Fifteen Seconds in 4 minutes – Learnings from the festival visit
Beginning of June 2022, the Fifteen Seconds festival took place again. And 4 nicepeople got the chance to explore it 😎 What we saw and learned? Read it here :)
Bernadette Frech talked about Anger, Fear and Passion and how these emotions drive personal growth and innovation. And how life without emotions is not possible.
What we learned?
Anger is not bad, it actually drives innovation or change.
Fear on the other hand can hinder innovation. So embrace fear, because it makes us alert and helps us make the right decisions.
Passion doesn't last long. It fades quite quickly. Often we need to show passion even though we don't feel it.
What we need more in our lives?
Emotional diversity!
Dealing with emotions appropriately is the way to mental health. Embrace all emotions truthfully. The more emotions we feel, the healthier we are. No more "I'm fine" when we're really not.
Frederik G. Pferdt explained how we can future-proof ourselves and reprogram our mindset to start inventing a better tomorrow.
Many of us are affected by the negativity bias. Negative thoughts, emotions or experience stick with us harder than neutral or positive ones, even though they happen in the same intensity. We need to try to detect this bias, override it and break through these destructive patterns. Then we can look to the future in a more positive way.
He further explained how we need to be like courageous penguins more often. A group of penguins is standing in front of the water, contemplating whether it is safe to jump in. And there will always be one that is the first to jump into the water. Not sure if it will come back up or not. Human life is fortunately not so much about life or death, but it is a great example that we need to be brave more frequently and sometimes take risks to create a better future.
The mantra for video content on social media:
„Serve the dessert first!“
Show the most exciting part and catch the user in the first 5 seconds. To get your video creation right, use the ABCD principle:
Attract
Show people right at the start of the video. Aim for 2+ shots in the first 5 seconds. Make the imagery memorable.
Brand
Display or say (or both) the brand's name in the first 5 seconds. Use a theme that fits your brand's corporate design.
Connect
Use emotional messages like action, humor and intrigue.
Direct
Get people to take action with text cards, animations, or voice overs. Use CTAs and maybe create a sense of urgency.
Benjamin Karl is a professional snowboarder, multiple world champion and won gold at the 2022 Olympic Games. From whom else, if not him, can one learn how to successfully pursue goals.
The three most exciting statements during his presentation:
Accept nervousness positively and be grateful for it. Mental preparation is half the battle.
The goal should be kept in mind in various forms. For example, he had his car wrapped in gold, of course, the color of a medal.
Self-doubt has nothing to do with performance on the day of the competition or race. It's there. You should accept it, but don't let it drive you crazy.
In this keynote, Emilie Colker talked about what being a designer really means. These were the 5 main statements:
A good idea, solves a problem and meets an existing or latent need that people are signaling that they actually have.
Being a designer is a set of mindsets and behaviors.
First look at the problem from the perspective of the person most impacted by the problem. So design for those closest to impact.
Ask questions with genuine curiosity looking to learn, not validate a hypothesis. Ask questions before forming hypotheses.
Be holistic because problems and people aren't siloed and solutions can't be either. Solve in the context of an ecosystem.
It was fun, definitely inspiring, but also just scratching on the surface. Unfortunately. The potential for far more in-depth learnings is there, but Fifteen Seconds didn't deliver that. I heard good things about the workshops, though. Maybe more practical tips can be gathered there. If I get the chance to attend the festival again, I will try that. :)
From an organizational perspective, I would wish for breaks in between talks, fewer DJs in proximity to a stage and 1 or 2 main areas and not 5 all over Graz. ✌🏼
