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.

DUYGU What triggered your interest in this occupation?

SAMİ I guess it’s about its influence over people. Influence is a very strong emotion. It excites me to be able to shift the tastes of society or shape their thoughts. It is a great pleasure for me to see that a campaign or a story earns a place in people’s daily lives, being talked about and shared. I feel like I touch other lives. I believe that I’m a part of a transformation.

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

SAMİ Both present challenges. But I believe what’s harder is staying fresh. You may find a loophole and carve out a place for yourself, and make a name for a brief moment, but staying at the top requires self-awareness, an understanding of society, and constant updating. Being in search of a meaning and constantly struggling with yourself is the most difficult. A positive dissatisfaction takes you much further than standing still. I guess there is no gain without pain.

_{SAMİ wears a full look by Burberry.}

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

SAMİ Brands reveal our potential to us.They don’t represent the present but tell us about a reality where we can live in a world full of opportunities and people who believe in us. In a sense, they prepare us for the future. Hope keeps us alive. The hero’s journey is always there. The hero’s life is never the same after meeting the brand. Life is too short to go around in circles, too beautiful to be restricted by others. Sort of, red pill or blue pill? If you are ready to embark on a journey in pursuit of your potential, a new adventure is always possible.

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

SAMİ Essential like breathing, in my opinion. You need to integrate creativity into all processes, it should be a lifestyle. Like an athlete’s nutrition, sleep, and exercise. Creativity cannot be a fleeting whim if you want to be a healthy brand. Just like you do not participate in the Olympics after a month of exercise, it can’t be possible to build a healthy brand through a month of creativity. The brands that utilize creativity as a strength earn a place on top of mind. The hard truth shows up in year-end evaluations. Those who don’t care know who they are. They go on with their lives, losing emotional share year by year.

DUYGU What sacrifices do brands have to make today to maintain their identities?

SAMİ It’s getting harder to be straightforward these days. Everybody is after being right. I’m not sure that anyone can be a hundred percent right in such an uncertain world. Everybody is trying to achieve maturity without showing fragility. They try to secure their position by repeating tried formulas. However, life is nothing like that. Sometimes it is necessary to be able to yell that the emperor is naked, to challenge mediocrity and even to set forth to unknown paths. Those uncertainties aren’t always embraced by everyone. Humankind prefers suffering from familiar pains rather than facing a new pain unknown to them. Even if it’s in vain. It is required to know human nature well, and understand decision making processes. Human psychology can often be the greatest enemy of any brand. Living in the present instead of the past can be considered a sacrifice. How many brands recognize the value of today? How many brands can live in the moment.

“Life is too short to go around in circles, too beautiful to be restricted by others. Sort of, red pill or blue pill? If you are ready to embark on a journey in pursuit of your potential, a new adventure is always possible“

Sami Basut

DUYGU What sensitivities should a brand need to watch out for, in order to grow while preserving its DNA, in an industry where creativity has quite an influence on production and communication?

SAMİ The brand needs to question. How many brands manage to remain different in this world where everything has become artificial and ordinary? Many brands forget about their essence as the years go by. Don’t remember the features that make them unique and distinct. Sometimes it becomes imperative to remind them what they were displeased with, what they were set out to change. Technology also changes us to a great extent. Today, thanks to technology, we send messages to everyone’s phone or e-mail. The fact that we can do this does not mean that it is effective. Getting in touch with the same person through a hand-written letter puts humanity into effect. It differentiates from the callous messages. How many brands take the time to write a personal letter? Whereas sometimes a humane detail can be much more effective compared to the efforts spent on digital transformation. I’m not saying that we should keep away from digital transformation. But humans should decide on when to act humane and when it’s time to stop, as well as when to be artificial and when to be real. The brand is hidden in the details. Sometimes it seems like no one has the patience.

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

SAMİ By loving people. By making the product unique to make a real difference in their lives. Trends are temporary, emotions are permanent. There are many luxury brands among the most valuable brands in the world. They increase their brand value with their craftsmanship and attention to detail. Above all, they prefer not to make fools of people. Tell me what it is and I may forget, but I will never forget how it makes me feel. I think no brand that does not design a special experience, an ecosystem, can be permanent. It can be a fad, but it cannot be a brand.

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

SAMİ The world is a social place. Brands also need others who share their mindset. Amplifying people who share your values will also grow you as a brand. Brands that integrate personas reflecting their own values into their ecosystem gain significantly more mindshare.

DUYGU What do you do to sustain your creativity?

SAMİ I am mindful of surrounding myself with people who nurture my ideas. I entrust my ideas to safe hands. I read a lot in order to protect my mental health. Also steer clear of toxic individuals. I make room in my life for those who add value to my worth.

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

SAMİ A mindset open to learning and understanding, I guess. I’ve always been afraid of brands that claim they know. The paths I took with those who said they wanted to learn always led me to unique realms. What was right yesterday might not be so today. It’s not possible to create the irrational effect without breaking the mold. People are famous for making irrational decisions even when they seem rational. The world of brands, on the other hand, are looking for repeatable success. Creativity is like fire. It’s possible to control fire and create a jet engine. It’s also possible to be afraid of fire, to burn and try to put it out.

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

SAMİ believe brands are responsible for making the world they exist in and the lives they touch more beautiful. Many of them create pollution. If only they made every environment they show up more beautiful, told appealing stories, entertained, inspired and made people laugh, they could have earned a more important place in everyone’s life. Right now, they are practically uninvited guests.

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

SAMİ I don’t know. By lending an ear to your inner voice? By making peace with yourself? By not being satisfied? Or maybe merely by protecting your values. Each of us makes many of our decisions out of fear, our passions, and the carrots presented to us. When we are able to make decisions because they suit our values and are good for us, it seems like we will secure ourselves first, then our values, and then our originality.

DUYGU If we add media to the brand-agency-creativity equation, to what extent does supporting publishers who can bring fresh perspectives to your products play a role in your strategic planning?

SAMİ Ubuntu. The stronger the media, the more diverse value it can provide to brands. Many magazines nourish, manage, and even transform popular culture. The more creative bodies can achieve this, the more varied platforms become available for brands. Or perhaps, I might say respecting different voices, to answer this question. It stems from our belief that not only those who are like us but also those who are different can help us improve. The more we fill our lives with diverse voices, the richer and deeper our brand relationships can become.

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 Sami Basut

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 Enes Sakızcı

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 Yiğithan Yılmaz

Gaffer Ömer Rauf Aksoy

Gaffer Assistants Halil Demircan, Harun Ateş

Best Boy Taner Altundaş