of the United Kingdom’s capitol city.
Nike. Montblanc. Chanel. These brands don’t merely sell products. They build worlds.
Despite their vastly different offerings, they’ve each spent decades crafting narratives that capture attention and cultivate loyalty; stories about how their brands connect to power, taste, aspiration, and identity.
But here’s the new reality that C-level executives, brand strategists, and creative practitioners rarely discuss: brands are no longer the sole authors of those stories. Consumers revise, remix, and reshare them every single day.
Gone are the days when brands guide the plot. True myth-making is not rooted solely in powerful products and brand-led stories; it’s grounded in decades, even centuries, of individual and collective beliefs.
Today, brands are collaborators in a sprawling, multiplayer narrative. Meaning is constantly co-created, reinterpreted, and redistributed as ideas echo through space and time. What a brand stands for isn’t fixed; it’s negotiated through a constant exchange of ideas and experiences. And that negotiation is the heart of LORE.
LORE asks a simple question: Who really writes a brand's story?
To answer it, we need to understand the meaning of “lore” itself.
The Essence of LORE
Lore is a body of shared knowledge, often traditional or cultural. Lore is the narrative backbone of fictional universes—worlds built through story, character, and myth. And these worlds often teach lessons, unlocking new ways of thinking. Myths, fables, and even idioms teach much larger, abstract ideas that shape our perceptions and beliefs.
Brands operate the same way. By embracing worldbuilding concepts, they are creating lore and rely on their consumers to participate, share, and shape its future.
These intricacies are rarely explored and pondered. It feels far too abstract and scary to think that you’re not actually in control of your brand.
LORE embraces this brave new realm with vigor.
Across 280 pages, LORE explores brand mythology through essays, investigative pieces, poetry, and visual storytelling. It dissects the qualities that separate iconic brands from forgettable ones: What allows some to endure for a century, while others barely survive a news cycle? What makes a brand culturally sticky rather than culturally obedient?
And perhaps most importantly: What does that mean for those who create, operate, and shape today’s brands?
Why LORE Matters Now
Brand builders are operating in a state of cultural whiplash. The mandate is to move fast, stay relevant, and make something that “hits.” Yet in trying to keep up with the culture, many brands have stopped contributing to it meaningfully.
Instead of crafting stories, they chase trends.
Instead of embodying meaning, they mimic aesthetics.
Instead of fostering identity, they flatten it.
Commerce has drifted away from the art of distinction. It’s no longer about standing out; it’s about fitting in to appease the algorithm.
LORE is a correction to that drift, helping strategists, creatives, and visionary leaders find a new artistic equilibrium. It’s a poignant reminder that storytelling isn’t decorative—it’s foundational to our very existence, shaping how we see ourselves and how we understand the world.
When we lose the plot, brands lose their power.
They’re inconsistent in how they present themselves online and in physical realms.
They find themselves trying to fit into communities, rather than building these spaces on their own.
They fail to find a place in the cultural landscape.
When we return to story, brands become meaningful again.
This is why LORE feels less like a book and more like a lens—a way to see culture as it is and what it’s becoming.
What You’ll Find Inside
280 pages of designed, tactile, timeless storytelling.
It’s a beautiful addition to a carefully curated bookshelf or coffee table, but LORE’s value lies in its intellectual depth. It invites you to sit with ideas longer than an algorithmic feed allows.
Essays and interviews with operators, thinkers, and cultural visionaries.
Together, they rewrite the script for brand longevity, community building, and cultural relevance.
Poetry, photo essays, and visual mythmaking.
Because culture is built upon more than thought leadership. Sensory experiences create memory, and memories shape who we are and who we’ll become.
A reorientation toward meaning.
LORE doesn’t just prescribe tactics. It restores perspective and reconnects you with why you’re doing the work you do. It’s the shot of creative adrenaline we all need.
The Promise of LORE
LORE is not a playbook. It’s not a funnel. It’s not a growth hack.
It’s a reminder.
A reminder that brands become powerful when they shape culture.
A reminder that consumers aren’t endpoints; they’re co-authors.
A reminder that mythmaking creates meaning.
And ultimately, it’s a reminder that in a future defined by speed and sameness, the only true competitive advantage is telling stories that no one else can tell.
LORE gives you the tools—and the inspiration—to tell yours.
Nike. Montblanc. Chanel. These brands don’t merely sell products. They build worlds.
Despite their vastly different offerings, they’ve each spent decades crafting narratives that capture attention and cultivate loyalty; stories about how their brands connect to power, taste, aspiration, and identity.
But here’s the new reality that C-level executives, brand strategists, and creative practitioners rarely discuss: brands are no longer the sole authors of those stories. Consumers revise, remix, and reshare them every single day.
Gone are the days when brands guide the plot. True myth-making is not rooted solely in powerful products and brand-led stories; it’s grounded in decades, even centuries, of individual and collective beliefs.
Today, brands are collaborators in a sprawling, multiplayer narrative. Meaning is constantly co-created, reinterpreted, and redistributed as ideas echo through space and time. What a brand stands for isn’t fixed; it’s negotiated through a constant exchange of ideas and experiences. And that negotiation is the heart of LORE.
LORE asks a simple question: Who really writes a brand's story?
To answer it, we need to understand the meaning of “lore” itself.
The Essence of LORE
Lore is a body of shared knowledge, often traditional or cultural. Lore is the narrative backbone of fictional universes—worlds built through story, character, and myth. And these worlds often teach lessons, unlocking new ways of thinking. Myths, fables, and even idioms teach much larger, abstract ideas that shape our perceptions and beliefs.
Brands operate the same way. By embracing worldbuilding concepts, they are creating lore and rely on their consumers to participate, share, and shape its future.
These intricacies are rarely explored and pondered. It feels far too abstract and scary to think that you’re not actually in control of your brand.
LORE embraces this brave new realm with vigor.
Across 280 pages, LORE explores brand mythology through essays, investigative pieces, poetry, and visual storytelling. It dissects the qualities that separate iconic brands from forgettable ones: What allows some to endure for a century, while others barely survive a news cycle? What makes a brand culturally sticky rather than culturally obedient?
And perhaps most importantly: What does that mean for those who create, operate, and shape today’s brands?
Why LORE Matters Now
Brand builders are operating in a state of cultural whiplash. The mandate is to move fast, stay relevant, and make something that “hits.” Yet in trying to keep up with the culture, many brands have stopped contributing to it meaningfully.
Instead of crafting stories, they chase trends.
Instead of embodying meaning, they mimic aesthetics.
Instead of fostering identity, they flatten it.
Commerce has drifted away from the art of distinction. It’s no longer about standing out; it’s about fitting in to appease the algorithm.
LORE is a correction to that drift, helping strategists, creatives, and visionary leaders find a new artistic equilibrium. It’s a poignant reminder that storytelling isn’t decorative—it’s foundational to our very existence, shaping how we see ourselves and how we understand the world.
When we lose the plot, brands lose their power.
They’re inconsistent in how they present themselves online and in physical realms.
They find themselves trying to fit into communities, rather than building these spaces on their own.
They fail to find a place in the cultural landscape.
When we return to story, brands become meaningful again.
This is why LORE feels less like a book and more like a lens—a way to see culture as it is and what it’s becoming.
What You’ll Find Inside
280 pages of designed, tactile, timeless storytelling.
It’s a beautiful addition to a carefully curated bookshelf or coffee table, but LORE’s value lies in its intellectual depth. It invites you to sit with ideas longer than an algorithmic feed allows.
Essays and interviews with operators, thinkers, and cultural visionaries.
Together, they rewrite the script for brand longevity, community building, and cultural relevance.
Poetry, photo essays, and visual mythmaking.
Because culture is built upon more than thought leadership. Sensory experiences create memory, and memories shape who we are and who we’ll become.
A reorientation toward meaning.
LORE doesn’t just prescribe tactics. It restores perspective and reconnects you with why you’re doing the work you do. It’s the shot of creative adrenaline we all need.
The Promise of LORE
LORE is not a playbook. It’s not a funnel. It’s not a growth hack.
It’s a reminder.
A reminder that brands become powerful when they shape culture.
A reminder that consumers aren’t endpoints; they’re co-authors.
A reminder that mythmaking creates meaning.
And ultimately, it’s a reminder that in a future defined by speed and sameness, the only true competitive advantage is telling stories that no one else can tell.
LORE gives you the tools—and the inspiration—to tell yours.
Nike. Montblanc. Chanel. These brands don’t merely sell products. They build worlds.
Despite their vastly different offerings, they’ve each spent decades crafting narratives that capture attention and cultivate loyalty; stories about how their brands connect to power, taste, aspiration, and identity.
But here’s the new reality that C-level executives, brand strategists, and creative practitioners rarely discuss: brands are no longer the sole authors of those stories. Consumers revise, remix, and reshare them every single day.
Gone are the days when brands guide the plot. True myth-making is not rooted solely in powerful products and brand-led stories; it’s grounded in decades, even centuries, of individual and collective beliefs.
Today, brands are collaborators in a sprawling, multiplayer narrative. Meaning is constantly co-created, reinterpreted, and redistributed as ideas echo through space and time. What a brand stands for isn’t fixed; it’s negotiated through a constant exchange of ideas and experiences. And that negotiation is the heart of LORE.
LORE asks a simple question: Who really writes a brand's story?
To answer it, we need to understand the meaning of “lore” itself.
The Essence of LORE
Lore is a body of shared knowledge, often traditional or cultural. Lore is the narrative backbone of fictional universes—worlds built through story, character, and myth. And these worlds often teach lessons, unlocking new ways of thinking. Myths, fables, and even idioms teach much larger, abstract ideas that shape our perceptions and beliefs.
Brands operate the same way. By embracing worldbuilding concepts, they are creating lore and rely on their consumers to participate, share, and shape its future.
These intricacies are rarely explored and pondered. It feels far too abstract and scary to think that you’re not actually in control of your brand.
LORE embraces this brave new realm with vigor.
Across 280 pages, LORE explores brand mythology through essays, investigative pieces, poetry, and visual storytelling. It dissects the qualities that separate iconic brands from forgettable ones: What allows some to endure for a century, while others barely survive a news cycle? What makes a brand culturally sticky rather than culturally obedient?
And perhaps most importantly: What does that mean for those who create, operate, and shape today’s brands?
Why LORE Matters Now
Brand builders are operating in a state of cultural whiplash. The mandate is to move fast, stay relevant, and make something that “hits.” Yet in trying to keep up with the culture, many brands have stopped contributing to it meaningfully.
Instead of crafting stories, they chase trends.
Instead of embodying meaning, they mimic aesthetics.
Instead of fostering identity, they flatten it.
Commerce has drifted away from the art of distinction. It’s no longer about standing out; it’s about fitting in to appease the algorithm.
LORE is a correction to that drift, helping strategists, creatives, and visionary leaders find a new artistic equilibrium. It’s a poignant reminder that storytelling isn’t decorative—it’s foundational to our very existence, shaping how we see ourselves and how we understand the world.
When we lose the plot, brands lose their power.
They’re inconsistent in how they present themselves online and in physical realms.
They find themselves trying to fit into communities, rather than building these spaces on their own.
They fail to find a place in the cultural landscape.
When we return to story, brands become meaningful again.
This is why LORE feels less like a book and more like a lens—a way to see culture as it is and what it’s becoming.
What You’ll Find Inside
280 pages of designed, tactile, timeless storytelling.
It’s a beautiful addition to a carefully curated bookshelf or coffee table, but LORE’s value lies in its intellectual depth. It invites you to sit with ideas longer than an algorithmic feed allows.
Essays and interviews with operators, thinkers, and cultural visionaries.
Together, they rewrite the script for brand longevity, community building, and cultural relevance.
Poetry, photo essays, and visual mythmaking.
Because culture is built upon more than thought leadership. Sensory experiences create memory, and memories shape who we are and who we’ll become.
A reorientation toward meaning.
LORE doesn’t just prescribe tactics. It restores perspective and reconnects you with why you’re doing the work you do. It’s the shot of creative adrenaline we all need.
The Promise of LORE
LORE is not a playbook. It’s not a funnel. It’s not a growth hack.
It’s a reminder.
A reminder that brands become powerful when they shape culture.
A reminder that consumers aren’t endpoints; they’re co-authors.
A reminder that mythmaking creates meaning.
And ultimately, it’s a reminder that in a future defined by speed and sameness, the only true competitive advantage is telling stories that no one else can tell.
LORE gives you the tools—and the inspiration—to tell yours.
Nike. Montblanc. Chanel. These brands don’t merely sell products. They build worlds.
Despite their vastly different offerings, they’ve each spent decades crafting narratives that capture attention and cultivate loyalty; stories about how their brands connect to power, taste, aspiration, and identity.
But here’s the new reality that C-level executives, brand strategists, and creative practitioners rarely discuss: brands are no longer the sole authors of those stories. Consumers revise, remix, and reshare them every single day.
Gone are the days when brands guide the plot. True myth-making is not rooted solely in powerful products and brand-led stories; it’s grounded in decades, even centuries, of individual and collective beliefs.
Today, brands are collaborators in a sprawling, multiplayer narrative. Meaning is constantly co-created, reinterpreted, and redistributed as ideas echo through space and time. What a brand stands for isn’t fixed; it’s negotiated through a constant exchange of ideas and experiences. And that negotiation is the heart of LORE.
LORE asks a simple question: Who really writes a brand's story?
To answer it, we need to understand the meaning of “lore” itself.
The Essence of LORE
Lore is a body of shared knowledge, often traditional or cultural. Lore is the narrative backbone of fictional universes—worlds built through story, character, and myth. And these worlds often teach lessons, unlocking new ways of thinking. Myths, fables, and even idioms teach much larger, abstract ideas that shape our perceptions and beliefs.
Brands operate the same way. By embracing worldbuilding concepts, they are creating lore and rely on their consumers to participate, share, and shape its future.
These intricacies are rarely explored and pondered. It feels far too abstract and scary to think that you’re not actually in control of your brand.
LORE embraces this brave new realm with vigor.
Across 280 pages, LORE explores brand mythology through essays, investigative pieces, poetry, and visual storytelling. It dissects the qualities that separate iconic brands from forgettable ones: What allows some to endure for a century, while others barely survive a news cycle? What makes a brand culturally sticky rather than culturally obedient?
And perhaps most importantly: What does that mean for those who create, operate, and shape today’s brands?
Why LORE Matters Now
Brand builders are operating in a state of cultural whiplash. The mandate is to move fast, stay relevant, and make something that “hits.” Yet in trying to keep up with the culture, many brands have stopped contributing to it meaningfully.
Instead of crafting stories, they chase trends.
Instead of embodying meaning, they mimic aesthetics.
Instead of fostering identity, they flatten it.
Commerce has drifted away from the art of distinction. It’s no longer about standing out; it’s about fitting in to appease the algorithm.
LORE is a correction to that drift, helping strategists, creatives, and visionary leaders find a new artistic equilibrium. It’s a poignant reminder that storytelling isn’t decorative—it’s foundational to our very existence, shaping how we see ourselves and how we understand the world.
When we lose the plot, brands lose their power.
They’re inconsistent in how they present themselves online and in physical realms.
They find themselves trying to fit into communities, rather than building these spaces on their own.
They fail to find a place in the cultural landscape.
When we return to story, brands become meaningful again.
This is why LORE feels less like a book and more like a lens—a way to see culture as it is and what it’s becoming.
What You’ll Find Inside
280 pages of designed, tactile, timeless storytelling.
It’s a beautiful addition to a carefully curated bookshelf or coffee table, but LORE’s value lies in its intellectual depth. It invites you to sit with ideas longer than an algorithmic feed allows.
Essays and interviews with operators, thinkers, and cultural visionaries.
Together, they rewrite the script for brand longevity, community building, and cultural relevance.
Poetry, photo essays, and visual mythmaking.
Because culture is built upon more than thought leadership. Sensory experiences create memory, and memories shape who we are and who we’ll become.
A reorientation toward meaning.
LORE doesn’t just prescribe tactics. It restores perspective and reconnects you with why you’re doing the work you do. It’s the shot of creative adrenaline we all need.
The Promise of LORE
LORE is not a playbook. It’s not a funnel. It’s not a growth hack.
It’s a reminder.
A reminder that brands become powerful when they shape culture.
A reminder that consumers aren’t endpoints; they’re co-authors.
A reminder that mythmaking creates meaning.
And ultimately, it’s a reminder that in a future defined by speed and sameness, the only true competitive advantage is telling stories that no one else can tell.
LORE gives you the tools—and the inspiration—to tell yours.
Nike. Montblanc. Chanel. These brands don’t merely sell products. They build worlds.
Despite their vastly different offerings, they’ve each spent decades crafting narratives that capture attention and cultivate loyalty; stories about how their brands connect to power, taste, aspiration, and identity.
But here’s the new reality that C-level executives, brand strategists, and creative practitioners rarely discuss: brands are no longer the sole authors of those stories. Consumers revise, remix, and reshare them every single day.
Gone are the days when brands guide the plot. True myth-making is not rooted solely in powerful products and brand-led stories; it’s grounded in decades, even centuries, of individual and collective beliefs.
Today, brands are collaborators in a sprawling, multiplayer narrative. Meaning is constantly co-created, reinterpreted, and redistributed as ideas echo through space and time. What a brand stands for isn’t fixed; it’s negotiated through a constant exchange of ideas and experiences. And that negotiation is the heart of LORE.
LORE asks a simple question: Who really writes a brand's story?
To answer it, we need to understand the meaning of “lore” itself.
The Essence of LORE
Lore is a body of shared knowledge, often traditional or cultural. Lore is the narrative backbone of fictional universes—worlds built through story, character, and myth. And these worlds often teach lessons, unlocking new ways of thinking. Myths, fables, and even idioms teach much larger, abstract ideas that shape our perceptions and beliefs.
Brands operate the same way. By embracing worldbuilding concepts, they are creating lore and rely on their consumers to participate, share, and shape its future.
These intricacies are rarely explored and pondered. It feels far too abstract and scary to think that you’re not actually in control of your brand.
LORE embraces this brave new realm with vigor.
Across 280 pages, LORE explores brand mythology through essays, investigative pieces, poetry, and visual storytelling. It dissects the qualities that separate iconic brands from forgettable ones: What allows some to endure for a century, while others barely survive a news cycle? What makes a brand culturally sticky rather than culturally obedient?
And perhaps most importantly: What does that mean for those who create, operate, and shape today’s brands?
Why LORE Matters Now
Brand builders are operating in a state of cultural whiplash. The mandate is to move fast, stay relevant, and make something that “hits.” Yet in trying to keep up with the culture, many brands have stopped contributing to it meaningfully.
Instead of crafting stories, they chase trends.
Instead of embodying meaning, they mimic aesthetics.
Instead of fostering identity, they flatten it.
Commerce has drifted away from the art of distinction. It’s no longer about standing out; it’s about fitting in to appease the algorithm.
LORE is a correction to that drift, helping strategists, creatives, and visionary leaders find a new artistic equilibrium. It’s a poignant reminder that storytelling isn’t decorative—it’s foundational to our very existence, shaping how we see ourselves and how we understand the world.
When we lose the plot, brands lose their power.
They’re inconsistent in how they present themselves online and in physical realms.
They find themselves trying to fit into communities, rather than building these spaces on their own.
They fail to find a place in the cultural landscape.
When we return to story, brands become meaningful again.
This is why LORE feels less like a book and more like a lens—a way to see culture as it is and what it’s becoming.
What You’ll Find Inside
280 pages of designed, tactile, timeless storytelling.
It’s a beautiful addition to a carefully curated bookshelf or coffee table, but LORE’s value lies in its intellectual depth. It invites you to sit with ideas longer than an algorithmic feed allows.
Essays and interviews with operators, thinkers, and cultural visionaries.
Together, they rewrite the script for brand longevity, community building, and cultural relevance.
Poetry, photo essays, and visual mythmaking.
Because culture is built upon more than thought leadership. Sensory experiences create memory, and memories shape who we are and who we’ll become.
A reorientation toward meaning.
LORE doesn’t just prescribe tactics. It restores perspective and reconnects you with why you’re doing the work you do. It’s the shot of creative adrenaline we all need.
The Promise of LORE
LORE is not a playbook. It’s not a funnel. It’s not a growth hack.
It’s a reminder.
A reminder that brands become powerful when they shape culture.
A reminder that consumers aren’t endpoints; they’re co-authors.
A reminder that mythmaking creates meaning.
And ultimately, it’s a reminder that in a future defined by speed and sameness, the only true competitive advantage is telling stories that no one else can tell.
LORE gives you the tools—and the inspiration—to tell yours.
Continue Reading...
Insights and futurism for executives in eCom and Retail
Those things we shouldn’t say out loud? We say them on the private feed. Bi-weekly “after dark” podcasts and a members-only newsletter, just for subscribers.
Our research reports combine visionary thinking with data-backed findings from our own advisory panel, made up of leaders at brands you know and trust.
Upskill, cross-skill, and future-proof your teams with Future Commerce Learning, the leading digital eCommerce learning platform, created by professional educators.
%20(1).png)
