What sounds, forms, colours & metaphors will carry the story of Alternative visions in 2020, asks Gabriella Tavini
So how do we frame the Alternatives? Kate Phellini
A delight to run this original piece from Gabriella Tavini, one of our active co-creators in the A/UK network.
As a poet, creator and copywriter for Ogilvy UK, she wanted to give us pointers towards what might attract Millennials and Alphas (Gen’s Y and Z) to the kind of new politics we articulate here.
[BTW, If you’re a creative and you’re up for making this kind of contribution, please mail us here or become a co-creator.]
2020’s Hottest Digital Storytelling Trends Can Level Up Online Activism
Yin and Yang is a story of dualism, a tale of balance to maintain an enlightened state, to keep us #Woke.
Yin and Yang is full of seemingly contradictory forces, but realises that everything is connected and intrinsically interdependent on the natural world. When there’s an imbalance between the Yin and Yang principles, floods, droughts and plagues begin.
With the spread of COVID-19, we’re relying on our screens more than ever. For the moment, the world feels as though it’s going in slow motion. Businesses are shutting down; schools are closed; and those who are privileged enough to do so are working from home.
The pandemic serves to remind us of the fragility and malleability of society. Right now, Capitalism is vulnerable and people are seeking new, more sustainable ways of living.
2020 online storytelling is about finding balance. There’s a need for carefully curated, aesthetically pleasing content with an edge. There’s a desire for punk-rock rawness, a raucousness which is both believable and attention-grabbing.
We’re moving away from excessive photo filters and staged lighting. We want genuine stories that embody playful spontaneity to reveal artistic yet ordinary snapshots of daily life.
Social media’s gaze works best in medias res, which is Latin for “into the middle of things.” We desire photographs that spark surprising ideas and offer a multitude of potential outcomes to keep the viewer guessing what will happen next.
For movements like Alternative UK, how can we produce clean, beautiful and authentic images to tell simple stories that empower and motivate the general public? How do we incite a movement that actively encourages project-led, grass roots action, to accept social responsibility with pride? To inspire a more devolved way of living among communities that is both accessible and real?
In Alternative UK’s fortnightly ZOOM meetings with activists from all over the world, one particular topic recurs: self-care. Amid the chaos of COVID-19, what tools and techniques are we using to ground ourselves daily? How can we promote self-care visually and aurally, to cultivate a generation of empathy?
Again, simplistic minimalist imagery is key. With regards to sound, think ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response), which triggers euphoric tingling and relaxation when listening to specific sounds. Mashable explains more about ASMR in this 2 minute video here.
432hz is also known as the philosophical pitch or Verdi tuning. This tuning has a positive influence on the body and mind. It is said to be the natural frequency of the universe. Rick Beato, musician, teacher and YouTuber explains 432hz in this 2 minute video here.
Using 432hz tuned music to enhance visual content would make viewers feel, well—content. And in this condition, keep them returning to embrace radical ideas more readily.
Additionally, the word “holistic” which means, “parts of something intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole,” creeps into corporate lingo. We’re erasing existential crises for all things holistic.
We’re becoming more comfortable and accepting of the ripple effect: the idea that our smallest actions, smallest details and the seemingly least powerful people have the power to shift everything.
Millennials are the first generation to deal with the bombardment of negative news headlines round-the-clock. Clearly, with the rise of mental health issues globally, there's a yearning for more positive and uplifting content.
Whoever said news has to be all bad? Positive News is the first media organisation in the world that’s dedicated to quality, independent reporting about what’s going right, offering inbox inspiration newsletters and a published quarterly print.
The focus on mindfulness and healing has resulted in something that social media marketers are calling Generation Blue. So how do Generation Blue disconnect with the always-on culture? How do they deal with the burnout epidemic? With constant media pessimism?
One of Generation Blue, by Sarah Köster
Part of the answer is a more breathtakingly spacious and therapeutic online experience. Think lighter shades and soft pastels. Think clean spaces and satisfying framing to soothe the mind. 2020 imagery will be subtler, gentler providing a sense of comfort and peace.
With the increasing awareness of movements like Extinction Rebellion and Fridays For Future, citizen activism is a social trend that's here to stay. There’s incredible technology at our fingertips and when used strategically, it has the potential to influence millions.
Alphas and Millennials understand the power of this privilege. They use smartphones to their advantage by streaming live videos and uploading content in real-time—offering their followers an honest, immersive, no filter experience.
Again, this eyewitness account feeds the in medias res mantra. There’s movement, shouting, conflict at every turn; protesters dress outrageously or wear nothing at all; and homemade signs, no matter how misspelt and nonsensical, read like a treat.
Emerging from our newsfeeds there’s a “scroll less, reflect more” mentality. The #SlowLiving hashtag is on the rise. Mindful minimalism, honest messaging and spacious design encourage reflective observation. We are empowered to find balance, to get back to discernment and to get back to awareness, which are all qualities of awakening.