Hey you! Slow Down!
Taken from our June edition of Merrymaker newsletter.
Hello readers! Drew again.
Before I jump into this editors letter, Mel and I would like to thank everyone for the kind messages we’ve received from the last couple of newsletters. It’s genuinely lovely to hear people are reading, and enjoying, our little monthly correspondence.
It also reinforced something we’ve long suspected about newsletters — they should be less like a LinkedIn post and more like postcard from friends. No shade to those who like reading LinkedIn articles about Integrated AI marketing workflows and the like, but sheesh! There is enough of that out there, so we’ll leave that to others. We want our newsletters to be a moment for you to slow down, switch off your work-brain for a moment, and reset with a little more energy before your next Teams call.
So with that in mind, today I wanna throw a little thought out there. I’ve been toying with the idea of Slow Agencies. Much like the Slow Food movement which advocates for seasonal produce, local farms etc, a Slow Agency movement would advocate for similar principles around quality and production in the creative industry. In this AI world, I think it has legs. So with that in mind, here are a handful of rules from my yet to be written manifesto, for my new cult… eerrh movement… all of which can apply to any chosen industry to some degree.
RULE 01 - Be an artist, not a content creator
Nothing devalues your efforts more than describing it as content. Seriously, f%@k off with that term! We are more than a tap for output.
❋ Slow down and create art with heart
RULE 02 - Human Intelligence > Artificial Intelligence
We’ve had digital tools for years, but painting and live performances can still make us cry. Whilst the world scrambles for AI at breakneck speed *cough cough NFTs cough* we’ll keep calm and carry on, intelligently.
❋ Slow down, use your own words and embrace the human hand
RULE 03 - Less buzz words, more buzz.
Stop hiding behind buzz words. Be a human. Present your ideas and energy to the person in front of you. Your value is not gauged by your LinkedIn lexicon.
❋ Slow down and converse, not just talk
RULE 04 - Magic, intuition and leaps of faith are good.
It’s time to acknowledge the role of magic, intuition and leaps of faith in what we do. Embrace happy accidents! Allow yourself to enjoy unexpected choices! Stand up for the eccentric! Ignore insta!
❋ Slow down, stare at a blank page and allow the unknown to enter the chat
RULE 05 - Physicality is precious!
As Bauhaus artist Paul Klee said (kinda) “take a line for a walk”. Physically make stuff! Use paint and graphite! Celebrate texture! In a digital world, the ‘un-deletable’ will stand out and live on.
❋ Slow down and make things the old fashion way
RULE 06 - Enter other circles and absorb
Absorb the work of other disciplines. Different professionals do things differently. Your next design breakthrough could be found in a theatre or a potters studio.
❋ Slow down and absorb the great work of other industries
RULE 07 - Do not talk about fight club
Seriously. Brad will get upset.
My Slow Agency movement is not all about decrying AI and longing for the old ways - I’ve not reached that level of old-man cynicism… yet. But it’s a reminder to move the spotlight back onto what makes great work, regardless of the tools: artistry, human collaboration, direct communication, intuition, crafted execution, inspiration and Brad Pitt.
Comrades! Join my Slow Agency movement now! 1 free drink on entry!
D
