Brand consistency lessons from Rome
Rome ruled five million square kilometres with a handful of fixed rules. What that means for brand consistency, design systems and the freelancers who work inside them.
Von Restorff Effect
The Von Restorff effect says the odd one out is remembered. But a brand that only looks different, without changing in substance, trades trust for attention. A look at the neuroscience, UX practice and the trap of cosmetic rebranding.
Ben Franklin Effect
Why do we like people more after we have helped them? The Ben Franklin effect turns a simple request into a bond. How it works in people, how brands use it, and what it means for UX design.
Pratfall Effect – neuroscience meets design
Perfection earns admiration. Honesty earns trust. A creative director on the Pratfall Effect, a confession to his boss over a beer, and why the brands we believe are the ones that admit what they are not.
IKEA Effect – design psychology explained
A wobbly chair can be irreplaceable. A flawless handbag can end up at the back of a closet. The IKEA effect explains why and what it means for design in an age of effortless output. Explore the neuroscience behind it.
Creative Leadership – 15 tips
In 15 years I came a long way. I have seen teams succeed and teams fail. Here are 15 tips from 15 years of experience to make you a better design leader for your team.
Uncanny Valley – AI authenticity
AI-generated images can look flawless and still feel wrong. In a live A/B test with 3,680 page views, the version with real people earned 13% more clicks. This essay explains the Uncanny Valley in the age of generative AI and why brands now face a new question: not “Does it look real?” but “Is it real?”
Win every pitch
Fifteen years of helping agencies win their dream clients, distilled into 15 tips. Why winning shouldn’t be the goal, why a pitch is only a first meeting, and what really makes a client say yes.
The Liturgy of the Interface
Church bells and push notifications, confession and the Genius Bar: an essay on the psychological architecture shared by ritual and interface design and where the analogy breaks down.
Scarcity and luxury brand discipline
Scarcity isn’t one tactic – it’s three. From fake e-commerce timers to Labubu’s collapse to Chanel’s century-long price discipline, here’s what actually separates them.
- Brand consistency lessons from Rome
- Von Restorff Effect
- Ben Franklin Effect
- Pratfall Effect – neuroscience meets design
- IKEA Effect – design psychology explained
- Creative Leadership – 15 tips
- Uncanny Valley – AI authenticity
- Win every pitch
- The Liturgy of the Interface
- Scarcity and luxury brand discipline
