better work starts with better references.

every week, we take apart one interesting brand, project, product or cultural idea to understand what makes it work.

one reference. one useful idea. something you can take into your own work.

what you’ll get

A reference worth knowing.
We look closely at something that is doing something interesting.

The thinking behind it.
What they did, why they did it, and what makes it work.

Something you can use.
We turn the observation into an idea, principle or approach you can apply to your own work, brand or project.

More to explore (archive)

who’s it for?

For people building things.

Designers. Founders. Marketers. Creatives. Operators. And anyone whose curious on why things work.

If your work is only as good as your references, this is where you build them.

No noise. One useful reference, every week.