Unlike some aspects of sustainability reporting, !! :)

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Global

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Our greatest hits and most recent releases

Mick McConnell says TikTok's algorithm offers potential for brands to leverage their qualities and drive innovation.

TikTok has captured attention like few other competitors, surpassing two billion downloads to become the [most downloaded app of 2020](https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/). While [75% of downloaded apps](https://buildfire.com/app-statistics/) are used once and then forgotten, 90% of TikTok users access the app daily. In the US, TikTok users spend more than [850 minutes per month on the app](https://www.omnicoreagency.com/tiktok-statistics/). 

So what is the primary reason behind this astronomic growth? One might think it is naturally the content. From ping pong tricks to dance tutorials, history trivia to smiling otters - there are no empty shelves in its vast video library. Or one might think it could be TikTok's ability to spark viral trends - often through popular dances and memes. Elaborate 'in-jokes' that bounce around the world in a never-ending iteration of one-up-manship, with each creator adding their own twist.

Both are defining factors in TikTok's success. But they are not the reason for it. The most powerful influence operates less overtly. It is the unseen essence that pulls these assets together. The secret sauce which supercharges the brand is its algorithm. 

#### A chainsaw in a garden maze

Humans are complex creatures. We exist on a broad spectrum of interests and preferences, influenced by a myriad of people and things. 

Figuring out who we are and what we like is a tough enough task for most. It's like wandering through a giant garden maze; you can follow a certain path and decide to turn left or right - and never know the other potential routes running parallel. 

TikTok's algorithm - internally named 'For You' - offers users a chainsaw in this maze. Unlike any other social media or entertainment app, TikTok cross-pollinates worlds and ideas, blending them seamlessly into a user's timeline. It allows users to explore themselves, as much as the content it offers. 

Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram, it doesn't lump users into mass communities based on surface-level engagement. TikTok holds a mirror up to the user, and twists and turns the angle to reveal new perspectives - a real "self-actualization engine". It engenders openness - striking the different balance between the curiosity for the unfamiliar & the safety of the familiar. 

TikTok takes a holistic view on a broad Venn diagram of user interests and bridges the gaps between categories. There is a great article by Jess Joho where she explains how the TikTok [algorithm recognised she was probably bisexual before she did](https://mashable.com/article/bisexuality-queer-tiktok). 

The algorithm is the real MVP in TikTok's success. And there is massive potential for brands to leverage qualities and drive innovation across industries. 

#### Embracing a curious code

TikTok's algorithm empowers and encourages discovery. This is a highly unique capability. And one which brands and businesses should embrace. 

In the music industry, the influence of TikTok is clear. Much of the music in the charts can trace the [origins of its success to TikTok](https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/tiktok-is-changing-the-rules-of-the-music-industry). A viral clip is the best marketing boost a track can get - just ask [Boney M](https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9528565/inside-boney-m-rasputin-resurgence). Users trust the algorithm to provide this. [80% of those on TikTok say](https://www.tiktokforbusinesseurope.com/news/new-research-reveals-how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry) that it is the #1 place for music discovery - more than other digital platforms, streaming services and friends. Over half (56%) say that discovery happens naturally in the 'For You' feed. 

In the games industry, upstart studios and brands are able to compete with infinitely bigger competitors via TikTok - as the algorithm introduces new games to users who would've never traditionally found them. Splitgate is a strong example of this. The game has to compete with the likes of Call of Duty, Fortnite and Halo in the FPS genre - historic titles with huge marketing budgets. But this small project cut through by naturally emerging on the feeds of gamers on TikTok. In July, the game saw a 1000% monthly growth. It grew from 200 concurrent players to over [200,000 in a matter of weeks](https://www.reddit.com/r/Splitgate/comments/ovcucp/splitgates_growth_explained_by_one_of_the/). When it [was released on console at the end of the month](https://venturebeat.com/2021/07/20/portal-style-shooter-splitgate-surpasses-600000-downloads-on-console-in-first-week/), it surpassed 600,000 downloads. 

You can see similar opportunities in the fashion and beauty space. Brands here have the chance to get ahead of the trends - rather than simply following them. Instead of chasing what is popular on social media, these brands can leverage the algorithm to know what people like before they like it. Tiffany recently solicited [the prolific pair of Beyonce and Jay-Z](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/aug/24/tiffany-beyonce-jay-z-ad-campaign-yellow-diamond-rebrand) to promote a new product range and entice younger audiences. I would argue that brands are missing the mark here. Instead of speaking to 'young' people as a mass group and identifying the appropriate superstar to broadly cover that huge market - could these brands identify a more personalised, engaging route? TikTok's algorithm offers brands a chance to gain a more pervasive understanding of their audience - and more importantly their parallel interests. 

Engaging parallel interests is something the travel sector can make more of too. What are the surrounding topics and interests which inspire people to go on holiday? How can you authentically engage with these sister spaces and categories, and provide content which puts your brand or service front of mind? Can you predict the best holiday location for a user's honeymoon based on their algorithm? 

> "TikTok is more than a collective of viral trends and videos. Brands can't simple dance their way to success on the app. Instead, they should focus on the incredible discovery the algorithm encourages, empowering users to unveil their interests, blending curiosity and familiarity like no app or service before it. As long as industries continue to work alongside the app and focus on the "we" over the "you", they risk being usurped."
>
> *— Mick McConnell, CEO, Superunion North America*

First published in [CEO Today](https://www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2021/09/how-tiktoks-algorithm-is-changing-the-game-across-industries/).


It’s long been touted in entrepreneurial circles that failure is a precursor to progress.

To reap the benefits of technology, we must experiment, we must take risks, and occasionally we must fail. But while it’s true the rise of digital tools, platforms and AI bring new opportunities for business and for society at large, they also bring unprecedented risks – [data breaches](https://www.businessinsider.com/data-breaches-2018-4?r=US&IR=T), [environmental hazards](https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/human-environmental-cost-new-technology), even a [robot takeover](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/03/elon-musk-billion-dollar-crusade-to-stop-ai-space-x) if you’re to believe the most cynical of futurists. If realized, these threats could quickly sound the death knell for any company. Yet many businesses not only survive post-catastrophe, they thrive.

Why is it companies like [Samsung](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-samsung-overcame-its-galaxy-note-7-fiasco-2017-10?r=US&IR=T) and [Volkswagen](https://www.ft.com/content/a6e96424-18b2-11e8-9376-4a6390addb44) maintain consumer confidence through failure while others like [Wells Fargo](https://www.pymnts.com/legal/2018/wells-fargo-class-action-lawsuit-fake-accounts/) and [Facebook](https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/consumers-dont-trust-facebook-with-personal-data-survey-says/) suffer? The answer lies in how they’ve built their brands. To succeed in a world that increasingly values novelty, brands must act as a failsafe for the unpredictable nature of the digital age.
 
#### KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS, AND WHEN TO RELY ON OTHERS'

Today’s digitally-driven challenges are more complex and intangible than ever before. Most people don’t understand the ins and outs of cloud computing, nor do they have the time to read through seemingly unlimited terms and conditions. They’re given a simple choice: trust a brand knows what it’s doing, or go elsewhere. To build trust, businesses must clearly define their core proposition and foster the expertise necessary to achieve it, even if that means depending on other brands.

In a bid to catch-up in the race for autonomous vehicles, Toyota recently announced a $500m (£388m) partnership with ride-sharing company Uber. The advantage is two-fold: Toyota secures a guaranteed distribution channel in Uber’s vast network, and Uber benefits from Toyota’s reputation as the [most trusted mainstream automaker to bring a self-driving car to market](https://www.autolist.com/news-and-analysis/consumers-trust-tesla-most-for-self-driving-autonomous-cars) (second only to Tesla in a study conducted pre-Muskian meltdown). Particularly relevant as Uber looks to rebuild trust after a fatal self-driving car accident in Arizona last year. Both companies are leveraging the other’s brand associations – Uber’s technology and Toyota’s reliability – to strengthen their own offer.
 
#### FAIL OUTSIDE YOUR CORE COMPETENCY

These days, all brands should be open to taking calculated risks. For established companies, strategic risks can make your processes more nimble and help you to rebound more quickly from more serious failures. The trick is in making mistakes outside your company’s core competency.

When the emissions scandal broke in 2015, many predicted Volkswagen wouldn’t survive, but last year the company nearly doubled its operating profit. This is largely owed to that failure happening outside of its established brand perception.

Yes, VW made moves to position itself as a sustainable brand, but its core brand proposition was always built on a culture of “cool”. Its strengths lay in its ability to develop a close emotional bond between its customers and products. 

From 'Lemon' to ‘[Milky Way](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPBrN3qJGqs)’ to ‘[The Force](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HugFW8rLZ8)’, VW’s advertising  crafted a personality that inspired cultish devotion among its customers for more than 50 years.

With sustainability as an afterthought, the company was able to position the emissions scandal as a catalyst for internal change, ultimately salvaging VW’s reputation. Had Tesla been caught in the same scandal, the results would have been more devastating and long-lasting.
 
#### BUILD A COMMUNITY AROUND YOUR BRAND

No matter how many farmers’ markets pop up, the majority of the goods we purchase and services we use will be manufactured and delivered by people we’ve never met. This separation between production and consumption is the reason brands were developed in the first place – to build connections that mimic the relationships we had with local producers.

When you think about it, brands themselves are collective constructs, built on shared associations. They help to define meaning, cultures and identities, and so they are a natural anchor for building communities. People can be drawn into groups by the ideas behind a brand, and those communities can be invaluable in protecting a brand’s reputation and building trust when mistrust of institutions is at an all-time high.

Mobile-only bank Monzo directly challenged big name brick-and-mortar financial institutions to become [Britain’s best-rated lender](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/dec/01/digital-bank-monzo-best-rated-lender-uk-which-first-direct), despite being accused of loaning customers money to buy its shares. With more than one million active users, Monzo’s popularity has largely been driven by a user-based approach to marketing, inviting its community of ‘Monzonauts’ to contribute to everything from new product features to the company’s name. The result has been [a cult-like devotion](https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/02/15/the-digital-upstarts-taking-on-britains-dominant-few-banks) from customers, and a predicted $1b valuation.
 
#### ALWAYS BE READY WITH AN ON-BRAND RESPONSE

Trust doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s based upon the belief another party will satisfy expectations. So, sometimes the best way to earn and maintain trust is to respond to consumer concerns in a way that actually reinforces the brand. Do it consistently and authentically and people will come to rely on you, despite  your mistakes.

KFC learned this the hard way. Attempting to cut costs, the brand shifted its distribution contract in the UK from established delivery provider Bidvest to DHL, resulting in the loss of 255 jobs and a chicken shortage that temporarily closed most of its 900 locations. In response to criticism on social media, KFC released a brilliantly on-brand apology, taking out a full-page ad that rearranged its famous acronym to read ‘FCK’. The response was perfectly tongue-in-cheek, reinforcing the irreverence for which the brand had become known, thus restoring trust, and actually strengthening its reputation. 

With so many new platforms, technologies and controversies driving the quickening rate of business and social change, brands need to build trust from the outset and always be prepared to rebuild it when it falters. It’s no longer enough to sit back and react when the crisis hits. Of course, the best way to avoid a tarnished reputation is to prevent failure in the first place. But if done correctly, a strong brand can at least help you fail forward.


Jake Myhre writes in Quartz about how esports can thrive during coronavirus.

There's a quote I like to say to myself when I need some encouragement: "After making all the mistakes, every player has a chance to turn the outcome of the game by making the right moves next."

It sounds like it could have been said by a Premier League soccer player or NFL star; but it's actually from [Zoltan Andrejkovics](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7927435-after-making-all-the-mistakes-every-player-has-a-chance), professional esports player of the popular multiplayer strategy game *Dota 2*. 

In the last few years, esports teams, competitions, and players have emerged into mainstream consciousness. Consequently, brands are increasingly looking at the business of esports in the same way they view traditional mainstream sports: as a great opportunity to engage with young sports fans at scale. 

Despite its reputation for packing stadiums and arenas around the globe, esports is well placed to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike traditional sports, live esports tournaments can run fully online effectively. Despite the lack of its usual live audience at the IEM Katowice CS:GO tournament earlier this month, its broadcast [set a new viewership record](https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-csgo-katowice-viewership/iem-katowice-sets-viewership-record-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSFLM3NTQY6), making it the most-watched non-Major tournament of all time. 

Earlier this year we saw major brands including [Nike](https://estnn.com/league-of-legends-t1-announce-partnership-with-nike/), [BT](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/bt-joins-growing-number-brands-sponsoring-esports-teams/1670419) and [Kia Motors](https://esportsinsider.com/2020/01/kia-motors-lec-2020-renewal/) all unveil partnerships with esports teams competing in the 2020 [League of Legends World Championships](https://qz.com/1734610/what-happened-with-league-of-legends/) - a tournament sponsored this year by [Louis Vuitton](https://uk.louisvuitton.com/eng-gb/articles/louis-vuitton-announces-league-of-legends-partnership). 

Although spectators are no longer allowed to attend the tournament, it will go ahead. The roster of influential global brands competing for a share of the spotlight in one tournament for one specific game (albeit a hugely popular one; it garners [more views than the Superbowl](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/14/league-of-legends-gets-more-viewers-than-super-bowlwhats-coming-next.html)) demonstrates the appetite of mainstream brands to get involved in the esports industry. With traditional sporting events on hold, fans will be seeking a new form of live sports entertainment to occupy their time and they may well find it in esports. The brands that sponsor sporting events may want to follow these eyeballs and explore a new territory online. 

But why are brands only committing now, when they could have enjoyed a first-mover advantage?

#### Player [BRAND NAME] has entered the game

One of the things that I've observed that surprises people the most about the industry is just how long the sport has been around. For many, it appears that esports exploded onto the scene out of nowhere. But competitive gaming leagues have existed for decades, and the growth of the genre through the 1990s and 2000s - [thanks to the rise of popular tournaments and games that are now considered core to the esports world](https://dotesports.com/news/the-evolution-of-esports-7693) - set the category on a path destined for huge scale. 

In their little-known early days, esports leagues, teams, players, and fans alike were not well understood outside of the gaming community. I've heard my fair share of questions like "How can playing video games be a job?" and "Why would anyone want to watch this?" This lack of understanding limited esports' perceived legitimacy, in turn limiting its ability to appeal to a mainstream audience, as well as to commercial partners. 

Therefore, when commercially ambitious esports leagues came to build their brands, they clung to a point of reference that everyone could comprehend and be proud of, moulding themselves in the image of traditional sports brands. To establish esports' legitimacy, they mimicked league brands from the likes of baseball, soccer and football. 

Across the board, as a result we saw red, white and blue logos, time-honoured tournament terminology, and big shiny cups become the category norm across all kinds of esports. An example of this was Major League Gaming (MLG), which mimicked Major League Baseball (MLB) in name and appearance despite having no association with the league. 

This approach has undeniably helped esports seep into the mainstream consciousness. But it also has had unintended consequences. 

#### Watch and learn

One such side effect of this strategy is the adoption of a Westernised approach to esports' development - as evidenced by MLG, brands have learnt upon familiar sporting imagery and visuals that align esports with traditional sports. Since their inception, video games have never necessitated geographical or cultural associations but instead have spawned borderless global communities of like-minded gamers. 

However, by imitating Western sports leagues - established and developed on the back of territorial tribalism and national pride - esports has inherited a new set of rules and associations. This is evidenced in the fragmented gaming communities, which mirror the world of traditional sports. Just as ice hockey fans have a separate identity from football fans, the Fortnite community is vastly separate from the CS:GO one. 

The shifts towards this approach - which didn't exist in the early days of gaming - set the expectation that esports would develop in the image of its bat and ball cousins, rather than charting it own path. 

This imitation strategy has been hugely successful on the commercial front: An estimated [1.57 billion](https://www.statista.com/statistics/545573/number-of-people-aware-of-esports-worldwide/) people were reportedly aware of esports in 2019, with a [13.8% growth](https://influencermarketinghub.com/esports-stats/) in the number of viewers through 2018, translating to 335 million viewers tuning in. By 2021, this is predicted to exceed 550 million. It is no understatement to say esports represents one of the hottest new sponsorship opportunities for [non-endemic brands](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-10-03-bringing-non-endemic-brands-to-esports-and-keeping-them). 

But has this commercial success come at the expense of esports' authenticity?

In recent months and years, we have seen divergent responses to this question by leading esports brands. 

On one side, several disruptive new entrants and revitalised incumbents - for example ESL and Blast - have displayed a new confidence. They recognise that esports is like nothing that has come before, and that they should act accordingly. They have boldly created a new genre of truly international brands that authentically represent today's passionate population of gamers as a set of global tribes, united in mindset rather than location. 

On the other side, a new set of esports leagues, recently created for freshly minted game-titles - for example Overwatch League and Call of Duty League - have doubled down on the western sports model, diverting from the category norm of no geographical allegiances. These leagues use city-based teams, to increase esports' appeal to a wider audience than ever before, by building strong localised followings driven by territorial tribalism, a commonly used tactic in traditional sports. 

For all brands in the space, it is vital that they continue to evolve with one thing in mind: the fans. Esports would not exist without the communities around them. Therefore, fans must be kept at the heart of everything for brands to succeed in the space. As the phenomenon continues to evolve, esports brands must be confident in what they can offer to these communities that is unique to them and them alone. This is what will drive continued meteoric growth. 

As Zoltan noted in that quote of his, *"Every player has a chance to turn the outcome of the game around by making the right moves next."*

First published in [Quartz](https://qz.com/1823922/why-video-games-and-esports-are-thriving-during-coronavirus/).

Grow your brand by reaching 2.7bn gamers and esports fans.

Esports is the world's fastest growing sport. With audiences bigger than the Super Bowl, its fanbase is young, lucrative, tech-savvy and extremely fast growing, especially now, in the lockdown world.

Whilst this audience is highly receptive to brands, they are also highly protective of a culture they see as their own, and very difficult to win over. As a gaming industry expert put it, "nobody tells you that you've screwed up faster than gamers".

But while many brands feel intimidated, we have the knowledge to help your brand to succeed. Join us to discover the esports and gaming world, and learn from our experience from working with the likes of Intel, DreamHack and Porsche, on how brands can successfully engage with this next generation audience. 

Want to throw your hat into the esports and gaming ring? Please get in touch:

Inga Howell   
*Global Marketing Director*   
E: [inga.howell@superunion.com](mailto:inga.howell@superunion.com)

![esports-101-image-carousel-01 2.jpeg](https://cdn.superunion.lepb.app/esports_101_image_carousel_01_2_e9b08101a2/esports_101_image_carousel_01_2_e9b08101a2.jpeg)


Congratulations to Notpla and our team, winners of Cannes Lions' prestigious Grand Prix in Design. 

Superunion, and sustainable packaging brand, [Notpla](https://www.notpla.com/), have today been awarded the Grand Prix in Design at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Superunion worked with the revolutionary, seaweed-based material business to create a name, brand strategy and identity that positions it as a leader of environmental sustainability and leaves people in no doubt about its potential value in the world. 

Founded in 2014 by Pierre-Yves Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez – Notpla’s mission is to make packaging as we know it disappear, naturally. It provides a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic packaging using seaweed-based material that naturally decomposes in weeks, compared to 700 years for plastic. Notpla can be used directly to replace plastic cups at sporting festivals, as sachets for condiments, and as a coating for cardboard, flexible film and paper to create a wide range of products for multiple industries including takeaway food boxes. 

The award-winning project saw Superunion create the name, Notpla - an abbreviation of ‘not plastic’ - to signify fully natural packaging and to fully differentiate the business from the crowded bioplastics market. It was designed to be a simple, bold definition of who they are. Not plastic. But a completely new thing. The brand’s identity is centred around its core mission: making packaging disappear. The animated and interactive logo reflects a vessel that can be filled with water, juices, cocktails or sauces, and when it is emptied, the exterior disappears, just like its packaging. The new identity was rolled out across Notpla’s website and is reflected in its tone of voice: simple and clear, without being shy and overcomplicated. 

Senior Creative Director, Superunion London

Notpla has produced 400,000 sachets so far and continues to go from strength to strength, bolstered by its new brand identity. It has partnered with international events including the London Marathon and London Cocktail Week and with leading brands including Just Eat and Unilever. 

*Mark Wood, Senior Creative Director, at Superunion, said:* “At Superunion we believe in the power of ideas to create positive and meaningful change in the world and Notpla could not be a better representation of this. While it’s not exactly common practice to define a brand by what it isn’t, in the case of Notpla, what makes it different is what it isn’t - and that’s the beauty of it. At Superunion, we’re so proud to be a part of Notpla’s growth and to help them to be a positive force in the world.”

>“The world has a plastic problem, with eight million tonnes dumped in the oceans annually. We must change behaviour when it comes to single-use plastic and we created Notpla to do exactly that - make packaging as we know it disappear, naturally. Superunion has been a completely transformative creative partner, committing to our mission and helping us to make our bold ambitions a reality. Together, we have created a brand that puts us front and centre of the sustainable packaging conversation and leaves people in no doubt of our purpose.”  
>
>*– Pierre-Yves Paslier, Co-Founder of Notpla*

Nora Bradshaw explains three questions brands should ask before entering the realm of non-fungible tokens

Superunion Amsterdam announces the appointment of Gavin Mackie as Strategy Director.

Randstad appoints Superunion Amsterdam as its design partner. 

Superunion marks International Women's Day 2022, by celebrating the women across our network.

The new logo, created by our Asia team, marks MyRepublic's transformation from challenger brand to industry leader.

Nora Bradshaw explores in The Drum the best brands to get Peloton back on the road.

Stuart Radford, ECD, and Katherina Tudball, Creative Director, share their top tips to creating unforgettable work. 

An unlimited edition of the Heineken Original label, with a billion unique labels, created by our Amsterdam team.

A new brand for CosmosDirekt, Germany's leading online insurer. 

Congratulations to IHG, Legal & General and our corporate reporting team. 

Wishing you good fortune and a happy, healthy start to the New Year. 

The new brand for SRF Sport brings viewers closer to the sporting action. 

Best In Class programme create new brand for Robinson Family Foods celebrating the power of food. 

Adam Sefton explains why Facebook's rebrand to Meta reveals the mediocrity of the social media platform. 

What creative ideas have you seen that you think will spark a revolution in 2022?

Superunion enters the next stage of growth, following two new studio openings.

Congratulations to our clients and our team.



The opening of the new Shenzhen office marks Superunion's 20-year anniversary in China. 

Cecylia Grendowicz offers advice in Campaign Asia for brands to get involved in the metaverse. 

Congratulations to DiscoveryPlus, EZ-Link, Julie's, MyRepublic, Ringan, WTT, NUS Giving and our Asia teams.

Superunion partners with D&AD Shift, providing opportunities for emerging creatives without a university-level degree.

Superunion launches Brand Masters course, in partnership with the University Complutense de Madrid. 

Ian Wharton joins Superunion London's leadership team as Chief Experience Officer. 

Nora Bradshaw takes on the role of Head of Growth, Superunion North America.

Adam Sefton asks if Facebook's rebrand is just a corporate mask to hide behind. 

A new identity for Etos' brand of health supplements and vitamins, by our Amsterdam team. 

Our London team raises money for Shelter Raise Your Run campaign.

When does an app become more than an app? When it starts thinking about its brand. Claire Huxley explains.

Superunion collaborates with Riot Games to celebrate 10th "Annie-versary" of League of Legends China.

A brand for every skin with a story to tell. 

Superunion China wins the work for the creative brand transformation of Nantou City, Shenzhen.

Lara Sharrock says the real sustainability opportunity of Tokyo 2020 is the long-term change after the Games finish, and the role brands can play in this change. 

Greg Quinton, Chief Creative Officer, is announced as Jury President at The Loeries 2021.

Mick McConnell explains why Microsoft is reaping the rewards of a brand strategy 20 years in the making. 

Congratulations to Legal & General who took home Bronze at this year's Digital Impact Awards.

Our new concept development service helps bring products to life. 

Samuel Grinfeder on why tech giants need to approach games like any other form of creative expression, and provide a platform for creativity to thrive.

Samuel Grinfeder comments in The Drum how Nintendo is evolving its brand to embrace new platforms and experiences.

Nora Bradshaw explains in AdWeek why employees are a crucial marketing channel. 

Understanding why sustainability is so difficult for brands is key to addressing the problem.

Mick McConnell joins Superunion New York today as North America CEO.

Congratulations to Tabfund, Notpla and our teams, winners at FastCo Awards. 

MyRepublic has a new brand, created by our Singapore team.

Ambrish talks working with South East Asia unicorns, the importance of being brave and why authenticity and humility trump brand purpose. 

Superunion's Katherina Tudball, Miho Aishima and Reuben Alghali all join the D&AD 2021 Juries. 

Meet Purezza. A modern alternative to pre-packaged bottled water, changing the way restaurants, cafés and hotels do business.

Benedict Gordon, CEO Asia, believes global businesses can learn a lot from how Asian tech leaders are using imagination and instinct to navigate through the pandemic.

Youth activists Christina Adane and Tasha Mhakayakora from Bite Back 2030 join us to celebrate International Women's Day.

As Pokemon celebrates its 25th anniversary, Marta Swannie, Senior Creative Director, talks to the BBC about the classic brand's enduring appeal and why its success has lasted so long.

Jim Prior, Global CEO, explains in City A.M. why electric cars will lead to a design transformation, presenting a rare opportunity to reimagine the very idea of a car, creating a new type of vehicle entirely. 

Adam Sefton, Digital Strategy Director, writes in The Drum why authenticity and being an outsider to mainstream brands has been the secret to Bitcoin's success, and proves you don't always need polish to succeed.

Superunion's Miho Aishima and Eva Bashford-Harrison join D&AD Jury for Type Design and Writing for Design. 

Congratulations to Tencent Music Entertainment, Enoulite, Beijing FANUC and our Asia team, winners at Transform Awards Asia, including Best Visual Identity.

Ross Clugston, ECD North America, explains in Media Post why Salesforce's decision to purchase Slack could take the start-up tech company from 'enfant terrible' to playing in the big leagues. 

A conversation with iconic Magnum Photos, the most respected collective of photographers in the world.

Marta Swannie and Katherina Tudball take their seats at Eurobest and The Loeries as Jury Presidents.

Superunion designers from around the world create a colouring book for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Marta Swannie, Creative Partner, talks to the BBC ahead of the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, as the gaming world gears up for the battle of the consoles.  

As America faces a moment of reckoning, corporate brands are being put under the microscope like never before, write Nora Bradshaw and Ross Clugston in Campaign. 

Jennifer Volmer, Co-Head of Strategy, New York, explains in Media Post why Google ditching the Gmail envelope is a win for visual and UX design.

Zoom has stolen a march on its rivals during the pandemic. Jim Prior, Global CEO, tells us why. 

Senior Creative Director, Marta Swannie, gives us the 3 biggest lessons brands can learn from the PlayStation vs Xbox console wars.

Annual reports are no longer just financial documents of record. But what is the best channel to clearly deliver that information?

With the rise of platforms like Facebook, WeChat, Apple and Amazon, UK Chairman Iain Ellwood, explores in City A.M. why tech brands need to embrace ethics to build brand trust.

London Symphony Orchestra sweeps up the Grand prize for Best Brand Design at New York Festivals, following a Pencil trophy at D&AD, the UK's top creative awards ceremony. 

What is ESEF and what does it really mean for the future of reporting? 

Superunion wins Studio of the Year title in the Dieline Awards 2020. 

Jim Prior, Global CEO, writes in Forbes on why it's important for business leaders to focus on the here and now.

Cecylia Grendowicz writes in The Drum on the dangers of generic content for luxury travel brands.

Eyes and Ears Award wins for BBC Two, London Symphony Orchestra and ESL.

Jim Prior writes in Fast Company on why brand matters to channels and streaming platforms.

Honoured to be voted number one in the UK Studio Rankings by Computer Arts.

Tom Robinson, Global Chief Strategy Officer, writes about how corporate brands can create emotional connections. 

Why the existential crisis in politics is about brands not policy.

What lessons can we learn from past predictions of the future?

Jim Prior writes in Forbes on why the real value of culture is to drive strategic advantage.

What does TCFD actually mean, and how does it impact your next Annual Report?

The UK CGC has added momentum to calls for companies to report on this area.

How brands can negotiate the new generation gap.

Prioritising creativity and societal value will lead to organic brand growth.

When joining five remarkable creative cultures into one Superunion, it’s good to reflect on the qualities that make companies creative.

In a world that’s increasingly data driven, semiotics – or the study of signs and symbols – is often dismissed as too subjective.

International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on the progress made and celebrating the bold, tenacious and inspiring women that build our communities.

A starting point for how brands can use their employees to speak on their behalf.

Feeling inspired is more powerful, for truly creative people, than any other sort of authority.

Boredom, neuroscience, liquid modernity and cause marketing converge in the South of France.

The early web was text-heavy and monotonous; now, we see smiling faces everywhere.

You’d love your company to be more like a trailblazing, volatile-economy-defying brand. Of course you would.

A clear brand proposition is the place to start.

Get it right and build a connection, but get it wrong and you'll bomb.

The ability to fulfil user-specific tasks will shift AI from novelty to becoming the brand advocate personified.

Successful brands are driven by passion, but rooted in society. 

Justine Dixon shares thoughts on how to avoid reporting fatigue in the age of ESG.

China Duty Free International launches a new digital retail experience with a series of immersive animations, inspired by surrealist art.

Paola Demichelis says NFTs are no longer limited to just exhibiting traditional media like images or videos - or a digital replica of John Lennon's guitar. 

#### IN BRIEF

BBC Two was founded in 1964, with a remit to carry more knowledge-building programming than any other channel. Ever since, it’s been a runway for the boldest and most risk-taking. Stories that surprise you at every turn. 

But, without a rebrand in over 20 years, and in a now-much-busier media landscape, viewers were struggling to say what BBC Two stands for. 
We worked with BBC Creative to conjure a radically diverse, and radically different identity system. One that puts diverse, contrasting emotions at the heart of the experience. Infinite in mood and expression, and every bit as unpredictable as the cutting-edge content either side of it. 

#### WHAT WE DID

We began from the inside-out. BBC Two’s programming is an emotional rollercoaster. Where else can you move from hard-hitting documentary to raucous comedy, to cookery show or the art show, without warning? Whatever it is, it gets a reaction. It makes you feel something, immersing you into its stories and entertaining the viewer. 

An ad-free environment gave us the ability to own and curate the entire experience between programmes. Since the shows are about what you feel, we made our idents do the same. Instead of genre, we divided by the spirit of the programmes: ‘offbeat’ for comedy, ‘visceral’ for drama, ‘anarchic’ for cutting-edge documentaries, all varied in style, texture, and tone, but all reflecting the character of the content. 

We then collaborated with some of the best British and global animators and artists to bring each mood, or emotional state to life. Radical diversity demanded radical freedom. The likes of FutureDeluxe, The Mill, Conlan Normington, David McLeod and Ari Weinkle had full license to express the given idea, or mood, in their own unique interpretation. 

The central curve of the numeral ‘2’ becomes a glue for infinite artistic expressions. Meanwhile British composer Alex Baranowski’s two-note soundscapes create a seamless, atmospheric gateway between each animation. Echoing the subtle swings and sudden emotional jolts that are now beautifully, unmistakeably BBC Two. 

#### AWARDS

Creative Circle 
Silver – Best Channel Idents

One Show
Silver – Moving Image-Series


BBC Two

#### In brief

ARTE is a Franco-German television network promoting culture and the arts. Since its creation in 1991, the public channel has stood for cultural diversity and multilingualism, offering high-quality programmes to 60% of Europeans in their native language.

With a remit to be Europe’s leading culture channel, ARTE gathers content together with unique micro-trends, and broadcasts these programmes across Europe to an audience of 25.7 million viewers a month.

Our brief was to build a connection between the channel and a younger audience, without alienating its established viewership.

We recognised that ARTE needed a system that could create contrast and pace for an engaging and entertaining experience. So we used ARTE’s diverse content as inspiration.

**25.7m** viewers per month

**6** broadcasting languages

**70%** of Europeans viewing in their native language

#### WHAT WE DID

We worked closely with Cécile Chavepayre, ARTE’s creative director, to develop a strategy that brings unity across the brand in a flexible system.

Inspired by the observation that ARTE gathers and curates all of Europe’s culture, we developed a brand idea that positioned ARTE as Europe’s cultural magnet.
Combining magnetism with art, we created a visual identity that reimagines the ARTE logo as a magnet. Text and various objects are pulled across screen in the idents, promos and stings to draw in a viewer’s attention. A forest of snow-covered trees bending forward in unison. Paint pulled out of a still life masterpiece. Words dragged straight off the page of a novel. The perfect morsel of entertainment in between shows.

> "ARTE now has an idea that brings unity across our brand and also gives us the freedom to represent the breadth of our content."
>
> *– Cécile Chavepayre, Creative Director, Arte*

The idea was applied across all of ARTE’s touch points, from broadcast to print, each animation telling its own story with a touch of wit and charm, and an injection of warmth. Sound design brought animations to life reflecting the magnetic tension and underpinning the moving-images.

The work was awarded a D&AD Pencil and, most importantly of all, the idea resonated equally well with our clients in France and Germany alike.

We continue to work with ARTE today.

##### Awards
D&AD Awards
Wood Pencil

Brand Impact Awards
Winner

German Design Awards
Gold

EEOFE
3 Winner

WPPED Cream Awards
Crème de la Crème
Winner



ARTE

#### IN BRIEF

Great coffee is universal. From the first cup of the morning to the pitch-perfect shot that rounds off the meal in the some of the world’s finest restaurants. 

Nespresso started that revolution over 30 years ago. With the idea to make barista-grade coffee as easy as pressing a button. The Nespresso concept – sleek machines with colourful coffee pods – made it one of the most recognised brands in the world. 

We helped Nespresso stir a deeper, closer relationship with the world’s coffee connoisseurs, by tracing a richer, more vivid and more colourful story of flavour right back to its origins. 

#### WHAT WE DID

In the beginning, there was the pod. And the pod made Nespresso iconic. But with other coffee makers now free to imitate this original signature of distraction, Nespresso needed a new set of codes to express their art de vivre. We developed a visual and verbal language that celebrated the alchemy and provenance at the origin of every cup. 

A textured luxury palette of black, white and gold dramatized the mood and character of the brand. Hand-crafted scripts took inspiration from one-off blends. A map of signature tones made it easy to navigate Nespresso’s nearly-infinite world of flavours. 

We put the energy and passion at the heart of the brand into the styles for its three core ranges: *Master Origins*, *Explorations* and ***Cradle***. 

With ***Cradle*** of Ethiopia Harrar and Uganda Robusta coffees, we worked with paper-cut artist Marianna Rodriguez to bring new life to old tales – the story of Kadi, the Abyssinian goat herder who first discovered the coffee berry, and the fables of brotherhood of Ugandan tribes, with colours inspired by landscapes and flavours of the origins of coffee. 

With *Exploration*, we took cues from local culture – the farmers hats of Columbia’s Aguadas and Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe, or the traditional Rangoli art form of India’s Malomoney – to turn up the accents on the place behind each blend. 

And with *Master Origins*, we celebrated the craftsmanship of plantations’ harvesters, each unique to its individual place. 

We continue to work side by side with Nespresso, contributing advertising to enrich the cultural meaning of its ‘*What Else?*’ ethos. And looking for the next chance to life a little bit more of the extraordinary into the everyday. 