Collars vs Colors – Ufuk Batur

Wherever you are, you carry a responsibility when you are a part of creative industries. It is to be open to continuous advancement, to find the courage to be yourself, and to be the one who opens doors to novelty with your unique touch. Different journeys that reach from fashion to art, from niche audiences to large ones, require individuals who have the courage to be themselves. This is a great teamwork, the success of managers who can be brave, an extraordinary step that falls into the minds of free spirits who have the courage to create… Whatever the story is, creating a brand indicates signs of courage, maintaining a brand indicates an understanding of the audiences, communicating a brand indicates never losing your imagination. When all of these blend seamlessly, collaborations that tell impressive stories emerge. Either a product or an experience, no matter what the story you build them on, can only exist as much as your courage and discipline. During a time when an abundance of questions about brands and creativity occupy minds, we ask our questions to some people who we believe reflect discipline and creativity in a perfect balance in business life. Although they operate in completely different industries, their courage, discipline and endless passion for innovation underpins their success stories.

UFUK: I am quite an analytical thinker. The education I received also has an influence. But it is also said that I have high emotional intelligence and cognitive abilities. I founda place where I can combine all these with aesthetics and business creativity. A place that involves numbers, strategy, team, community, creativity, luxury, aesthetics, technology… In other words, I can say that what triggered me was a world, brands and people that expected from me the diversity I discovered within myself.

DUYGU: Creating a brand or maintaining it -which one is harder?

UFUK: Both involve challenges of their own. Building a brand requires a solid vision, an innovative approach, and making a difference in the market. You are creating a world from scratch. You need to make great effort in order to earn a place in the consumer’s mind and heart. However, maintaining a brand is completely another challenge. Because the world changes rapidly. Consumer expectations, competitive environment, advancing technology –all inside a dynamic. You need to keep up with this change while staying true to your brand’s core values and heritage. You need to be flexible, agile, and creative. You always need to place the consumer at the heart, understand their shifting needs, and respond to them in the best way possible. Building a brand is a struggle to take off, while remaining a brand is a challenge for balance. Agility, creativity and consumer focus are essential for continuity.

DUYGU: How can a brand break boundaries and influence the decisions of individuals?

UFUK: A brand (for that matter, an individual) needs to be a pioneer in order tobe influential. They need to do what has never been done before, the unexpected. They need to be brave and take the first step. They need to question the status quo, push the boundaries. Particularly in the luxury segment, it is essential to present unique, customized experiences. Technology and artificial intelligence play a huge part in this point. Now it is possible to create customer-specific, data-based, personalized experiences that exceed their expectations. Typical, ordinary experiences are no longer enough. And most importantly, a brand needs to ignite the imagination of individuals. It needs to make them dream, and inspire them. It must arouse desire, and create another realm. It needs to offer a lifestyle rather than a mere product.

DUYGU: How important is it to be creative for a brand?

UFUK: In the world of luxury beauty, creativity is always important. From product designs to consumer experience, our every touch carries traces of creativity. Because luxury is not only about pretty products, it is a world that sparks desire and inspiration. This world springs to life through our products, created by blending artisanship, science and art in a creative manner. Creativity also takes the front in our communications. Today’s consumer of luxury is authentic and a free spirit. Creative brands that stimulate imagination, get in touch with emotions and establish an authentic connection are defining luxury today.

DUYGU: How does the momentum in the beauty industry affect brand building?

UFUK: New brands and products emerge continuously in the beauty industry, competition is increasing, and it is becoming more difficult to attract the consumer’s attention. Trends are changing rapidly, the brands constantly need to renew themselves. In this environment, brands that are based solely on trends cannot succeed. What’s essential is creating a timeless identity, solid values, and brands that can establish a real bond with the consumer. Continuity, reliability, and originality come to the fore. This dynamic environment is enabling branding to be more dynamic, agile, and consumer-oriented. It is not enough to just run fast; it is necessary to run in the right direction with the stamina to finish the marathon.

“A brand (for that matter, an individual) needs to be a pioneer in order tobe influential. They need to do what has never been done before, the unexpected. They need to be brave and take the first step. They need to question the status quo, push the boundaries. Particularly in the luxury segment, it is essential to present unique, customized experiences”

-Ufuk Batur

DUYGU: In an industry where creativity has a strong influence over production and communication, what sensitivities should a brand need to watch out for in order to grow while preserving its DNA?

Brands are perceived to be cultural leaders today. Therefore, they need to respect both social values and their own legacy. Luxury is nourished by culture and history particularly. You can see the reflections of our dedication to our brand history and heritage in our products. Valentino’s iconic studs, Prada’s heritage from leather expertise to lipsticks, or Lancome’s collaboration with the Louvre can be some of the examples. These examples demonstrate how brands can creatively play with cultural codes and surprise consumers.But it is vital not to lose touch with the essence of the brand while pursuing innovation. We need to reinterpret our heritage in a modern language while holding on to our core values. Thereby we can both offer timeless attraction and establish a bond with the contemporary consumer.Growth and creativity finds its true meaning through respect towards the brand’s DNA. Our past is the most important resource that shapes the future.

DUYGU: How is it possible to be a trendsetter instead of following the trends?

UFUK: How is it possible to be a trendsetter instead of following the trends?We need to bring three basic elements together, as in being open to cultural change, empathizing with the consumer, and pushing the limits of imagination, in order to achieve this. It is essential to understand the world, society, people; being able to grasp not only today but tomorrow as well. We need to distinguish the impact of technology, art and all changes in the world of beauty. Meanwhile, we need to transcend data and find out about the desires, dreams in the heart of the consumer. We need to listen, understand and feel genuinely. And finally, we should be able to ask “What if?” and create new worlds with courage and passion. This is where the magic of innovation and creativity lies. And that’s how we become the ones guiding instead of followers.

DUYGU: Why would a brand need to center its content around influential personas although it is the element with the largest sphere of influence?

UFUK: Even though a brand has a large sphere of influence, centering its content around influential personas is a strategic decision. Because no matter how big a brand is, people connect with other people.This is where influential personas come into play. These individuals with whom the society can relate to, trust, and hold up as an example can conveythe brand’s message in a more sincere and effective manner. They bring life to products incorporating their own stories and experiences, and establish an emotional bond with the consumer.Influential personas also allow us to reach different communities and generations. They enable the brand to communicate not in a single voice but in a multifaceted way. The communities we work with are the building blocks of culture, and the connections we establish with them amplify the brand’s social impact.

DUYGU: In this age when content is everything, how can a brand transform its products into content and remain original?

UFUK: If the content is everything, our products need to be the content itself. This can be achieved by telling a correct story. The product can be the hero of the narrative but it shouldn’t be the whole story. Sincerity is the key. Just like the creation story of a perfume… A sentimental story that builds connections with the audience, making them dream, taking them back to days gone by.And for originality,here are three tips: Be realistic, be sentimental, be yourself. Find your own voice. In other words, translate your product into a story but make it on your own.

DUYGU: What do you do to sustain your creativity?

UFUK: I believe that in order to maintain my creativity,it needs to be constantly nourished. That’s why I see myself as a piece of content and constantly feed myself with new information. I read, listen, watch, talk, and observe a lot. I follow all kinds of current affairs, and examine developments in different industries. I am not limited to the world of beauty; business, economy, creative trends, consumer behavior… They are all areas of interest to me. I also look closely at numbers, because insights from data can also trigger creativity.

DUYGU: What kind of a perspective should a brand embrace in order to be creative?

UFUK: One needs to be open-minded first, in order to be a creative brand. You need to embrace new ideas, different perspectives. Watching the world with curious eyes, being open to constant learning. However, being open-minded is not enough. Not being afraid to take risks is a requirement. Because creating novelty is taking a step towards the unknown. And this is where the vision of predicting the future comes into play. Being able to foresee what will turn up, what consumers will desire. Real innovative brands are born from the combination of all these.

DUYGU: In what framework does a brand’s responsibility increase in the era of peak content production?

UFUK: The responsibility of brands increases in the age of content creation. It is required to create value, as well as selling products. Reflecting the values of society, respecting cultural sensitivities, being honest and transparent… For example, the latestexample of this in my work is YSL MYSLF, questioning the status quo of masculinity and leading the change. It is very important that the stories we tell are accurate, ethical and authentic. Stories that inspire society and create positive values.Moreover, while doing all this, it is also necessary to think long-term. Taking the future of the brand into consideration without getting carried away by current trends. Sustainability is an indispensable responsibility for brands, both environmentally and socially.

DUYGU: How is it possible to remain original in a world order where everything looks alike?

UFUK: We are guided by our brands’ core values and strong heritage. Drawing on this foundation, we interpret timeless elegance with a modern understanding and enrich it with a strong innovation agenda. By investing in research and development, we discover new technologies and formulas, and thus we can offer products that are ahead of time and experiences integrated with technology. This is in fact our strongest point of differentiation: Integrating our cutting-edge products with experiential works that always amaze our customers. Because luxury is an experience rather than a product.

DUYGU: To what extent do you carry your industrial responsibility in the protection and progress of publishing? How important is it for your brands and their promotional activities to position a medium not only as a content producer but as a source of inspiration fostering creative growth?

UFUK:We carry our industrial responsibility in the protection and progress of publishing because a strong publishing ecosystem holds importance for all of us. But it is not only about providing financial support. What matters most to us is contributing to the creative development of publishing and becoming a source of inspiration. Our brands have strong global campaign videos. However, our local need is not to shoot similar ones. Our objective is producing content that deeply connects with our consumers, inspires them in the local, and aligns with cultural codes.

Particularly in luxury, telling the story of a product, and transforming it into an experience is vital. At this point, the contributions of independent publishers are invaluable. Their unique perspectives, creativity, and cultural depth make the messages of our brands more compelling and memorable.By creating together, we contribute to the advancement of publishing, as well as enhancing the success of our brands. It’s a win-win approach.

From Based Istanbul N°44 – Confessions Issue. “World is basically a “dynamic” mess of jiggling things. You need to confess your messy parts first.” Buy your copy now!

In conversation with Ufuk Batur

Creative Direction and Words by Duygu Bengi

Fashiıon Direction by Burak Sanuk

Photographed by Burcu Karademir

Fashiıon Editor Birce Naz Köş, Murat Şentürk

Hair by Mustafa Akgül

Make Up by Zeynep Dombaycıoğlu

Creative Team Belgin Demirhan, Melike Duman, Tunga Yankı Tan, Umutcan Öncü

Photogtaphy Assistant Furkan Irmak

Styling Assistantants Can Demirkıran, Melek Kaya, Zeynep Naz Gümrükçü

Hair Team Enes Sakızcı, Yiğithan Yılmaz

Gaffer Ömer Rauf Aksoy

Gaffer Assistants Halil Demircan, Harun Ateş

Best Boy Taner Altundaş