Issue #24

Hey friends 👋🏽,

Welcome back to Thought Caffeine, a weekly newsletter where I share my favourite discoveries during the week.

I celebrated the Day of Silence here in Bali last weekend, an annual silent festival practised solely by the Balinese Hindus. The island essentially shuts off: ATMs stop working, roads are off-limits, networks are down, and lights are forbidden. It’s a day to unwind, meditate, and reconnect with higher beings. Peace is unintentionally established as humanity takes a temporary pause.

While I do not take part in the religious aspect of this celebration, it is something I will always cherish about this island. I make it a yearly ritual to go out at night and enjoy the starry night sky.

🎹 Indie as a genre



I’ve always associated with the term ‘Indie’ as a music genre, relating it with funky tunes, hippies, and being “anti-mainstream”. Last week, I realised that ‘Indie’ is nothing more than independency, extending to other forms of art, such as films and podcasts.

Indie = Independent

It does explain the funk and clunk of most Indie music, which is a virtue of its amateurism.

💉 New CDC rules for vaccinated people (Covid-19)

New CDC guidelines released last Monday revealed clear directives for people who have received the Covid-19 vaccines. This set of guidelines serves to mitigate spreading risk while many of us are still unvaccinated.

Here are some highlights quoted from Inverse:

• You can socialise with fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks.
• You can socialise with unvaccinated people indoors without masks — if everyone is from one other household and everyone is at low risk for severe disease.
• You can refrain from quarantine and testing if you have contact with someone who has Covid-19 — if you do not have symptoms.

It's important to note that these guidelines are intended for small gatherings. CDC still makes a case for avoiding large gatherings – vaccinated or not – and continuing the practice of health protocols in public areas.

📊 Brand marketing vs Performance marketing

Wes Kao summarises the difference brilliantly in this article:

• Performance-driven companies optimise for immediate wins
• In general, a performance-driven approach means better short-term conversion, but worse long-term brand equity.
• Brand-driven companies optimize for brand equity
• A brand-driven approach means worse short-term conversion, but better long-term brand equity.

“Hermès isn’t trying to convert you with their billboard in Times Square. They are hoping that, with repeated exposure, when you’re able to invest in a statement handbag, you’ll want a Birkin.”

Optimising for both brand AND performance is theoretically possible, and most companies aim to do both. A company that focuses solely on branding makes art, while one that focuses on performance often sacrifices long term growth for short term wins.

Even though the majority of companies strive to optimise for both brand and performance, they will usually gravitate towards one side of the spectrum. The takeaway message here is that freelance marketers should discuss goals and expectations through the lens of this dichotomy to make sure both parties start on the right foot.

📚 BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I’ll be giving some 5-6 books away for my newsletter subscribers for free next month! More info on that soon via my other social media outlets (Follow my Instagram and Twitter for the latest).

🙂 Other things I've been enjoying

1. Playstation 4: I spent this year’s Day Of Silence playing Fifa and 2k with my friends on the PS4. It’s intoxicating and addicting, and I hate how my competitiveness gets the better of me at times.
2. Song: Joseph Vincent’s version of At My Worst. It’s got a lovely philosophy behind a relaxing, slightly melancholic tune. This song is the epitome of melodies that resonate with my constant state of being.
3. Show: I’ve chosen to revisit How I Met Your Mother, sequentially this time (my last association with this show was very patchy because I had to rely on cable showtime – and I didn’t always have the time to catch up). I’ve also begun to realise that the cast's dynamic similarity to Friends is uncanny.

📖 Quote of the Week

"Be ambitious. Keep yourself busy. Think bigger. Expand your audience. Don’t hobble yourself in the name of “keeping it real,” or “not selling out.” Try new things. If an opportunity comes along that will allow you to do more of the kind of work you want to do, say Yes. If an opportunity comes along that would mean more money, but less of the kind of work you want to do, say No."

From Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon. Resurfaced via Readwise.

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Hope you have a great week! 🤖

John