No straight lines
A design festival, a film festival and something I didn’t see coming
Hi friends,
Things happening around me: Writing to you from Potenza, where I spent the last couple of days with the guys at Life Design where I also had the chance to give a talk called No Straight Lines. Incredible hospitality and a festival only in its second edition, but already with all the ingredients to become something really big. Huge thanks to Max and Michele and all the crew, genuinely obsessed with design and, even more, with their city and territory.
As you’re reading this I’m probably heading back to Milan, where we’ll wrap up Milano Film Fest in style. It’s been a hell of a week and I’m pretty sure we’ll close strong. There are still screenings and talks worth catching, you can find everything here.
Pretty packed week overall, and one that also came with an important announcement I genuinely didn’t see coming. Over the past few months I got in touch with Mark Tungate from Epica Awards and, I know this risks sounding like one of those LinkedIn posts, but I’m genuinely honoured to have been selected as President of the Jury for this year’s Epica Awards.
I’ll keep you posted on some very exciting Epica moments over the next few months.
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In this issue: Super intense week overall, and luckily the work didn’t disappoint either. There were campaigns we’ll probably remember for a while. The Club World Cup is everywhere right now, but I can’t not mention that Nike dropped a spot we hadn’t seen from them in quite some time. Every frame smells a bit like “The Cage” and “Airport”. Masterpiece.
Then there’s JKR’s rebrand for Schweppes, Sephora embodying the Pretty Badass spirit, and a beautiful OOH campaign by Coors.
Have a good read.
ADVERTISING
Nike's World Cup Ad: A Cinematic Chaos
Nike's latest campaign, 'Rip the Script', crafted by Wieden+Kennedy, is a chaotic mashup of stars from Kylian Mbappé to Kim Kardashian. Players rebel against a pretentious director, racing through film sets in a grand spectacle that critiques sports narratives while showcasing top-tier football talent.
DESIGN
Schweppes sparkles again with retro twist
Schweppes just got a major glow-up, thanks to JKR, Studio.One, and Mischief. This iconic brand is taking a nostalgic plunge with a heritage-driven redesign that brings back Clive the Leopard. With a new motto, 'With Time Comes Taste,' the refresh aims to remind us of its pioneering excellence while catering to today's premium drinkers.
FEATURED
A bunch of news from my network :
- Airbnb launches 'Llegar más cerca' in Spain, celebrating rural villages with a €50M investment to revitalize local communities [source Ricardo Pabón García linkedIn]
- Al.ta Cucina storms New York with Roman centurions to launch Di Marco's original pinsa for National Pinsa Day [source Simone Mascagni linkedIn]
- PromoTurismoFVG embraces irony with the launch of its quirky 'Io Sono Friuli Venezia Giulia' merch featuring the hilariously tragic Gianni [source Marco Peluso linkedIn]
- B612 Studio and Clab Comunicazione launch a CGI odyssey with Novacart's origami astronaut [source Davide Calluori linkedIn]
NOBODY READS ADVERTISING
People read what interests them, and sometimes it’s NOT an Ad
Let's jump in something out of the bubble:
Infomaniac: McDonald’s has a new strategy: Make its stores “easier to run”
Archistorm: The Incredible Casa de Vidro by Architect Lina Bo Bardi
Artips: Inside Chicago’s $850m Obamalisk
Foodie bites: World’s best food photographs served up
Streaming binge: 35 Most Anticipated TV Shows of Summer 2026
MARKETING
Mktg picks not to miss
- Steph Curry has signed a 10 years shoe deal with Li-ning. That’s why.
- Why brands are running to Strava
ADVERTISING
Can Cold Beer Really Be Visible?
Coors Light took 'refreshing' to a whole new level with an infrared OOH campaign that maps out its classic Cold As The Rockies vibe. Created by Rethink, this campaign literally makes cold beer visible against a scorching summer backdrop. Cold cans pop in cool blue tones, reminding everyone that relief is just a sip away. Brilliantly executed for both outdoor billboards and digital screens, Coors is making sure you see the chill this summer.
ADVERTISING
Sephora's 'Pretty Badass' Partnership Unveiled
Sephora Canada has kicked off its 'Pretty Badass' platform created with Courage, shaking things up as the Founding and Official Beauty Partner of the Toronto Tempo. This initiative champions female athletes and promotes a broader, unapologetic definition of beauty. Featuring Tempo's star players, the campaign dismantles stereotypes by blending beauty and athleticism and encouraging women to embrace their multifaceted identities.
Thank you so much for reading this far - I truly appreciate it. Last week’s most-clicked link was: