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ONE TO CONSIDER
For some reason, we (marketers and creatives) have decided there’s a sort of a tried and true method for bringing a product to market. It involves a minimal logo, a cheeky brand voice, product shots with a minimal design aesthetic made for Instagram, maybe a subway ad or two, an influencer, and some earned media on one of the sites that covers startups and innovation.
So it’s hugely refreshing when a new brand launches a product and does none of this. Enter Paynter Jacket Co., a small operation in the UK that launched this year and aims to do one thing really well: make great jackets. They shipped their first jackets this week.
It’s rare I lust over a product these days, but Paynter Jacket has managed to grab my attention. They’ve done it a few ways. (Note: I haven’t spoken with the team at Paynter, these are just the notes of a fan)
Style and Product: Their first jacket is a new take on an old classic, the chore coat. It’s a tried and true formula for many marketplaces—especially fashion— tweak something just enough that it's recognizable, but improved for a modern sensibility and as a result, it stands out in the market. Also, simple is always better.
Honest Storytelling: Instead of becoming a faceless brand with an artificial identity and voice, the pair behind Paynter jacket, it seems, is really just being themselves. They’ve shared pictures of the jackets in their home (I assume that's where this was taken), a ton of process shots, and their email newsletter has lots of nitty-gritty details about the design and manufacturing of their jackets. It’s been a journey for them to bring these jackets to market and it’s been fun to follow. Also, all the marketing ladders up to one thing: A true passion for their mission of making high-quality jackets, which is exactly what comes through.
Scarcity: This is one that hooks me in the hardest. It’s pretty well-known how brands use scarcity to drive sales. The only products I personally really ever lust after are scarce (Hello vintage motorcycles and watches!). So the fact that I missed out on the first run of jackets, only makes me want one more.
I’m not sure how these lessons can be applied to non-product based companies, but I find it incredibly refreshing to see young companies break the mold. Also, I won’t be missing out on the pre-sale for the next Paynter Jacket.
FIVE TO READ
Dolly Parton! Kermit the Frog! I’m still reeling from missing Newport Folk Festival last weekend, but it looked like one for the ages. It’s really amazing to see what the team at NFF has cultivated over the last 10+ years. It’s rare you see an organization so beloved (each year tickets sell out before the lineup is even announced). From what I’ve seen, the team that puts NFF together has a pure passion for great music and fostering a way for people to get together around it. Viva Newport Folk Festival! (Billboard)
I went down a deep rabbit hole on fugues this week. They, and this story, are bonkers. (The New Yorker)
A fantastic candid interview with Anjelica Huston (Vulture)
His writing crackles. HST offers some life advice. (Letters of Note)
A new site from David Coggins. Nice to see a new site these days! (The Contender)
VISUALS
It can be really hard to break free from your creative routines. Sometime you just really need to blow things up - set the studio fire sort of speak - and start again. A small push in the direction is what happened when I went to Miami recently and started trying to make double-exposed images.
LISTEN
Quentin Tarantino discusses making an epic period drama in LA and how he builds a mixtape for each film to create its soundtrack. (KCRW)
WATCH
See what I mean? Just one of the many reasons why Newport Folk Festival is the best.
That’s it!
John
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