problem solving Archives

Quantum Branding: A Strange and Beautiful Framework for Modern Brands

At Otherwise, we’re always searching for unexpected connections — the kind of surprising metaphors that make ideas shimmer with new meaning. For us, creativity begins not with answers, but with questions that stretch across disciplines: What might quantum physics teach us about branding? What happens when we apply the language of particles, waves, and uncertainty […]

Jun 30 2025 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

Substack and the Rise of the Creative Middle Class: A New Model for Community Engagement

In the wreckage of the ad-driven internet, a quiet revolution is underway. It’s not loud. It doesn’t chase clicks. It doesn’t serve brands. Instead, it serves people—through the radical idea that writers and creators should be paid directly by those who value their work. Once a niche newsletter platform, Substack has become something much more […]

Jun 11 2025 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

How We Work: An Otherwise Case Study

We recently pitched a campaign for a commercial real estate client that was centered around the employee experience rather than the building itself. We knew it was a risky move, but it was a necessary, tuned-in response to the changing ways in which we work. The reality that we’re all too aware of is that […]

May 19 2022 by Madeline Rosemurgy in Editorials

A Case for Chicago Winters

“Winter came and the city turned monochrome — black trees against gray sky above white earth. Night now fell in midafternoon, especially when the snowstorms rolled in, boundless prairie storms that set the sky close to the ground, the city lights reflected against the clouds.” — President Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father: A Story […]

Jan 14 2022 by Madeline Rosemurgy in Editorials

Second first impressions: Reflections on naming at Otherwise

We founded our studio in 1992 under the name Otherwise, which went against the tide of naming conventions at the time. Lifetime devotees of language and grammar — and unafraid of doing things differently — the name Otherwise revealed itself naturally, signaling not only two forces coming together (design as “other” and ideas as “wise”), […]

Nov 11 2021 by The Otherwise Team in Editorials