Our Design Director Tameem Sankari had the pleasure of speaking about creative coding in design at the Processing Community Day 2023 , held in Copenhagen in November 2023. One of the keynote speakers was Tim Rodenbröker  an educator and designer who wrote a fantastic account of the assembly, including details about the topics each speaker covered. You can read it here   Thank you to Stig Møller Hansen  for the invitation! Tim Rodenbröker Andreas Refsgaard & Stig M øller Hansen Selçuk Artut Lisa Apers Photos: Rune Madsen

The Creative Code Issue TYPEONE Issue 07 features a creative-code-inspired cover design and interview by Outlander’s Design Director Tameem Sankari

"The idea behind the cover is inspired by the artistic obsession with creating. It is a state of mind that drives an individual to continuously strive to make something new and unique, born from a deep love for the act of creation itself rather than a desire for recognition or reward". Brain Magazine Cover Design "The artwork serves as a representation of my personal experience with the creative process, reflecting the complexity and depth involved in generating unique ideas." Tameem Sankari Design Director Outlanders Design Created with Processing

Once upon a time, a banana company was in a lot of trouble. Like, a lot-lot. They had managed to get themselves associated with just about every kind of atrocity one can possibly imagine: overthrowing a democratically elected government, a military-supported massacre of its very own plantation workers protesting for better conditions, supporting a global terrorist organization - the list goes on and on. In fact, this company is the very reason the term “banana republic” came to exist; to describe countries where foreign corporations held significant sway over local governments.  They solved the issue with their bleak reputation by rebranding under a new name and engaging in massive marketing campaigns to convince consumers that they had cleaned up their act.  Would it have worked today? Perhaps, but it certainly will not work tomorrow. The newest generations - Gen Z (Zoomers) and Gen A (Alphas) - are much less tolerant of unethical business practices and will have none of it from the corporations behind the products and services they use. In the eyes of Zoomers and Alphas, a brand's ethical stance is as integral as its product offerings. As they continue to demand change and accountability, businesses that heed this message will thrive, while those that ignore it may find themselves in the shadows – a cautionary tale for brands as we rapidly head towards the future.  Here are some examples of what they want: Sustainable Sourcing:  Zoomers and Alphas are highly attuned to environmental issues. Brands that prioritize sustainable sourcing of materials and products not only contribute to a greener planet but also appeal to the eco-conscious sensibilities of these generations. Inclusive Representation: Diversity and inclusivity are major values for both generations. Brands that authentically showcase diversity in their marketing campaigns, leadership teams, and product offerings resonate deeply with these generations. Tech Transparency:  With digital prowess, these cohorts value transparency in data usage and privacy. Brands that are upfront about their data practices and prioritize cyber-security earn the trust of Zoomers and Alphas. Cause-Driven Engagement:  Our newest generations of consumer gravitate towards brands that are committed to social causes. Aligning with a cause, whether through charitable initiatives or advocacy, not only improves brand image but also garners support from socially conscious consumers. Ethical Storytelling:  Engaging narratives about a brand's journey towards ethical practices can captivate Zoomers and Alphas. Sharing stories about overcoming challenges and making positive changes adds authenticity to the brand's image. Interesting facts about Zoomers and Alphas: 66% of Alphas prefer to buy from companies that make a positive difference in the world 57% of Zoomers want companies to take a stance on social issues, specifically racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, gender inequality, and climate change 65% of Gen Alphas will work in jobs that don’t exist today Zoomers consider themselves more accepting and open-minded than any generation before it. 48% - almost half - of Zoomers are minorities 67% of Alphas say they want to have a career that helps save the planet 81% of Zoomer workers want to be able to choose when and where they work Are you thinking that Alphas are “just kids” and won’t have any significant impact for yet a couple of decades? Think again; they are the largest generation ever born (2.2 billion by 2024), and the first batch is entering the workforce by 2030.  Social media trends for Alphas and Zoomers: TikTok is steadily taking over as their preferred search engine over Google They do not have Facebook accounts  They prefer TikTok over Instagram

When the biodiversity of our planet shrinks, so too does the source of inspiration for design. Each species lost represents a unique form, color, and function that once sparked the imagination to design something wonderful. From the patterns of a butterfly's wings to the graceful movements of a whale, wildlife has long served as an endless source of creativity. The loss of these living canvases not only robs us of creative inspiration, but also limits our ability to innovate sustainable solutions modeled after the efficiency and resilience found in nature. Without the rich diversity of life to draw from, design risks becoming stagnant, robbed of the fresh perspectives and uniqueness that only nature can provide. Once in a while, something lands on our desk that really sets us on fire, projects that touch us on a personal level, and that was exactly what happened to me not so long ago.  Outlanders was creating a series of wildlife illustrations in support of the conservation work that is being done by animal protection organizations to safeguard endangered species worldwide. I sat down to work on the copy for the project, not knowing what a depressing journey I was embarking on, and how much it would end up affecting me. A bleak picture quickly emerged during my research on the topic. The kind of picture which involves coldblooded poachers slaughtering majestic animals solely to cut off a claw, a tooth, or perhaps their tusks. Of humans spreading so far and wide that entire species go extinct just to make room for them. Of trophy hunters who care nothing for animals except for those that hang, dead, beheaded and straight from the taxidermist, on their walls. Of climate change that makes former glorious habitats useless to vulnerable species, and so they simply cease to exist. It was the saddest research session I’ve done for a project, ever.  One aspect that really made an impression on me was the story of Najin and Fatu .  They are a beautiful and gentle duo of African Northern White Rhino, the last of their kind in the world. Because they are so precious, they live under 24-hour armed guard in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya where they are safe from poachers. As they are mother and daughter, with none of them having the physical capacity to carry a pregnancy to term, it was long believed that once they passed, their entire species would disappear for good with them; a textbook example of functional extinction.  Najin and Fatu However, I really perked up recently when I was looking for an update on how the two beauties are doing.  A   revolutionary IVF treatment   is currently being carried out, bringing hope that the Northern White may not be doomed just yet. With sperm harvested from the last two living males of the species before they passed away, and eggs extracted from Fatu, a female rhino of the closely related Southern White species will act as a surrogate for the pregnancy. A rhino pregnancy takes 16 months, and the medical team will take at least another six months to find the perfect surrogate, so it will be yet a couple of years before we know if it will actually work - but the treatment has been tested on other rhino subspecies successfully, which is a very positive sign.  So why write about wildlife conservation on a website which is all about design and branding? Because at the core of everything we do is our values and beliefs, and this particular campaign hit us all right in the feels. Every now and then, we encounter something that inspires us deeply, and this was one of those moments. Ami Vitale, a National Geographic photographer who documented the death of Sudan  - the last living male Northern White - describes perfectly why we get so emotional on this topic: “Without rhinos and elephants and other wildlife, we suffer a loss of imagination, a loss of wonder, a loss of beautiful possibilities. When we see ourselves as part of nature, we understand that saving nature is really about saving ourselves.” Ami Vitale Want to help? You can support wildlife conservation through the WWF Adopt an Animal   programme, and even receive a cute themed toy as a thank you for your donation. WWF also has a list of actions  you can take, to make your own impact and help their efforts.  If you would like to support Najin and Fatu directly, you can donate to the Ol Pejeta Rhino Recovery campaign here .

A Revolution In How Robots Learn By James Somers “If I asked you to pick up a cup with, say, an octopus robot with eight suction-cup tentacles, you’d have no idea what to do, right? But, if it’s a hand, you just do it.” Read More The final illustration was developed in collaboration with The New Yorker team, involving multiple sketches and animations to refine the concept and achieve the best results. The process was streamlined by incorporating code-based techniques, making it both efficient and innovative.

A rumble went through the farming industry in America when the tractor was first introduced just over a hundred years ago. Awe as well as fear for this revolutionizing new technology gripped farmers all over the country. See how The Economist is drawing clever parallels between the introduction of the tractor back then, and generative AI today - a very interesting article which Outlanders is proud to have created the illustrations for.