This week, Antonym turned 5.

It’s a compact number compared to infinity, but statistically, it looms large; nearly half of small businesses don’t make it to year 5.

I’ve considered various hooks for missives about this milestone. Like an editorial catalog of learnings, inspired by Moon Lists. Or a manifesto, poetically heralding what the next 5 years will bring. I could announce a new mission statement, product, or partnership, and go big on superlatives, promising to send us into stratospheric new heights. I was never going to wax on (or off) about the current state of branding, so don’t worry about that.

We’re network-powered, not VC-funded, so as we step into the uncharted territory of year 5, mostly we’ll just keep humming along the way we always have: finding divinity in the nitty-gritty details of copywriting with our clients; sticking close to the people we care about (who, magnificently, tend to be people who care very much about words); proudly maintaining our intimate, relationship-first approach; staying abreast of cultural evolutions around language, messaging, and communication so that we may write relevantly and intuitively for ourselves and for you; and honoring the necessity of non-writing creativity and experiences in a writer’s life, because, as our friend LU KALA recently said in an interview with us (piece to be shared soon!), “You have to live in order to give.”

If you are receiving this newsletter, you are unequivocally someone who has positively influenced Antonym. You are a fierce friend and supporter, a past, present, or future client (everyone at Antonym has a dream collaboration on this mailing list), or someone who has gifted us with your brilliant wordsmithing or scheming.

As Margaret Atwood says, “A word after a word after a word is power.” Never forget that, and never underestimate it. Thank you for sharing the power of words with us. I cannot wait to experience where language takes us next.

—Amanda Aldinger, Founder, Antonym

Truth Serum: Amy?Sprague / Erica Siciliano

Over the years we've had the joy and pleasure of experiencing Amy Sprague's exceptional perspective on design, and it was an honor to share her vision in Truth Serum: “I’m seeing more and more unapologetic palettes and language and interiors. I love seeing people feel empowered to be bold and quirky and themselves.”

The exact same goes for Erica Siciliano, the makeup artistry guru and professional coach whose sharp takes on the beauty industry are essential reading: “Once brands move away from the founder’s vision and start catering to investors, shareholders, and the MBA crowd, the focus starts to drift. Everyone goes in like a shark wanting more market share.”

Antonym in synonym: Our collective creative loves

First, a word on Alice Munro. Admittedly, it was her death this year that inspired us to finally dig into our copy of Runaway purloined from now-shuttered The Wing SoHo and ignite a fever for the author whom Mona Simpson declared, “The living writer most likely to be read in a hundred years.” (Titular story available here.) Now, we cannot stop reading Alice, and her arrestingly empathetic, searing snapshots of womanhood.

New York magazine’s recent television issue delves into a fascinating exploration of how reality TV is affected, often adversely, by a ravenous social media ecosystem. Many cast members on these shows have lived their entire lives in the reality TV era, which means gaming reality is now the real game on shows like Survivor and Love Is Blind, and the rules of play are shaking up bulletproof franchises like Bravo’s Real Housewives empire.

We recently saw English at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and every inch is worthy of its 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It is a hilarious, heartrending exploration of language’s impact on identity rendered with poetry, pain, and possibility.

Other recommendations from our recent cultural adventures: Listen to the pure fun of eclectic, psychedelic Glass Beams. See the word-strewn Jenny Holzer exhibit at The Guggenheim. Shop for elegant writing accouterments at Yoseka Stationery in Brooklyn. Procure a thoughtful new mug and transportive incense for your writing space at Five Elements Home. Read the jarring story of the Rio Grande river's decline. Watch the buzzy BRATS doc on Hulu and read this excellent piece defending the Brat Pack’s coining.

Where should we go next?

We'd love for you to be part of our next?5?years. Contact us to learn more about how we can craft an ownable voice and identity and differentiated messaging for your brand.