Welcome to another week of HYPER. A weird one, our friend groups are alternating between being extremely locked in and very bent out of shape, and as always, we’re living somewhere in between.

First off, some context.

We’ve been looking back at a lot of the predictions and editions we did in 2023 — the rise of short form video, the shifting nature of product packaging, the bridge to IRL events, brands launching magazines, the types of collaborations that standout, the rise of maximalism, brands crossing into new niches, building worlds around physical locations, the shift away from traditional luxury brands to new luxury.

If it seems like we have a high hit rate of calling things before they break out, it’s because it's true. This is the power and purpose of putting things onto the internet and validating ideas. But we do this because of our background as builders.

Oren spent 15 years as a marketing executive, specifically supporting brands at retail, understanding the power of packaging, merchandising, and the shift to using social to drive sales in the wholesale conversation and at the point of purchase. Clayton is constantly conversing with the “who’s who” of menswear and taste-driven brands about their brand strategy and positioning.

And through the workshops with brands small and large, the popup shops in the US and overseas, the hundreds of brands and creators that ran through Cut30… we are in the trenches more than ever, talking to teams about what they’re actually doing, and validating strategies to see what really matters.

We aim to keep this hit rate going in 2024 and raise the bar to get our community more active in acting on them.

We regularly see dozens (sometimes hundreds) of brands act on a theme we release in a newsletter and video, and with our new “exercises” format, we hope to see even more. HYPER is a resource based on action, not pontification, and we want you to feel that energy every time you open this newsletter.

With that in mind, let’s begin.

Make UGC without the manual grind 🔥

Stop wasting time on UGC that doesn’t move the needle.

Manually sourcing creators is tedious—briefs, contracts, feedback, repeat. But minisocial manages the entire process for you.

minisocial will handpick creators for your brand, this is why they are trusted by brands like MeUndies, Billie, and Olipop. Let the results speak:

• TikTok ads with minisocial UGC performed in the top 1% of CVR

• saw a 50% lower costs per add-to-cart

• and saw 92% more organic views

Plus, minisocial’s creators also post on their own social channels, which gives you added organic exposure.

Just submit a 10-minute creative brief and let minisocial handle the rest. No contracts, no headaches.

Making references your own, and Creative Briefs 101

Oren has been going hard sharing references on Threads, and it’s a good opportunity to talk about strategies to make moodboard referencs your own.

The Art of Creative Transformation: A Guide for Art & Creative Directors

In an era where everything feels derivative, how do you take inspiration and make it truly your own?

Here are a few practical ideas on transforming your references into original work.

1. The scale principle

Scale manipulation is one of the most underrated yet powerful creative tools you can leverage. Take any concept and ask yourself this: what happens when we dramatically change its size or scope?

Maximalist approach

• Example: Bottega Veneta took the concept of a basic leather weave pattern and supersized it for their "Intrecciato" bags, turning a subtle detail into an iconic brand element

• Example: Jacquemus' "Le Grand Chiquito" bag - took the micro-bag trend and inverted it to absurd proportions, creating a viral moment

Minimalist approach

• Example: Muji's approach to packaging design - taking conventional product packaging and reducing it to its barest elements

2. Aesthetic Translation

Take your existing brand concept, especially if you have a solid existing aesthetic approach, and completely transform the reference using the lens of your brand's DNA.

Examples to highlight

• Ralph Lauren: Transformed utilitarian workwear into luxury items by viewing them through a prep school lens

• Chrome Hearts: Reimagined luxury through a heavy metal aesthetic, creating an entirely new category

• Satisfy Running: Took conventional running gear and filtered it through a punk rock/grunge aesthetic

3. Transportation Theory

Move an idea from one context to another entirely. This technique is about asking "What if this existed in a completely different world?"

Can you move a photo shoot style into your brand world—the Wild West, a cyberpunk future, from a warehouse to a forest, etc?

Changing the sense of place transforms the idea.

4. Beauty tension

Playing with conventional notions of beauty and ugliness creates intrigue. This technique is about finding the beauty in the unexpected.

5. Cultural clash

Combine two seemingly incompatible ideas to create something entirely new. The key is finding unexpected synergies between contrasting elements.

6. Emotional tension

Leverage conflicting emotions to create memorable work. This is about making people feel two things at once.

Getting practical: How to apply this to your work

We want you to find a reference you love (here’s an are.na board we love if you need a starting place) and make a plan to make it your own, using the framework below. Run through the whole list, and come up with an idea you love.

1. Scale questions:

   • What if this was 10x bigger?

   • What if we reduced this to its absolute essence?

   • How would this work at an architectural scale?

2. Aesthetic questions:

   • How would our brand's core aesthetic transform this?

   • What if we applied our visual language to an unexpected category?

   • How can we maintain functionality while changing the visual language?

3. Transportation questions:

   • What if this existed in a different time period?

   • How would this look in a completely different cultural context?

   • What if we moved this into a new category entirely?

4. Tension questions:

   • How can we make something "ugly" beautiful?

   • What uncomfortable emotions can we leverage?

   • Where can we find beauty in the overlooked?

Reminder

The goal isn't to hide your references; it’s about transforming them so that they become entirely new. The most successful creative work often wears its influences on its sleeve while still feeling completely original.

How do we make it actionable?

Oren made a video on Creative Briefs 101 (that also covers lots of the above

Watch the full video breaking down how to brief, talking about reference strategies, and showing exact creative being made by Oren with Darkroom’s Dark Arts design team.

Hyper reports

Check out our market reports. We spend many hours researching markets, categories, and brands & products within the consumer space so you don’t have to.

• A Guide to Excellent Merch - HERE A thorough guide to making better merch of all kinds for your brand, covering everything from factories to fulfillment

• How to Source Blanks 101 — HERE — a guide to finding and producing your own garments, the easy way

• Reports on Running, Golf, and Tennis — HERE — a guide to each sport, the market opportunities, and how to launch your own brand

Inquiries? Shoot us a note here: [email protected]

We’d love to chat!

Oren & Clayton ❤️ you