“You've got to be brave enough to realize that you can't, and shouldn't, try to be everything to everybody.”

Sameness is the deadly enemy of branding. But the temptation to use the same words over and over as shorthand for legitimacy is strong.

The Antonym shared reading list contains multitudes: modern day cults, bears, queer natural history, manipulation of reality, you name it. And, it is all so beautiful to see.

Our founder Amanda Aldinger’s recent interview on the series On the Horizons is a must-watch for anyone in the beauty industry.

We're always looking for creative shares and inspiration. Please share what you’re reading, watching, listening to, and taking in culturally. We'd love to hear from you!

“The board of a conglomerate cares about P&L and our value proposition, not conversion rates and managing the PPC.”

“If you're raising money for your brand, you are its biggest ally. And if you don't know every single thing inside and out, why would an investor get sold on that?”

Describing Hayley Grundy as our Business Development Manager is a staggering understatement. She is our operational and spiritual Mary Poppins.

We keep a running list of overused words and clichés, a sort of cautionary no-fly zone of language. When these words pop up, a little bell goes off reminding us there are other words out there that deserve a chance.

“In the world of creator marketing, we're feeling the loss of the editor.”

“From a marketing standpoint, stop looking at shiny objects. Build the brand.”

In a sentence or two, can you explain your brand’s actionable reason for being? In that same phrase, can you also pinpoint who you serve, how you serve them, and why?

“I've found the passion in what I do for a living, and translated that into a nonprofit world. To do it for good by helping these local entrepreneurs.”

Working with people who bring so much talent, curiosity, and care to everyday life is a rare gift. It's important to recognize how special the people on our team are, like Mary Nunes.

Emotion and aspiration should lead product messaging for beauty brands. Claims should be secondary. If you don’t lead with brand aspiration, you don’t have a brand.

“I love listening and learning. No one likes working with someone who only wants to see things one way.”

It's meaningful to recognize the work that went into making something special. Antonym has built a particular niche of expertise when it comes to nominating people or products for industry awards.

“Sometimes when dealing with time or budget constraints, you're forced to make unexpected creative moves. I think I've learned to go with that. You can always bounce back, and it gives you a surprise.”

In addition to our brand voice strategy and copywriting work for lifestyle brands, Antonym helps individuals who have a lot to say but don’t always have a lot of time to say it.

How would your brand’s friends describe it? What would get it hot and bothered at Thanksgiving dinner with its extended family?