Let women live. In 2024, these three words are a common exhale. Expressed with equal parts adamance and exasperation, it’s an idea that not only resonates with more than half the world’s population but is reflected in both progress and setbacks across nearly every industry and field. But within the systems at play, can they? Even as women’s health gains recognition, stigma continues to threaten underserved needs. For women, defined here as anyone aligned with the female physical experience, healthcare remains a prevailing barrier.

Sexual wellness is on an upward trajectory and femtech is the buzzword of the moment. Yet for women looking to treat everyday needs, available solutions largely fall short of meeting the conditions they’re designed for. Take the 10 years it typically takes for a proper endometriosis diagnosis, no matter that 190 million women and girls worldwide suffer from this cause of chronic pain (Fast Company). Women are more likely to be at a disadvantage when seeking medical interventions due to lack of access, lower effectiveness, or both (McKinsey). It’s a disparity that extends from women’s health conditions to even such common ailments as asthma and cardiovascular disease.

But the imbalance doesn’t end with medical care. Visit a pharmacy or retailer and, in most cases, the wellness aisle can still be found prioritizing the latest immediate fix over dedicated options for health needs specific to women. Think dieting, energy pills, and endless cycles of cosmetic trends, over support for fertility and pregnancy to care for pelvic conditions and menopause. The typical assortment demonstrates the disconnect between where investment is coming from and going within the health and wellness sectors. Statistics show that only 2% of overall venture funding in health companies is invested in women’s health startups (Fast Company). Meanwhile, according to a recent study on the global wellness market in 2024, women are spending more of their own money on menstrual care and sexual health than any other categories of wellness products (McKinsey). It’s time for the health and wellness industry to get to know who it’s caring for — and to deliver on what they want.

Through unapologetic representation and open dialogue, rising brands led by women are building a blueprint to challenge the status quo. Nadya Okamoto, founder of the nonprofit PERIOD., began her company, August, in response to the deep-seated need for a sustainable, affirmative, and gender-inclusive period care brand. But meeting the immediate needs of people with periods is only the beginning. “I think there’s also a need to talk about overall period health — not just about period blood, but about all the related PMS symptoms too,” she affirms. And the efforts of Okamoto and others are boldly recontextualizing issues that have gone underserved. The fact that women are paying more attention to their underlying health and looking for solutions that promise long-term impact offers a mutual opportunity for brands.

Creating a caring consumer experience through visual identity and messaging to disrupt societal norms and industry conventions is an approach that can’t be overlooked. Reia, a brand that offers a modern-day solution for a widely prevalent condition, was founded on this awareness. Ariana Sopher and her co-founders were in college when they learned that 50% of post-menopausal people experience pelvic organ prolapse. And when they discovered how archaic most of the tools and medical devices used to treat the condition have remained, they committed to being part of a better reality for women. Prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility became important not only for the design of their device but across their entire consumer experience — a pursuit ThoughtMatter was proud to support. From the material and form of Reia’s pessary to the brand’s color palette and instructions for use, making the consumer feel supported was key, shared Sopher. “We want people to feel like we really thought about them every step of the way.”

For Alexandra Fine, founder of Dame, starting the dialogue to invite more people into the conversation is a powerful motivation. Dame made its name in products for pleasure, and as someone who built her career from a desire to talk about sex, Fine is committed to changing the way sexual wellness is understood. The brand also runs Dame Labs, which focuses on ‘people-centered research’, and Swell, a blog that explores ‘all things sexual wellness.’ Creating community through dialogue is something she’s seen both Dame’s products and platform empower.

The necessity of new healthcare solutions is becoming undeniable. There is a growing demand for brands that meet the needs of women, both in use and through thoughtful communication and design. Brands like PERIOD., August, REIA, and Dame embody this balance in a fashion that is intentionally bold and functionally focused. Meanwhile, innovation within the health and wellness sector is finding support at the national level. At the end of 2023, the White House announced the Initiative on Women’s Health Research, emphasizing the importance of tailored research, support, and future resources for women (Forbes). And the math adds up. Addressing the women’s health gap could add years to life for women, not to mention a better quality of life, and potentially boost the global economy by $1 trillion annually by 2040 (McKinsey).

It’s a classic case: Women deserve the same quality of care as anyone else. But this doesn’t necessarily mean the same care. Instead, women are looking for treatment options they can access, trust, and rely on. The health and wellness industry’s understanding of underserved conditions can be deepened by first-hand knowledge from the very people who are looking for ways to feel better. It’s an approach to healthcare that stands to transform the industry for us all. But for women, and others with underserved needs, it’s a state of care that’s long overdue. Because we don’t just want to live. We want to live well.

This post was written by Shanti Basu. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on LinkedIn.

Speaking Experience into Care: How Women are Challenging Stigma to Redesign Health & Wellness… was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

At ThoughtMatter, we challenge the premise that art relies on notions of beauty. Instead, we endorse the idea that it exists for a higher purpose — to provoke. Art calls us to attention and demands we take note. It cultivates compassion, conveying awareness through a unique language of ideas and emotions. Most importantly, it brings us into the stories it shares.

In our pursuit of creativity, we believe that the ability to stir feeling, challenge viewpoints, and evoke thought is imperative. Our commitment to being a studio with an artful perspective is driven by our belief in art that has something to say — especially from individuals who have been systematically silenced or have gone unheard.

Through a closer look at the art that inspires us throughout the year, join us in celebrating the perspectives of the Black artists that share our studio and how they inspire us to expand and deepen our creative practice.

HEW LOCKE

Hew Locke turns a critical eye across his work to the ‘heroes’ who have inspired public monuments, and how society’s continuous evolution shifts our understanding of the power dynamics that lifted their legacies.

Informed by his Guyanese-British heritage, Locke’s own monumental creations disfigure Western history to call attention to these flawed narratives. He layers time through visual juxtapositions or by reworking pre-existing imagery, seeking to re-contextualize people who were formerly lionized.

One such example is Locke’s “Stuyvesant” (2018), a sculptural photograph of the last Dutch governor of the New Amsterdam colony. His is a name known across New York City, yet his involvement in the slave trade and antisemitism has only more recently been acknowledged.

In Locke’s recognition, Stuyvesant is presented in forbidding armor adorned with an intricate collage of skeletons and skulls. The result is a figure who is much more fearsome than revered, acknowledging the many lives unjustly harmed and too long forgotten.

LAVAR MUNROE

In fantastical landscapes of highlighter hues, Lavar Munroe converges narratives of personal, historical and mythological conception. Inspired by his upbringing in the Bahamas and travels throughout Africa, his work often expresses the conflict between a desire to escape and a longing for home — challenging curious onlookers to journey beyond the familiar.

Landing between painting and relief sculpture, “Land That I Heard Of Once in A Lullaby” (2023) depicts the experience of displacement through unexpected imagery. Recently awarded a Guggenheim, Munroe both grounds and abstracts the adversity faced by migrants seeking survival around the world.

LEBOHANG KGANYE

Though primarily a photographer and visual artist, Lebohang Kganye tells stories of home, refuge, family and identity. Born, raised, and currently based in South Africa, her work relates intimately to the enduring impact of Apartheid and the Bantustan people.

Enlisting oral tradition as source material, Kganye explores the familial history of herself and others to re-enact ideas of home and belonging. Composed of artfully collaged elements, the black and white scenes found in works such as “Never light a candle carelessly, from TellTale” (2018) and “O emetse mohala, from the Reconstruction of a Family” (2016) speak to the cruelty of a population forced to leave all they’ve known behind.

ROMÉO MIVEKANNIN

Roméo Mivekannin was trained as an architect, but notably began painting in 2019 after visiting a landmark exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay spotlighting the Black models portrayed in historic French masterpieces. In her book ‘Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age,’ journalist Farah Nayeri recounts the artist’s reflection on this experience. “I had an instant desire to relive the past, to put myself in those people’s place, to cross over to the other side of the canvas,” he explained. “I wanted to make the viewer confront history.”

Mivekannin’s own work pieces the past and present together through self-portraiture, replacing the faces found in colonial imagery with his own. He creates tension through converging representation: of now and then, of male and female form, of perception and reality, of a direct and subjected gaze. One such example is “Jeunes Filles Sénégalaises” (2021), which was created on fabric buried in soil to impart natural color, then illustrated with photographic and painted images that superimpose Mivekannin’s own face onto the bodies of young Senegalese women. Though visually arresting, the resulting piece of work bears many layers of intangible story. His work additionally recognizes his own family’s history as part of the royal Benin lineage, ancestors who fell from power as a result of colonizing forces.

JEAN-DAVID NKOT

Jean-David Nkot is a painter of the human condition of which “PO Box the feet story” (2019) is a striking example. Showing a diagram of a densely-populated city and its streets from above, the painting gradually reveals the foot of Africa, referencing its people working in those environments who too often go unseen.

From his native Cameroon, Nkot has delved into the exploitation of raw materials in Africa and the economic and political stakes driving these industries since 2020. More recently, his work finds focus in fields of cotton, the cultivation of which he associates with the beginnings of capitalism. His paintings express the impact this crop has had not only on humans, but the environment.

Nkot brings to light the workers who toil in the shadows. He compensates for their lack of visibility through contemporary consideration, prompting his viewers to rethink the relationships we conduct between ourselves and with the planet.

MALALA ANDRIALAVIDRAZANA

The work of Malala Andrialavidrazana is inspired by moving from one place to the next. Raised in Madagascar before settling in Paris, she interrogates the barriers and interactions of culture through both abstract and figurative depiction. In doing so, her work presents a new language of considering history while simultaneously engaging contemporary issues and developments.

Her Figures series begins with maps to trace the complex consequences of empire-building in the 19th century. Elements of photography, collage, illustration and text are brought together to form a pictorial narrative of ‘movement, space and connectivity.’ “Figures 1899, Weltverkehrs und Kolonialbesitzen” (2016) is a resounding instance: a map of the world framed and reclaimed by the creatures it was meant to hold.

From the charted narratives of Malala Andrialavidrazana to the symbolic appropriation of Roméo Mivekannin, our founder Tom Jaffe has spent years collecting work by artists with a point of view. In surrounding our work with ideas often shied away from or seen as difficult to put into words, this art makes visible what we seek to continue to create — work that is launched by a passion for connection, fueled by purpose, and driven by the goal of a better world to share.

Amidst the artistry that fills our walls, we take note of the artists who seek to express themselves in the face of adversity, recognizing the creativity that has prevailed against injustice and oppression.

Together, our embrace of visual communication is a generous act that connects us at our core. It’s said a picture is worth a thousand words, but perhaps the true value of imagery still lies in what the artist hopes to convey.

This post was written by Shanti Basu. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on LinkedIn.

Creative Vision: Celebrating the Black Artists who Inspire our Studio’s Perspective was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The challenge to come up with honest, forward-thinking solutions without falling back on the jargon of the moment is nothing new to the design industry. We’re asked to be brave, to inspire clients as well as their customers. But connecting with consumers over the important issues of the day while keeping a fixed eye on business priorities is a formidable task. Without the right balance, brands risk falling short of meaningful impact — caught in a whiplash of bold statement and meek retreat. Today, the value of creative expression that takes a firm and focused stance to champion what a brand believes in has never been clearer.

What lies beyond bravery? It’s a critical question at a time when everything from global conflict to creative burnout can be paralyzing. It’s why we all need inspiration and leadership that lives up to the provocations of the moment. As we find our footing in 2024, the ThoughtMatter team shares our thinking on what might guide us forward as we look to the power of design to shape the world.

Honesty, Integrity & Precision

Standing tall for what we know to be true.

Honesty — Johan Vipper, Art Director

Because it matters more than ever.

Integrity — Nick Clemens, Senior Designer

It’s easy to “own” bravery without understanding it or backing it up, especially with social media networks like LinkedIn and IG. These platforms make it easy to posture yourself as an agent of change without taking any tangible action. Integrity is actually owning what you say.

Precision — Dylan Stiga, Senior Strategist

People and brands alike don’t need an opinion on every single issue, nor should we expect one. Instead, let’s make precision the expectation — get exact and selective in what we choose to speak to, and speak to it with fluency and judiciousness. This kind of consideration not only gives a person or a brand the best opportunity to make an impact, but also the capacity to garner the kind of recognition they might desire for that effort.

Instinct & Intuition

How we identify and trust our inner wisdom.

Instinct — Megan June, Studio Coordinator

We’re always telling kids and teens to go with their instinct, to “trust their gut.” What is your instinct telling you?

Intuition — Gabriela McNamara, Creative Operations Lead

Intuition often plays a key role in the creative process, allowing us to come up with novel ideas, solutions or insights that may not be evident through conventional thinking. This can be particularly useful in complex or ambiguous situations.

Coterie & Clarity

Finding a clear way forward, together.

Coterie — D’Angelo Heyward, Designer

The world is full of injustice, war and uncertainty. But, there is strength in numbers — we have witnessed what happens when people band together for a common goal, good and bad. Imagine what else is possible when a collective is inspired by a thought, an idea or each other to achieve greater good.

Clarity — Shanti Basu, Creative Strategist

Bravery is admirable, but can lose momentum without understanding and direction. We need to embrace the insight of new perspectives and shared experience to convert our passions into impactful change. Seeing the full picture empowers us to confidently move forward.

Guts, Zest & Nerve

That undeniable, go-out-and-get-‘em feeling.

Guts — Diana Ross-Gotta, Senior Account Manager

Guts gets at the visceral nature of braving, of daring, of taking risks. It also puts emphasis on the human aspects that differentiate us from devices, technology and AI. We can feel and sense, and by being close to those elements of our humanity, it can help lead us to take wise action. Guts is about acknowledging the fear, the worry, the anxiety and still leaping forward.

Zest — Mari Andreatta, Business Development Lead

I often (over)think about purpose and the reason for doing something when zest is enough. Zest is the why. To me, this is intensity in its healthiest form, and never at the expense of others. It is energy and enthusiasm for a subject or cause, for life. It’s impossible to feign such genuine excitement.

Nerve — Tom Jaffe, Founder & Chief Executive

Whenever my mother thought you said something that really angered her, she said, You have some nerve! In other words, how dare you. For me, it means, dare or be square.

Action & Resilience

Stepping up to the plate to defy the odds.

Action — Rosemarie Albanese, Strategist

Bravery does not exist in a vacuum — bravery is invoked when there is an action to take that makes you feel scared or vulnerable. While subjective to all who access bravery, this action must challenge one’s personal status quo.

Resilience — Samantha Barbagiovanni, Design Director

I see bravery as taking that initial leap. Resilience is getting up from that potential stumble and leaping again, and again, and again. It’s unstoppable bravery, no matter the challenge. I want our industry and our world to continuously push forward in what they believe in, individually and as a collective.

In 2024, it’s time to explore the possibilities of purposeful action. Find your own evolution of bravery. No matter how you choose to define it, design has a powerful capacity to transform brave intentions into reality. As summed up by our motion designer, Jeff Donlan, “We can’t be complacent, content, or silent this year.”

This post was written by Shanti Basu with thinking contributed by the ThoughtMatter staff. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on LinkedIn.

Beyond Bravery was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Food has kept us humans going since, well, we first got hungry. But beyond today’s snack runs and our daily breaking bread, food has become a powerful social tool — especially in a metropolis like New York City, where a diverse, dynamic population is reflected in an ever-growing abundance of cuisines and flavors. Food now offers a way to build an understanding of each other; appreciating our differences, strengthening our connections, and prompting us to think tastefully about the most relevant social issues of our time.

From sustainability to human rights, ThoughtMatter fills its plate with these themes. Recently, we helped our client Misfits Market create a private label line of pantry staples and prepackaged goods, a smart brand extension by a grocery delivery service that’s built a following saving food destined for disposal. This tasteful pairing of beautiful packaging and brand offering has further fed our collective appetite for impactful work. Luckily, expanding our taste horizons in a city like ours is a constant and welcome pursuit.

Last week, we visited the Museum of the City of New York to continue exploring the impact of food systems in our area. Its exhibition ‘Food in New York: Bigger Than the Plate’ offer a collective response to the challenges facing sustainability, labor justice and equitable food access, including a look at solutions being developed by fellow artists and designers. Reflecting on the experience, our team shares their own perspectives below.

Megan June, Studio Manager

I hadn’t been aware of how long a journey some food items take before they end up in a particular supermarket in a particular city. We, as consumers, are so concerned about the “freshness” of our food, when much of our food is potentially harvested many weeks before it ends up in a bin or behind a counter for our selection. And often, if it doesn’t appear “perfect,” we are quick to dismiss it and its lengthy migration is all for nothing and it goes to waste.

That’s why a company like Misfits Foods is so wonderful, since it has found a way to successfully market foods that would otherwise be picked over for being “imperfect.”

Mari Andreatta, Business Development Lead

I’d say the biggest challenge facing food systems is the passive consumer. If you’re eating food…you’re part of the system. And it’s important to question the systems we’re in so we can make them more equitable & sustainable for all.

I think brands can use design and storytelling to help make food a more interactive experience once it’s in our hands. How did it get here? Who made it possible? What is next for the packaging or parts of the food we don’t eat?

Rosemarie Albanese, Strategist

I became keenly aware of how interconnected our food ecosystem is. Every organism plays a vital role in providing nutrition, from farm to table or beehive to honey bottle. It made me think about how much more care we can put into the various processes that result in food on our plates. For example, bees play a vital role in pollinating vegetation.

Seeing exhibits that paid homage to their role in our ecosystem was a great reminder of how society should cultivate systems that honor and protect such creatures. Design and branding support this connection through awareness campaign work executed via strategic partnerships with community partners who do essential work in Environmental Social Governance. The power of design can help guide consumer behaviors and purchasing decisions that align with their values of keeping the food ecosystem ethical.

Dylan Stiga, Senior Strategist

There is such a big need for bringing more visibility to every step of the food system. Each bite of food we decide to consume has so many different layers of impact, both positive and negative depending on your choice and affects so many different people.

We like to talk about food being this great tool to bring us together, and it’s usually around the sentiments of sharing tables, passing down recipes through families and cultures, breaking down barriers by aligning us through taste and putting smiles on our faces even if we can’t communicate through language. All really nice and important sentiments, but let’s take that idea to next stage.

Let’s talk about food being something that brings us together and connects us at the system level. Let’s bring more clarity around what’s really going on and more inspiration to make better decisions. I think that’s where art, design and branding play a huge role.

Wherever we find ourselves within food systems, there is important impact to make. Thinking critically about the values, power structures and opportunities for connection that surround what and how we eat is essential to feeding the future. We know today’s movers and shakers are driven by an eye on what’s ahead, and responding to the challenges we face must be a creative and collaborative effort.

For brands, this means considering what will add the most value to the lives of their consumers, now and for years to come. There is an enormous opportunity to innovate and expand in the interest of the greater good, aligning brand offerings with their audiences’ ethical considerations while strengthening the longevity and purpose of their own products and services.

At ThoughtMatter, we are eager to support the brands and organizations leading the charge for this kind of thoughtful intervention. With an artful perspective and a deep investment in unmet needs, our studio of hungry creatives is the place for those looking to create change. Through food and other cultural mediums, we believe deeply in the power of design to respond to the world thoughtfully, crafting a better future together.

Does your brand have work of this kind in mind? Reach out to us today to collaborate!

This post was written by Shanti Basu with thinking contributed by the ThoughtMatter staff. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.

Finding Our Place in Food Systems was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There’s a moment after taking the first bite of a meal when our taste receptors begin their run of show. Salt punches in at the tip of the tongue and acidity kicks in on the sides of the mouth as the bitter notes rush to the throat. As the flavors start to take hold, our reaction can often be emotional: recognition, a surprise, a sense of delight, a savory satisfaction. This is food’s universal facility, a promise that exists before function or form.

Food is a great unifier. We are born asking to eat, and throughout our lives this essential function brings us together. We arrive at table or window or counter for a first whiff of smells strange and familiar, impatient for the satisfaction ahead. In its provision, preparation and anticipation, people have eagerly converged through the ages, creating time and space for community and kinship.

These days, the pace of life often leads us to reach for our food — from restaurants and premade services to markets and grocery shelves. Whether through a comforting readymade recipe, a new eatery featuring less traveled cuisine, or a global ingredient found locally, these offerings provide exciting opportunity. The branding of food is a powerful force when it speaks to an individual so deeply that it is possible to see a reflection of themselves; an extension of their identity, personality, or needs. A new taste or recommendation becomes an invitation to understand who someone is and where they come from.

In many of its favored forms, food is steeped with nostalgia. From the salt or sugar overload of a childhood treat to the improvised meals of adolescent living, we gather a treasure trove of timeless flavors as we move through life. Recreating a memorable dish is a way to travel across time and place, often finding form as the traditions and heirloom recipes a family or community passes down.

Yet the meaning of food can evolve, especially at the personal level. For first-generation Americans, individuals born to one or more parent coming to the US from abroad, a unique existence between cultures is exemplified in the convergence of traditions and flavors. Fragrant lunch boxes full of ingredients found beyond the typical grocery store shelves can be isolating, while American childhood food traditions might feel foreign growing up in a multicultural home.

One such example is Kolkata Chai, founded and run on New York City’s Lower East Side by two first-generation Indian American brothers. Across South Asia, sipping chai is a ritual found routinely in family homes, but also in tea shops and along bustling streets. It’s a cultural mainstay familiar across the diaspora, often paired with shared company and snacks. Inspired by this awareness, Ayan and Ani Sanyal began the café with a simple idea: “How do we extend the authenticity, respect and tradition behind a cup of masala chai to NYC?”

With bold, colorful branding and innovative offerings like seasonal soft serve and oat milk variations, Kolkata Chai is not inauthentic but rather expansively inspired. Creating a brand experience true to a multicultural lived experience has brought a timeless drink to new tastebuds. What remains consistent is what draws crowds of caffeine and culture lovers alike — the warm welcome of ginger, cardamom, black tea and milk.

In brick and mortar and beyond, food brands are embracing this fusion of cultures and cuisines with growing momentum. In 2023, Food Business News predicts the rise of ‘mosaic’ cooking, the continued convergence of regional and global flavors. Autobiographical diaspora cooking, another approach in focus, refers to chefs bringing together American foods with heritage recipes.

The diversity and adaptation embodied by first-generation and multicultural American identity is inspiring new ways to expand our palettes. Brands like Omsom, which offers a full spectrum of pantry starters for Asian dishes, and Diaspora Co., a fair-trade spice company, create ethical access for consumers to make beloved or discovered dishes their own. Both also pair iconic flavors with equally bold brand expression and visual representation across platforms, embracing their positioning by challenging stereotypes around food and its origins.

Food is a way to show appreciation for the culture and traditions of others. When we are invited to such a meal, we step beyond our own experience with an innate curiosity that’s often obscured. Eating together lets us experience stories that extend far beyond one place or person. Being offered a seat at the table, a phrase today imbued with contended meaning, is remembered around a meal as a humanizing gesture of acceptance and good will. There is something immeasurable to value in the everyday actions we engage in ritually and often choose to share. Through food we celebrate the beauty of living together while embracing our differences, and the expansive possibility of continuing to open the door.

This post was written by Shanti Basu. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.

Invited to the Table was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Why are we here? When we asked ourselves that question, it wasn’t out of existential pandemic-induced dread but out of plain, old-fashioned curiosity.

Facebook and Instagram, the “here” in this scenario, were platforms we’d participated on since the inception of our studio because, well, weren’t we supposed to?

As a business, especially a creative one, it’s where we were meant to showcase our design chops, grow our brand, connect with our community, generate new business, and show people who we really are. Right?

Throughout the years, as a small independent studio we spent valuable hours creating for and experimenting with these platforms. We learned a lot, developing content we certainly were proud of. But at what cost? Or perhaps more interestingly, for what value?

Yes, to a degree you can measure how much impact your social game has on your business with the same KPIs that it seems everyone uses, but how can you really measure success without a good old A/B test. We’ve had years of A’s, in 2022 it was time for a B.

“We’re going on a learning journey,” we wrote, “and you are all invited.” With that, we stepped back from Instagram and Facebook with an invitation: Not to join our pause on participating with these platforms, but to follow us as we shifted our attention elsewhere.

We value community and have dedicated ourselves to working with organizations who do the same. We wanted to take a year to explore how we could better prioritize community building over content creation, while having the clarity and time to objectively observe how these platforms continued to grow and evolve. And that’s exactly what we did.

January 11th, 2022 was the last time we posted anything on Instagram or Facebook. And what a year it’s been.

Here’s what didn’t happen:

· we didn’t lose business (in fact, quite the opposite)

· we didn’t lose client trust (we heard zero criticism about the decision from our wonderful client roster and, better yet, worked on several social strategies for them)

· we didn’t lose followers (we gained them)

Here’s what did:

· we explored Web3 and created identities for two of the biggest brands in that space

· we found community, a bountiful source of prospective work and meaningful engagement on LinkedIn

· we gave our team room to breathe and focus on client work and other internal projects (like commissioning Ukranian designers to create posters about the war that ended up at the Met, and designing our own poster as a call to action and ode to our hometown, New York City.)

· we invested in making noise for music education, working with S’Cool Sounds and Mama Foundation to ensure young people had access to all that music has to offer

· we created our own new platform AfterThought as means of investing in a consequential future for creativity through gatherings that explore the issues impacting creative life and work

As the year comes to a close, we took a step back and asked ourselves, what should 2023 look like? Do we continue doing what we’ve been doing this past year? Was our Meta sabbatical just long enough for us to contribute to the platform again? And if so, for what purpose?

Here’s what we decided:

We’re jumping back into content creation for social media, but on our own terms. In the spirit of AfterThought, we’re reimagining how these platforms are traditionally used, and instead of leveraging them to generate awareness and clout, we’ll be using Instagram as a tool for contribution.

How? We’re busy building out a new content studio where, with the young design community in mind, the focus will be developing knowledge-sharing resources, inspiration and more. We won’t be on the ‘gram bragging about our latest work (for that, go to our website; it’s terrific), but rather sharing our knowledge and perspective to hopefully influence the future of design for the better. We’re in an industry controlled by long-established gatekeepers who for years have shaped and held the keys to the pathways into design. We plan to change that by continuing to open our doors, both IRL and virtually, to help young creative people better understand how and why they can and should design their careers in their own unique ways.

We’re ready for another experiment. Hope you’ll join us once more. See you in 2023!

This post was written by Dylan Stiga. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.

A Metafree Year in Review was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Looking for images of resistance and resilience? Open any digital screen of your choosing these days and you’re likely to find a full spectrum of opinions being fiercely shared. Whether interacting online or in person, we are met with the sights and sounds of opposition so incessantly they begin to blur into white noise. This is a time of passion and polarization, with global events and tragedies to national ideological trends raising alarm daily as each side tries to make their points as loudly as possible. Tuning out the conflict is appealing yet unrealistic and turning away is a futile pursuit.

Meanwhile, diversity is on an upwards trajectory. In America, the rising force of Gen Z will be majority non-white by 2026, the most racially and ethnically represented generation yet. According to the US Censure Bureau, more than 42% percent of the American population is now represented by groups other than non-Hispanic whites, a 12% increase over just the past two decades.

Surrounded by differences of thought and image, hurtling forward at the speed of technology, we are witnessing an inevitable evolution towards digital and physical interconnectivity. Yet at the same time we are coming up for air to face the most critical issues of survival the world has ever seen. The challenge is timeless, making our need to embrace the opportunity for collective impact more critical than ever.

Ultimately, the impact of this cultural transformation won’t be as much about the numbers as it will be about the broader extent of our experience — our stories and ability to share and engage them. Whether it’s within the workplace or through creative collaboration, we are seeing the first ripples of this shift in greater efforts to consider inclusivity and representation. Thought leaders and change makers in every industry are coming forward to emphasize the important of bringing new perspectives into play. Meanwhile, intersectional brands and organizations, especially across creativity and social impact, are building new foundations based on the convergence of diverse points of view. While not without challenge, the resonance of these projects is drawing visible traction. Hike Clerb, an LA-based organization, was formed as a radical solution to the lack of POC representation in the outdoors and as a way for people to heal together in nature. Similarly, queer and South Asian female-founded cookware brand Our Place was built around the “transformative power in uplifting the differences in how people cook and eat together.”

As the next wave approaching adulthood, Gen Z is proving it is up for the challenge of bringing together the seemingly disparate. From social media to city streets, Gen Zers are pushing the limits of current frameworks with unapologetic authenticity. Unrelenting in their pursuit of the truth, there is little they are not willing to upend to create space for their identities and ideas.

Within and beyond this demographic is the growing presence of first-generation Americans. Most commonly defined as the children born to at least one parent who came to the United States from abroad, these are citizens of change with deep ties to both the immigrant experience and American legacy. First-generation Americans often live under the radar, a demographic most often without visible or cultural identifiers to fully reveal their unique positioning. Instead, they are united through a connection to two places (or more) at a time, and a recognition of this liminality in each other.

Having grown up in a world that came without a cultural handbook, first-generation Americans are experts at navigating the nuances of social behavior. Forming their understanding between the cultures of their residence and origins, these individuals have an inherent capacity for empathy. From a young age they learn to consider the context and viewpoints of others, and though they recognize the value of tradition and sacrifice, they are driven to surpass their parents’ achievements by redefining success in their own words. Resoundingly, they move through life with a worldly conscience, extending the benefit of doubt, a contextual imagination, and a bridge of understanding even when the experience of others does not ascribe to their own. When you know the feeling of standing alone, you offer belonging wherever you go.

America continues to see more immigrants arrive each year than any other country in the world. Accordingly, first-generation Americans are growing in both social presence and numbers. The Migrant Policy Institute recorded more than 18 million people under age 18 living with at least one immigrant parent as of 2021, an increase of 120% since 1990. The diversity of their experience is finding representation from standup comedy and film to brand identity and politics.

At a time of significant divisiveness in America, there is deep value in looking to the knowledge these perspectives hold. Empathy and understanding are the litmus tests of civilizations old and new, and looking outwards with an open mind empowers us to see ourselves with greater clarity.

First-generation American identity is not monolithic. In the flavors of a simple heritage recipe or the steadfast values of a family standing strong beyond familiarity lies an incredible capacity for bridging barriers, a desire to seek belonging in new forms, and a deep resilience for finding a way forward.

As we inevitably find ourselves working and coexisting increasing proximity to people who live and think differently than us, we can look to those who forge awareness into empathetic connection daily to find the frameworks of our future. While our differences may define us, creating new meaning by connecting to understand is essential to our individual and collective success as cohabitants of many moving worlds.

This post was written by Shanti Basu. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.

Creating Connection Across Difference was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I look like the woman at the laundromat. I look like the waitstaff at your corporate function. You might look at your home or office cleaning staff and see my reflection. I look like the front cover of the New York Times. A mother squeezed into a photo of migrants crossing the border.

When I started at ThoughtMatter full-time in 2018 after years of being a contractor, I looked like a young woman from what former president Donald Trump called a “shithole country”. While I was learning how to use my keycard and finding the best lunch spots in my new work neighborhood, my birth country was thrust into the cultural conversation. The reality of being born in El Salvador, a small, historically poor, Central American country, is that I look like many things — an executive or leader typically not being one of them.

Most people have not had a boss who looks like me.

As the newly-named Managing Partner of an award-winning, New York City design studio, why would I lead with what I look like? I’ve achieved this accomplishment through hard work, resilience, talent, education and dedication, yet I’m stuck with the label of being “exceptional” based on how I look. It’s more comfortable that way. More comfortable for everyone but me.

Being “exceptional” minimizes the roadblocks, racist comments and unconscious bias that the circumstances of my birth and the way I look have forced me to tackle. Being “exceptional” means people asking why it matters that I am a five-foot (on a good day), Salvadoran-American with a husky, opinionated voice? The answer, storytelling.

Many years ago, I saw a video of a prominent graphic designer taking the piss out of storytelling. I watched as a designer said that now everyone thinks they are a storyteller, even roller coaster designers. He was having fun at the expense of the design industry. His message: “Don’t take yourself so seriously.”

I bought into it. I vowed to never call myself a storyteller again. I was wrong.

Stories matter. The people telling these stories matter even more. Stories celebrate, inspire and clarify. Stories are affirming to those outside the dominant narrative and help turn condemnation for otherness into celebration.

Over the years at ThoughtMatter, stories like mine have helped inform our brand-building work with THINX, orgs like NKG Pace and communities in Downtown Staten Island. They are reflected in everything from our redesign of the Constitution for a new generation to protest posters we created for the Women’s March. I have also carved out a leadership role for myself amid our Founder’s assurances, “Jessie this is your studio. You are running it every day, do it your way.” To make those words official, I put together a proposal to be a partner. I searched every inch of the internet. The young, brown, adopted girl inside me, conditioned to question what’s real and what’s temporary, wondered if it was possible. Could I really be a partner? Imposter syndrome reared its ugly head. Why did I want to be a partner in a business I was already running?

I was raised in white spaces, but I am not white. In fact, I wrote an entire essay about it to get into grad school. It was fun and flirty, involved colorful brand references and got me into the MPS of Branding program at SVA. That was over a decade ago. Since that cute little essay, I have seen this country fracture along race lines, I’ve seen folks finally opening their eyes to what has been here since our founding. A bias, unconscious or conscious, against anyone who is not white. I realize it is important to name what is many times uncomfortable to discuss.

I have never had a boss who looks like me.

I’ve had a number of female mentors and leaders, but I have never had a mentor, boss or CEO who was not white or white-presenting. This matters because we become the stories we tell ourselves, as well as the stories we are told. Stories like mine can help empower a startup, organization or global corporation by ensuring such experiences are embodied in its brand.

As Managing Partner of ThoughtMatter, I am committed to telling a new story. An ever-evolving story where having a boss that looks like me is exceptionally unexceptional. I will do this with a narrative centered around the values below.

Be uncomfortable, do better.

Talented creatives need someone who is responsible for day-to-day decisions, and at ThoughtMatter that person is now me. I’m finding and defining my leadership style and voice, but I’m not the only one who has work to do. That means an end to interviews where prospects stand up when someone else enters the room but stay seated for me. No more new hires asking when they can have face time with the boss during our one-on-ones. No more vendors and clients assuming someone else has the final word. Together, we’re working to change these perceptions. We’re getting uncomfortable to get better.

Center impact and accountability.

When I attend an industry conference at a banquet hall, I go to great lengths to avoid wearing all black and having to tell people, “Sorry, I don’t work here.” Which has happened more times than I can count. What this exchange makes clear is that I’m not supposed to be at the table, in the room or at the event unless I am serving them. The truth is I am where I am today because I have always prioritized other people’s comfort at my own expense. I now have the platform, power and influence to be honest about impact and discuss accountability. This is ongoing work at ThoughtMatter and as partner, I am using my power and influence to keep us moving forward.

Making a difference is measurable.

Years of disappointments in championing diversity has taught me that making a difference is measurable. Good intentions are not. If someone says they want to hire a diverse team or support diverse voices, but everyone on their team or in power looks the same, then what they are saying is just words. I will continue to work every day at ThoughtMatter to make measurable progress. We believe in the power of design to make a positive difference in people’s lives and use our impact to hold ourselves to it.

I love being part of the design industry, graphic design specifically. My bookshelves are adorned with what feels like every Steven Heller book out there. I have Milton Glaser posters, stickers, buttons and I should admit I have posters and ephemera by most of the AIGA medalists over the last 20 years. I fangirl over the Design Matters and Clever podcasts. I go into the Rizzoli bookstore monthly to flip through Swiss and European design books. I know the late 90s and early aughts have shaped my aesthetic, like my love for platform shoes, and a piece of me will always be in awe of design’s power, influence and ability to shape the world around us.

But for all my love and adoration, the graphic design industry has not given many reflections of my lived experience in return. I now realize, like the clip clap of my chunky, decades-old platform sandals, it’s time to move forward and look for stronger support for my story (and my ankles).

With my new title of Managing Partner, I plan to honor design’s past, while adamantly and relentlessly pushing for progress.

The next time you see me at an industry event or come in for a visit, remember that I don’t look like what society has told us a boss looks like, but I am an equal partner. I am on a mission to show the industry and beyond that the top of the org chart should and can look like the world we live in. Full of people in all shapes, sizes, ages, colors, abilities, economic statuses and lived experiences, no matter how short, brown and loud.

Most people have not had a boss who looks like me. was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Not to brag, but ThoughtMatter really knows how to throw a party. We love bringing people together for conversation, culture and connection. There was the magic-themed design mixer called “Smoke and Mirrors”, the “Shithouse” gallery show featuring work from developing nations Donald Trump audaciously referred to as “shithole countries”, and our recurring art parties and Summer Salons. Unfortunately, since our last holiday party in December 2019 our love for organizing and executing events has remained unfulfilled. Thanks to two years of putting safety first, an improved sense of flexibility and the desire to broaden and share our perspectives, last month we got back in the saddle.

We partnered with Design Museum Everywhere, an organization redefining what it means to be a museum in the 21st century, for their first ever Design Museum Week. The week featured five days of online and offline events aiming to spark conversation, inspire leaders and educate professionals working in all areas of design. Taking advantage of our talented network of colleagues, peers and clients and our contemporary art-filled studio, we hosted both an in-person studio tour and a virtual panel, both focused on education.

ThoughtMatter’s Design Museum week presence kicked off with “Artmosphere,” an immersive studio tour sharing the living gallery and creative hub where our team thrives. We highlighted selected pieces of art in the studio, as well as some of our favorite ThoughtMatter work. Staff were on hand to share background, lead discussions and answer questions about the art and what our guests were seeing, resulting in some very inspiring conversations and moments of learning. We also invited attendees to participate in hands-on activities such as writing their future selves a postcard that we’ll mail them in six months and sharing their inspiration on a collaborative mural.

The evening of inspiration continued with Managing Partner Jessie McGuire sharing the significance of opening our doors after two years. The “Artmosphere” our guests joined us in is more than the ThoughtMatter studio. It’s the soul of our company and a place to be reminded of what’s possible, what it means to struggle, to imagine, to understand the weight of dedicating your life to creativity. By inviting the public into our studio, we invited guests to be agents of change and discuss how we can create a future we all want to be part of.

That future was on prominent display two days later at our virtual panel. Jessie opened the conversation titled “Unending Learning” by taking a moment to celebrate representation, as she was joined onstage by people who looked like her, referencing her Salvadoran-American roots. Panelist Marissa Gutierrez-Vicario is currently the Executive Director of Art and Resistance Through Education (ARTE) and teaches in the Art Education department at City College of New York. Panelist Ramon Tejada is a designer and Assistant Professor in the graphic design department at Rhode Island School of Design.

They touched on why it is important for people who have navigated the industry as minorities to share their experience, and how we can continue to focus on including more and different voices in design and beyond. It’s about unlearning the old and learning the new — moving forward by rethinking old narratives to activate a needed set of values in the design world that emphasize responsibility, curiosity, proactive thinking, inclusivity and flexibility. Ramon put it best, explaining it is about being vulnerable, making mistakes, thinking about our communities, families and chosen families, acknowledging not knowing and making the periphery the center. Watch the full panel HERE.

By opening our studio for the tour and panel, we opened ourselves up to important conversations. We interacted with everyone from students and designers to decision makers and plus-ones simply showing their support. Through our collaboration with Design Museum Everywhere, we also learned a lot about working with a partner.

We’re grateful for the chance to share how we are engaging the design world and, whether it be through future events or our work, want to keep opening ourselves up to do more. We want to be active participants in our industry as it moves forward. We want to be mindful of its closed doors and conduct more events that not only open those doors but break them down. It’s time to party.

This post was written by Brianna Jacobson. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.

Design Museum Week Recap was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As I stood masked and vaxxed in the middle of the large room with a dozen faces staring back at me, I found myself uncharacteristically nervous. I’m no stranger to public speaking or facilitating conversation, but this moment was different. This time I was leading my first in-person workshop after two years of working from home throughout a worldwide pandemic. Two years of screens and multitasking and my dog Alfie napping at my feet. Amidst the butterflies of this old-experience-turned-new-again, I definitely could have used Alfie’s support.

As strategy director at branding and design studio ThoughtMatter, my job is to help navigate through ambiguity, simplify complexity and overcome obstacles through creativity. One of my favorite parts in any client journey is the workshop. We immerse ourselves in the brand and challenges at hand, then go away and design a series of activities to confront those challenges from as many angles as possible. In doing so, we can collectively imagine solutions that we otherwise wouldn’t.

Pre-pandemic, these workshops were held in-person. They allowed us to create a space where clients could free themselves from the day-to-day and unleash their imagination, and where totally random thoughts could lead to breakthrough ideas. That of course all changed in 2020.

While preparing for our first virtual workshop, we were all a bit unsure of how it would go. We leaned into an online tool called Miro to house our collaboration and did internal run throughs to identify and address topics and activities that weren’t translating to the new format. We probably went a bit overboard, but the workshop turned out to be a wonderful, even cathartic, experience as we were all just trying to do our best amidst so much uncertainty.

That workshop also came with its challenges. The zoom fatigue was real. None of us were used to spending that much time on a call and we learned after that to cap all virtual workshops at 90 minutes. We also immediately missed the physical sensations that come with pinning things up, jotting down notes or sifting through cards to find inspiration. We missed the movement.

Workshops are physical activities, especially for the facilitator. We’re responsible for maintaining the energy levels in the room, which is much harder to do from a screen. In our first virtual attempt, we saw people fade and become quickly distracted. In person, we can politely ask everyone to put away their phones, laptops and screens. Virtually, it’s a lot easier for people to quickly check an email or respond to a slack with nobody the wiser.

I never thought transitioning back to in-person workshops would be equally emotional. After so many months of isolation, we wanted to acknowledge people’s mental state to make sure everyone involved in the workshop felt at ease and ready to contribute.

So, as I stood in front of our clients, trying my best to project an air of confidence and enthusiasm, it became clear that I wasn’t the only one with a whole lot of feelings. For many, it was the first time they had seen their colleagues in months. It was heartwarming to bear witness to their big reunion.

Once things got moving, it was like riding a bike. There were a few tough moments due to masks like mishearing things or not being able to see full facial expressions, but I’m glad we put safety first. Something different happens when you’re standing next to your colleagues with a sharpie in your hands, wielding paper, tape and post-its. There is an energy that just can’t be replicated virtually.

With this first in-person workshop under our belt and more in the works, it’s important to accept the reality that hybrid work is not going away and distinguish what can be done virtually and what should be done in-person. The answer lies in considering what you’re trying to accomplish.

In some cases, a virtual working session, equipped with online tools like Miro, can be perfect for quick meetings and alignment. Events that can have a bit more gravitas to them should be done in-person. This allows for longer in-depth discussions and for more people to join in. Coming together in the same space helps get everyone on the same page and build excitement.

Now that we have the option for both virtual and in-person workshops, we have more tools than ever to help us collaborate. There’s no replacing the feeling of energy, shared discovery and insight that happens when people are in a room together, but one experience is not better than the other. The focus should be using the right tool for the job at hand.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go walk Alfie.

This post was written by Phil Lauria. ThoughtMatter is a creative branding, design and strategy studio in New York City’s Flatiron District. Find us on Twitter.

My Journey Back to In-Person Workshops was originally published in ThoughtMatter on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.