Jason Perelson Publications

It turns out, much of our decision-making as adults is influenced by our ‘inner child’ — a concept with roots in psychology, particularly in theories like John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of social needs. Much of strategy is built on the premise that decision-makers are well-informed, rational adults. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find a scared kid not wanting to get in trouble or just dying to be seen as smart and special by the bigger kids.

Surrounded by people, and a world, that so desperately seeks structure in an unstructured world, I find myself completely empathising why risk and rebellion can be so terrifying. It’s exactly in those times — at least in my mind — when the scariest can also be the most thrilling and impactful. It’s time to flip the script, to think not just outside the square, but to question why that square turned box even exists. This is the essence of right-brain thinking, a realm where someone I admire immensely, Rory Sutherland , meets Da Vinci in a brainstorming session. It’s where creativity doesn’t just support logic; it leads the charge, rewriting the rules of innovation and impact.

In a world brimming with Apollonian logic, there lies a largely uncharted territory — a place where creativity reigns and conventional boundaries dissolve. Welcome to the Artemisian Blueprint. Where right-brain thinking meets strategic prowess, offering an innovative lens through which to view and solve complex challenges across diverse sectors, from Defence to sustainability, and beyond.

Once upon a time, in a boardroom far, far away, strategy was about 7Ps, SWOT, and filling in some McKinsey Matrix like a Sudoku puzzle on a Sunday. But let’s say you’ve just watched your favourite movie. Think about the plot. Imagine if George Lucas brought us Star Wars as a bullet list? Sure, the Death Star might still get destroyed, but I’ll bet no one’s buying “Han Solo” action figures #HanShotFirst. The strategy is the plot, but the storytelling is the magic that makes it real in the minds of your audience. Remember, a strategy without storytelling is like Netflix without shows. It’s a thing that’s there, but no one’s watching.

Think back to the winding 80’s era streats of Hawkins, Indiana. Where kids weren’t just battling otherworldly Demogorgons; but navigating the complex labyrinths of human emotions. The same applies to crafting strategy and design. Understanding the ‘Upside Down’ of human desires, fears, and dreams is crucial. Just like Eleven taps into her powers, businesses and governments must channel the potent force of empathy to birth ground-breaking innovations, with far less nose bleeds (I’d hope). “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

If the previous decade has taught us anything, it’s that the convergence of creativity and scientific understanding can revolutionise our approach to people, culture, and behavioural change. The irony is palpable, given that just a few decades ago, you’d be hard-pressed to find science and creativity sitting in the same sentence, let alone at the same conference table. In a World Overwhelmed by Predictability, Embrace the Unexpected If you haven’t caught up with the burgeoning field of brain prediction theory, grab a coffee from your local, and settle in. This theory suggests that the human brain is, in essence, a prediction machine, constantly trying to anticipate what happens next.

In the arid landscapes of corporate boardrooms and government policy hives, the term “strategy” often echoes like a Pythonesque hymn confined to the scope of quantifiable metrics, data-driven insights, and over worshipped models. It’s as if Apollo, the God of Reason, has dominated the conversation, muting his twin Artemis, the Goddess of Intuition and Creativity. If art, culture, and humanity as taught us anything it’s that these 2 cannot exist without each other. It’s Apollo and Dionysus, Eros and Thanatos, the Jedi and the Sith.

You’re in a room with all the industry buzzwords you’ve been browbeaten into believing are the key to a successful campaign. “Engagement,” “Brand Awareness,” “Consumer-Centric Strategy” — you’ve heard them all. “But let’s add a plot twist,” you say, swiping these empty catchphrases off the table, only to replace them with something more… daring. Ah yes, creativity, neuroscience, and behavioural science — three partners-in-crime, luring us into a performance like no other. Does it sound audacious? You bet. But then again, since when has playing it safe ever changed the world?