I recently read a couple of articles in June/July ‘22 Creative Review looking at how brands can navigate and respond to consumers living much of their lives online and the evolving metaverse. To me, this digital future looks messy and artificial (probably something to do with my age) which is exactly what these brand designers are contending with; how to create authentic, meaningful and human centric work.
Digital worlds or the ‘metaverse,’ have existed since the 90’s but with the emergence of more sophisticated multiplayer and immersive digital games, online work spaces developing during lockdowns and Mark Zuckerberg renaming Facebook as Meta, there is now more momentum in developing this ‘space.’
Done well, this space is a democratic way for everyone and anyone to explore the world and make cultural and artistic connections. But I can’t help worrying that it will just turn into experiences dominated by one way consumption - art and creativity being used as a thin veil for advertising companies and big brands to sell sell sell.
And this made me think about what we do at The Paint Pottle. Our vision was always about creating opportunities for our customers based on a tactile, sensory experience sometimes educational and always social, whether engaged in a group or individual activity. Brands argue that the metaverse will provide “a deep, immersive engagement” between them and consumers, but for me, if you want to be human centric, you can’t replace real life experiences with tech.
Creating at The Paint Pottle is the connection between head, heart and hands - a physical reminder of the time and space you dedicated to making it; choosing the shape, holding it in your hands, deciding on colours, making marks with brushes or sponges or even your fingers, feeling the cool damp squidginess of clay, an expression of you, your creative voice and finding a calmness in the focus of making.
So in a world where our relationship to the physical is decreasing, The Paint Pottle is first and foremost about real life interaction - a place to come and connect with friends and yourself (and if it matters to you, you do get some pretty awesome Insta pics as a result too).
Got questions or want to book a session at The Paint Pottle? Click here
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