The Top 10 Muse Essays of 2022

Guest essays from the industry are a big part of our content, bringing fresh perspectives every day. Below, check out the most-read essays from 2022. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write this year.

Also, check out the Top 10 Muse Stories of 2022.

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Leica: How a Classic Brand Has Adapted to Remain Timeless

Mei Wing Chan wrote this fascinating piece about the evolution of the Leica from cameras into high-end watches, and how the brand is remaining consistent while moving with the times in other parts of its business strategy.

Read more here.

9️⃣

Yasstice for Green M&M

Mason Douglass weighed in on Mars’ reintroduced of its M&M characters back in January—in particular, the travesty of desexualizing Green M&M by removing her iconic boots and any sense of fun she ever had.

Read more here.

8️⃣

5 Rules for Being an In-House Creative Director

Gianmaria Schonlieb, a longtime Wieden+Kennedy creative who’s been on the client side for several years now, offered some useful tips for working inside a brand. “These days, good creative ideas aren’t just the shiny ads or the most expensive Super Bowl spot; they’re all the dots we’re connecting and the problems that are being solved at scale,” he writes.

Read more here.

7️⃣

11 Great Album Covers, Chosen by Michael Frick of MNRK Music Group

Our Art of the Album series continues to be a joy to produce, and this year’s crop was led by Michael Frick of MNRK Music Group—who gave us his thoughts on 11 classic covers, from Pink Floyd to Bob Marley to Todd Terje and more.

Read more here.

6️⃣

It’s Time to Rethink the Role of Producers

“The advertising industry continues to relegate producers to the tail-end of projects after an idea is already sold, or worse, brings them in to put out fires. Beyond the inefficiencies and frustration caused in the near term, in the big picture it leaves a lot of untapped potential for ideas to grow.” Sumit Ajwani goes into detail about how producers are misused in advertising, and how to fix it.

Read more here.

5️⃣

10 Tips for Giving Feedback That Makes the Work Better and Won’t Totally Piss Off Creatives

John Long has two pieces on this list—first, this incredibly useful tutorial on how to give creative feedback. For example, tip #7 about emphasizing the good: “This is a simple trick, but it’s often better to point out what’s working than dwell on what isn’t. You’ll get more of the good stuff in the next round and less of the stuff that isn’t—and you’ll keep the enthusiasm for the project high. The more fun creatives are having, the better the work will be.”

Read more here.

4️⃣

Thank You, Balenciaga

Trent Thompson explored the shambolic Balenciaga campaign with young children holding the brand’s “plush bear bags,” which appear to be wearing S&M-style harnesses—and wondered where the outrage has been around the 85 million pieces of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) found in 2021 alone.

Read more here.

3️⃣

Wordle, Bees and the Beauty of Wrong Answers

Greg Hahn used the examples of Scout Bees and Wordle in this delightful essay about the creative process—the value of finding what doesn’t work, and letting go of the idea that there’s one right answer.

Read more here.

2️⃣

What’s With All the Advertising Leaders Hating on Advertising?

In his second piece on this list, John Long looked at the rise of self-flagellation in the industry lately, and why, even though so many seem to feel advertising is dead, it’s very much alive. “It’s just harder to get attention than it was back then,” John write. “That’s a creative challenge for our business, not an existential one.”

Read more here.

1️⃣

Just Another Dan Wieden Tribute

Advertising lost a giant when Dan Wieden died on Sept. 30. In this alternately heartbreaking yet heartwarming piece, Lu Chekowsky looked back at her own friendship with Dan—and her troubled relationship with the industry that made him an icon.

Read more here.