly thinking: ‘what’s next?’.”

This comment is taken from a session in The Business of Creativity course. Applications for the next cohort will go on sale on Monday 10th March.

THE AGENDA

🗓️ Diarise this: your agenda for the coming week

✨⚡️✨ 
The Business of Creativity’s very own Sir John Hegarty will be joining forces with fellow industry titan Orlando Wood for a webinar on performance advertising on Friday. Sign up for vital insights into what’s missing – and how to bring it back.
7th March

1.
New Orleans lets the good times roll as Mardi Gras takes over the city today. Expect dazzling parades, over-the-top costumes, and brass band performances at every turn.
4th March

2.
London’s Television Journalism Awards will shine a light on the best in broadcast reporting tomorrow, honouring fearless investigations and groundbreaking storytelling. With the industry’s sharpest minds in attendance, it’s a night where hard-hitting journalism takes centre stage.
5th March

3.
The National Day of Unplugging invites people across the US to switch off their screens and reconnect with the real world. Whether it’s a tech-free dinner or a full 24-hour digital detox, consider this your excuse to log off.
7th March

4.
The Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights returns with a powerful lineup of films and discussions exploring everything from British right-wing extremists to the fight for Congolese independence.
7th – 16th March

5.
International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women worldwide while highlighting the fight for gender equality. Across the globe, all manner of events will be taking place on Saturday to champion women's rights across politics, business, and the arts.
8th March

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BARCELONA / PHONES

Phoning
it in

The Mobile World Congress is underway in Barcelona, drawing around 100,000 attendees eager to see what’s next in the world of high-tech phone design. It comes at a pivotal moment for the industry, kicking off just days before fresh American tariffs come into force on Chinese goods. China is home to major tech companies such as Huawei, but it also assembles smartphones and other products sold by foreign firms, so the extra 10% rise will have significant global impact. Exhibitors will no doubt be hoping to distract from these concerns by launching various new flashy innovations, such as advanced telephoto lenses and AI assistants. But are these upgrades what users really want? Many still dream of longer battery life, something Infinix will be looking to solve with the launch of its new solar-powered phone which will no doubt be stealing the show at this year’s event.

ON CREATIVITY /

AUSTIN / CULTURE

Cashing in
on culture

SXSW returns this week, taking over Austin with a lively programme of musical performances, film screenings, and panel discussions. But it’s not just about big-name gigs and blockbuster premieres – the conference arm of the event will be tackling the crucial conversations shaping the creative world. Expect deep dives into AI, sustainable innovation, and the future of the creator economy, all led by industry heavyweights. Last year, SXSW pumped a whopping $377.3 million into Austin, highlighting the potential of large-scale cultural events to boost the local economy. From its humble beginnings as a local music festival in the late 1980s to becoming one of the world’s most influential dates in the calendar, SXSW has helped transform the Texan city into a vibrant cosmopolitan hub. It’s a model other towns would do well to study if they’re looking to grow creative clout while also boosting their finances.

UK / PUBLISHING

Telling
tales

Children across the UK will be dressing up as their favourite characters on Thursday to celebrate World Book Day. The country’s publishing industry remains in strong financial shape – revenue topped £7 billion for the first time in 2023, contributing £11bn to the economy and supporting 84,000 jobs. However, a new report from the National Literacy Trust reveals a concerning trend: children’s enjoyment of reading has dropped to its lowest level in nearly two decades. But all is not lost. While traditional reading is declining, audiobooks are on the rise among school-aged children. Does it really matter how they consume stories? As long as imaginations are sparked and young minds get lost in tales of adventure, perhaps not.

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