Need to Know
24 : 03 : 22

Bergen, Norway – Creative agency Reklamekollektivet is using the medium of sound to capture the spirit of The Kulturhuset, a music and culture centre in Bergen.

The centre’s new brand identity uses kinetic typography to reflect its eclectic musical programming, which spans a wide range of genres. As the typography changes shape, so too does the accompanying music, producing a dynamic sonic identity that introduces a new dimension to the usually motionless medium of graphic design. ‘Getting the right balance between order and chaos was a big focus point throughout the creative process,’ says Thomas Birkeland, creative director at Reklamekollektivet.

Although Sonic Branding is not a new concept – consider examples as far back as musician Brian Eno’s jingle for Windows 95 – this example demonstrates how it’s developing in a contemporary context, blending sound and typography to create dynamic identities for entertainment companies.

Italy – Measuring just 1.80mm, the Octo Finissimo Ultra is luxury brand Bulgari’s thinnest watch yet. It's the timepiece's digital capabilities, however, that truly set it apart from the competition.

In addition to its record-breaking slimness, the watch has a QR code that provides owners with unprecedented access to its full manufacturing process. By scanning the QR code, customers can enter a dedicated digital universe which includes interviews, making-of segments, and a virtual 3D tour of the movement, cogs and composition. Owners of the watch, which is available as one of a limited edition of 10, will receive their own NFT artwork inspired by the timepiece, which will also function as a blockchain-based proof of authenticity.

By including a QR code on its latest model, Bulgari is providing customers with a storytelling opportunity to learn more about the brand’s craftsmanship and heritage, but also a way to publicly flaunt Crypto-affluence.

Plant species that do not benefit humans directly through medicine, sustenance or material resources are at the risk of extinction. According to research by academic journal Plants, People, Planet, some 20,290 plant species are heading for extinction simply because they have no apparent use for humans.

Although plant biodiversity is essential to thriving eco-systems and animal diversity, the study found that plants that can’t be exploited for economic purposes or aren’t valued for their aesthetic qualities are struggling to survive in the face of the escalating climate crisis. Among the more than 86,000 global plant species analysed in the study, only 6,749 were considered useful to humans, including rice, corn and wheat.

Since the beginning of the Anthropocene, a geological epoch marked by enormous human impact on the planet, society has been in urgent need of Whole-system Thinking to preserve biodiversity, not just the plants that we use every day.