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Welcome to Under The Influence, iris' cultural barometer and our window on the world. We'll be trawling the planet to uncover some truly extraordinary ideas and trends from around the globe. Every two months we’ll pass the editorial responsibilities to one of our network offices and set a new theme for us all to explore.
Issue 3
In the last issue, we covered the world of Urgent Genius, where bold thinkers use the hyperkinetic world of news and pop culture as a springboard to quick, killer creativity.
This issue, iris in the Americas will be exploring the idea of independence.
Giving the finger to the man and doing it your own way has always been a powerful idea. Now in an age where the web is empowering people in so many new ways, independence is a more powerful idea than ever.
So let’s take a look at the risk-takers and challenger brands disrupting every industry from movies to banking. Let’s salute those who are forsaking big brands to buy locally, and creating their own products. And let’s celebrate all the ways people around the world are now thinking and acting independently.
Join in. Comment and share here: undertheinfluenceUSA@iris-worldwide.com
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Wikileaks
Wikileaks has been headline news for the past month generating a range of urgent genius responses. This week, news that Julian Assange...
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Click the link and help get Urgent Genius on the slate for South by SouthWest (SxSW) 2011.
A new vision of the...
The Pounds of Brixton
Independent business in the Brixton area of London have been using their own currency, the Brixton Pound, designed to support local businesses and encourage local production. For the currency’s 2nd birthday, the notes have received some sweet art treatment. They’re now emblazoned with the faces of Brixton heroes, most notably David Bowie.
Independent currency to support local business is cool. Bowie in your billfold is priceless.
Check out the article here: http://www.psfk.com/2011/10/david-bowie-featured-on-local-london-currency.html
And see what the Brixton Pound is all about here: http://brixtonpound.org/
Not 3D glasses. 3D printed glasses.
If you’ve ever tried to shop for a pair of eyeglasses, you know how frustrating it can be to find the perfect ones. And if you’re even remotely style conscious, or picky in any way, it gets even harder. Well, recently a young industrial designer named David Minich faced this challenge, and said “screw this, I’ll design my own.” With 3D printing technology at his fingertips not only did he create the glasses of his dreams, but now he’s making it easy for all of us.
Make Eyewear lets you choose from a handful of styles and then customize the color. Or if you want to go fully custom, you can submit your drawing for a pair of frames, and Make Eyewear will make them happen. Chalk one up to new technology facilitating individuality and independence.
See the article here: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/design-architecture/make-eyewear-puts-you-in-the-designers-seat/865
And design your own here: http://www.makeeyewear.com/
Independent minds can bring the world together. At least for a day.
When you have a video as powerful as the one above, you don’t need too many words. All you need to know is that two independent filmmakers have helped orchestrate this jaw-droppingly beautiful work of art starring ordinary people around the world. It is testament to the power of film, the power of compassion, and the power of independence.
Be a part of it: http://www.onedayonearth.org/
This is what American Idol should be.
Leave it to ad whiz turned social change agent provocateur Alex Bogusky to bring entrepreneurs together in very cool ways. Recently his collaborative brand incubator Common sponsored an entrepreneur battle in Boulder, where bold new thinkers pitched their ideas to judges and a crowd. Maybe not as entertaining as watching people sing and dance, but if more people tuned into this kind of thing, we might begin to build innovative businesses, create more jobs and get our economy on the upswing again.
Definitely take the time to learn more about Bogusky’s business efforts here:
http://fearlessrevolution.com/
And check out the “battle” here: http://www.kdvr.com/videobeta/6e18fc55-0747-4aef-ba43-09b2ce8034fd/News/Entrepreneurs-face-off-in-Boulder
Coolin’ in the ATL.
Everybody loves stories about people who quit the corporate grind to pursue their dreams, and that story is definitely part of the King of Pops mythology. But the full story behind Atlanta’s hottest gourmet popsicle dealers is really the story of a few brothers following their dream. And with flavors like chocolate sea salt and Arnold Palmer (that’s iced tea and Lemonade for those of you in internet land who don’t know what an Arnold Palmer is), it’s also a rather delicious and refreshing story.
Check those fools out here. Or follow their Tweetage to see where they’ll pop up next.
Local Lord of Lighting
Most of us here in the editorial office of Under The Influence are big runners. It keeps us alert, attuned, thinking and ready to tackle the day. And on this morning’s run around the Old Fourth Ward section of Atlanta, we got a kindly wave from an old friend. And we thought, you know what, there’s a guy who’s as independent as it gets.
So today, ladies and gentlemen, it gives us great pride to introduce you to Christopher Moulder. Chris has been making his own brilliant, inspired lighting creations out of his Atlanta studio for years. His work is a masterful blend of art and function, serenity and blaze. His creations adorn fancy hotels and down to earth homes all over the country. And he’s one of the coolest guys you’ll ever meet.
So check him out, and if you know any local badasses who do their own thing, do it well, and do it with pride, send them this way.
Schweet Schwood.
You can always count on Portland, Oregon for cool indie stuff. This time a band of Cascadian kids brings us handcrafted shades made from the wood of old skateboard decks. So not only do we have small batch, independent craftsmanship at play, but we’ve also got the recycled angle and street cred galore. If Ray Ban marketing execs aren’t worried yet, they should be.
Kickstarter was not started on Kickstarter.
Not the first time we’ve talked about this innovation juggernaut on this blog, but Kickstarter is such an interesting example of how technology facilitates independence, that we can’t help ourselves. And with this just out article by NY Times consumer culture writer Rob Walker, we get an in-depth look behind the scenes. Here Walker talks with the company’s founders about the ins and outs of crafting a good funding pitch, and how Kickstarter shapes things at the intersection of money, creativity and culture.
Small presses. Big cojones.
Bigbox bookstores are going under. E-readers and tablets are on the rise. But the mighty paper book refuses to die. More to the point, there are a growing number of small presses cropping up all over. These DIY outfits are not only thumbing their nose at the electronic tides, they’re also opening the doors for newer, less established writers.
This is the book version of the underground zine scene, and they’re not going anywhere. In this piece we salute local faves Vouched ATL, who personally read, and vouch for, everything they print. Power to the presses!
Work isn’t what it used to be. The security of earlier generations is gone, and today’s fast-paced, constantly changing landscape demands a variety of skills and extreme versatility. So it’s no surprise that more people are freelancing than ever, lending their skills on different projects here and there. What is interesting though, is how growing ranks in freelance culture have given rise to a new type of workplace.
While there’s something nice about the freedom of working from home or a coffee shop, freelancing can get lonely. So increasingly collaborative workspaces have been popping up in big cities. For a small fee, people can rent some office space they share with others. So you get the freedom of freelance, but the benefits of a convivial office. So not only is loneliness a thing of the past, but these spaces give workers the chance to collaborate on projects and network for future ones. Win win. And welcome to the new workplace.
Check these out, and let us know if you know of others like this:
