Creativity will always be a 0 to n activity
...and why it should matter to creatives
Peter Thiel wrote this in his book Zero to One 👇🏼
Doing what we already know how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. But every time we create something new, we go from 0 to 1.
I am aware he’s talking in context with Startups.
However, the more I think about the statement, the more I realise creativity lies in an exciting area of 0 to n.
It can be a mix of doing new things or copying things that work, but the best creatives understand the sweet spot is right where it perfectly balances.
I know, I know! ‘Copying’ has a negative connotation to it.
But neither Peter Thiel nor I intended to use the word in its literal sense—instead, we imply the process of learning from what works and utilising your experience to build something meaningful.
For example, Levis collaborated with Art&Found to celebrate the birthday of blue jeans. Eye candy. The perfect blend of what works and then doing something new with it.
…or when Myntra leveraged plain old laundry pages to make people buy more while creating a positive sentiment towards the brand. Truly genius.
There is merit in knowing what works and then building something entirely new on top of it.
It’s the same principle Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore applied at Nike when they designed Air Jordans.
…One move. One significant move that put Nike on the map.
Nike did $162 Million in 1985 and $5.1 Billion (yes, with a ‘B’) in sales in 2022 alone. Not just that, they singlehandedly created a culture of collecting sneakers, benefitting not just Nike but the industry as a whole while at the same time empowering athletes to get what they are owed for their hard work!
That’s a business flywheel any brand would kill to create.
If you haven’t already. Watch Air on Prime Video.
I can keep going, but you get the point.
So, next time you’re working on your ideas, think about things that work in favour of the problem at hand and then take inspiration to create something new and meaningful from it.
I’ve found it incredibly hard to fall into a creative slump with this as I’m always looking for inspiration instead of hoping it would magically strike one day and present me with a great idea.
Here’s a fitting quote by Albert Einstein to end this week’s issue!
Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.
Listen to this Spotify Playlist I made that goes well with everything you read here at Adamant 👇🏼