Why Does Everything look like canva?

Like many other new tech solutions, Canva seems poised to revolutionize brand design and marketing with simplicity. But is it actually doing the work design should be doing? What should CEOs, conscience of every penny they’re spending, do to maximize their design?

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Does This work?

A few months back we stumbled across a series of ads for the state of Nebraska, that we hated. We thought they sucked and were going to write a piece about that. Until we found out that the ad was an unmitigated success. What did we get wrong, that the state of Nebraska got right?

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People like me do stuff like this

Many brands only have a vague sense of who their ideal customer is, and even more of them are unsure of how to speak a language that centers their customer, rather than themselves. We’ll break down some ideas for how to find your ideal customer, and speak straight to them, in this piece.

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Six levels up

The very best content and design is transparent, allowing the customer to see your product, message, or brand in the fullness of its authenticity – immediately and always. If your customer is going to see you for what you truly are, you’re gonna have to level up that content and design. So here are 6 ways to do just that.

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new math is the brand killer

What the hell is marketing? No really, in today’s new and emerging economy, where “digital” marketing is dying – what is it actually supposed to be and how are CEOs meant to use it?

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how a simple newsletter strategy changed everything

We’re celebrating one entire year’s worth of MADE volumes. In doing so, we decided to share some of our most hard-won and insightful lessons learned about making a weekly newsletter, and how you can make one too. Our sincerest thanks for lending us your inbox and attention for the past year. Here’s to another 52!

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Hacking a recession

In a recession, every brand CEO and leader has one thing on their mind: survival. But what if more than survival was possible? What if there was a way to emerge from a recession in a position to thrive and dominate your industry? No, it isn’t a gimmick or a fantasy. It’s actually possible. We’ll tell you how.

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