✳ Notes from the lab

Loud thoughts.

Why your brand needs a mascot

Faces get remembered, logos get scrolled past. What a character does for recall, trust, and content velocity — and when NOT to get one.

Why we refuse to open Figma before the strategy is signed — and the three questions that save brands from expensive prettiness.

Vanity metrics are a client-retention strategy, not a growth one. Here's the weekly report format we send — steal it.