Who The Fuck Are You?
Dear, friends of Red Thread Society. I’m sorry my flight got canceled.  Here, have this website instead. 
who the fuck is adam?01
24-0604
I’m Adam Valley, creative director at laundry service. I like chaos and I hate olives.
what the fuck is branding?02
24-0604
Branding isn’t a logo. It’s not your product. Its not a name. It’s not a website. Business card. Branding isn’t a face. It’s not a person. It’s not any one thing. Is there anything tangible? Is anything real? How the fuck have I done this successfully for over a decade. Do I have a clue what I’m talking about? are you real? Am I real? Is any of this real...?
branding. the existential crisis03
24-0604


Branding is the most complete and nuanced answer to the question, “who the fuck are you?”



seriously, what the fuck is branding?04
24-0604
Branding is a living and breathing idea. It’s a core belief. It’s the soul of whatever it is you’re trying to build. It’s guides every single decision you or the larger organization make. Everything from what your website looks like, to how you write a contract.  If that idea is weak or unclear, you immediately blend in to everything else. And there’s a lot of everything else.



branding. the existential crisis05
24-0604


A different version of you your brand grows in the minds of everyone you’ve ever known. You better plant a good fucking seed.



Q & A06
24-0604
Q:
how creatives can build a sold marketing strategy for themselves and create their own personal brand?
A:
Who. The fuck. Are you. Answer that question with unabashed honesty and let it guide every choice you make. Build a world for your brand. Imagine it’s character in your favorite movie.  Who would they vote for? What ‘s their favorite candy? Fight or flight? What are their parents like? How do they in love? Window or aisle? What’s their body language in an uncomfortable conversation? Have they ever been arrested?  How many times to they snooze their alarm?
Q & A07
24-0604
Q:
What are some mistakes to avoid when building your artistic brand? 
A:
How many pieces of branded communication are you forced to see everyday? It’s constant and we’re numb to it. We call it “Ad Avoidance.”  A stream of trash pulling you in a million directions while offering you nothing in return because no one at any point asked the question, “will the audience enjoy this?”

Make stuff you love. Make a lot of it. Make it with compassion and empathy for the people you’re trying to talk to. And for fuck sake, make things that attract and engage your audience instead of distracting them.
Q & A08
24-0604
Q:
Why it’s important to have an identity? 
A:
Bud Light... do you want to be Bud Light? So far this year they have lost $1.4 billion dollars because they couldn’t figure out if they supported the trans community or not.  Instead of doubling down on their support for Dylan Mulvaney (and easily becoming the official beer of Pride) they publicly flip-flopped a few times and burned everyone... and $1.4 Billion dollars... Don’t be Bud Light.
Q & A09
24-0604
Q:
How can you honor your art and not fixate on quick content?  
A:
We serve algorithms and they fucking love consistency. Not everything needs to be a masterpiece but that doesn’t mean shitty thoughtless quick content is the answer. Be smart. Listen and get to know your audience. Somewhere in there is an overlap between your passion and their curiosity.