Convergence
I spent the past few weeks compounding workstreams, and they fit. Now what?
Competitive landscapes shift weekly. New behaviors pop-up daily. Technology applications evolve in real-time. Individuation happens 1:1. In this context, brand strategy can be an anchor, rather than an enabler. We need a new approach.
Living in Beta
Branding operated on predictability. Brands evolved through planned events every few years (often decades) and the refresh culminated in implementation that followed rules through repetition.
We now need to build brands to thrive in a state of perpetual beta—through testing, learning, and evolving based on real-time feedback, and see identity, product, service, and culture as components of a living system designed for adaptation.
Purpose as Algorithm
Conceiving systems for infinite iteration introduces the challenge of creating dots and connecting them simultaneously. Brands become self-writing stories: narratives that morph endlessly, defined by patterns and behaviors. What remains (what defines the larger narrative arc) are essential ideas open to recursion.
Infinite Beta calls us to let go of 'strategic positioning' and embrace directionality instead—culture embedded in an algorithm. This algorithmic approach transforms brand purpose from static statements into dynamic systems that generate consistent yet evolving expressions.
Like neural networks that learn and adapt while maintaining core functions, algorithmic brand purpose creates coherent expressions across contexts without rigid rules. The algorithm serves as both compass and engine—guiding direction while powering continuous adaptation.
Identity as Primitives
We also need to build identity organically, rather than by guidelines, leaving room for 'local' decisions. Like a generative neural network, the brand system will generate endless patterns on demand, with the 'algorithm' driving the recursion of identity primitives into recognizable (and functional) patterns.
Traditional brand systems rely on fixed elements and detailed application rules. Generative brand systems instead define fundamental primitives—core visual and verbal components that combine and recombine based on context, audience, and purpose.
The Noöspheric Brand
This approach connects to the concept of the noösphere—the sphere of human thought and connectivity that transcends individual minds. Brands now exist as distributed systems rather than centralized entities, shaped by collective interaction.
LLMs demonstrate how primitives and patterns can maintain coherence while adapting to infinite contexts. Similarly, brands must learn to generate meaningful, contextual expressions that adapt to individual interactions while maintaining a recognizable whole.
Framework for Development
Plot/ New
The shift from brands as fixed assets to living systems is real and here. More than reimagining “branding”, we need to reinvent the creative studio. These thoughts drive my recent founding of Plot, where we're putting these principles into practice. We’re sharing our journey in real time in our blog, and invite you to follow us on Linkedin.
If you appreciate the call to meet the moment, and have a brand you]d like to talk about, we’d like to explore the transformation with you—drop me a note!