Ideas Worth Taking on Holiday

A mid-year collection of ideas that have influenced the Wildtribe team.

Summer offers something that's often in short supply during the rest of the year: a little space to think.

For many of us, it's the first opportunity in months to step away from deadlines, inboxes and meetings, and spend time with ideas that don't demand an immediate response. Sometimes those ideas come from a bestselling book. Sometimes they're found in an unexpected podcast or niche newsletter.  

To unearth the best ideas our team have bumped into over the last six months, we asked them to share one discovery that had genuinely changed how they think or approach their work.

The recommendations couldn't be more different. They range from restaurant kitchens to feminist linguistics but together reveal something about the way we like to work: remain curious and question assumptions.

Here are the recommendations we'd happily pack in our holiday bags: we hope you agree.  

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Recommended by Andy Gibson, Agency Director

On the surface, Anthony Bourdain's memoir about life inside professional kitchens seems an unlikely source of inspiration for running a marketing agency.

Yet Andy found remarkable parallels between high-performing restaurants and high-performing creative businesses.

Bourdain's account makes one point abundantly clear: excellence isn't accidental. It's the product of discipline, high standards, clear leadership and a culture that refuses to accept mediocrity. Poor ingredients, weak processes and disengaged teams create both disappointing meals – and cook up failing businesses.

The comparison resonated strongly with agency life.

"The similarities were impossible to ignore," says Andy. "Generalist agencies producing average work, owners who've lost their passion, teams who've stopped caring about quality - you see the same patterns. To succeed, you have to aim far beyond 'good enough'."

.... And if you're curious what that pursuit of "better thanood enough" looks like in practice, you can explore some of our recent work here.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Recommended by Sam Passmore, Head of Web & Digital

Every creative professional knows the feeling: the dreaded blank page... and the procrastination it fosters.  

Pressfield gives that invisible force a name: Resistance.

His argument is simple: the more meaningful the work, the more likely resistance is to appear. And waiting to feel inspired isn't the answer.

Instead, he argues we should "turn pro": show up every day, treat our work like a profession rather than a hobby, and accept that fear and self-doubt never disappear. They simply become part of the process.

As Pressfield puts it: "The people who consistently create meaningful work aren't necessarily the most inspired; they're the ones who keep turning up."

A good reminder for anyone whose work depends on creating something from nothing.

(Us!)

Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind by Tom Holland

Recommended by Andy Gibson, Agency Director

Tom Holland's sweeping history explores how thousands of years of philosophy, religion, politics and conflict have shaped many of the values that underpin modern Western society.

He explains that ideas perhaps we take for granted - fairness, equality, justice and human rights - weren't inevitable. They evolved gradually through centuries of challenge, reform and debate.

"We often assume our way of thinking is simply common sense,” Andy notes. “History reminds us it isn't. Every society is constantly testing ideas, keeping what works and challenging what doesn't."

Understanding why people think the way they do is at the core of marketing – and to truly understand modern human psychology, we have to look to the past.  

This book is a fantastic way to do so.  

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell

Recommended by Gabrielle Dunne, PR & Copywriter

If you've ever wondered how language quietly shapes our assumptions, this is a fascinating read.

Montell's witty exploration of sociolinguistics uncovers the hidden biases built into everyday language, tracing the surprising histories behind familiar words and challenging long-held assumptions about gender, communication and power.

From the origins of gendered insults to our reactions to vocal fry, filler words and grammar, the book – and accompanying podcast - demonstrates that language is never neutral. It reflects power, culture and changing social attitudes.

As a core part of Wildtribe’s writing team, the takeaway for Gabby was a heightened consciousness of the assumptions language can reinforce – or challenge.

Gabby does note, however...

"Fair warning: this book may derail your next family barbecue. The moment your uncle starts complaining about how young people speak these days, you'll find yourself launching into an impromptu TED Talk on why the word "like" is actually, like, a surprisingly sophisticated linguistic tool." 

Really Good Emails

Recommended by Charlotte Durling, Creative Director

Not every great idea comes cover wrapped.

Charlotte's recommendation is a specialist resource she returns to regularly: Really Good Emails.

Part inspiration library and part technical masterclass, the platform showcases examples of email campaigns that balance creativity with usability. Alongside design inspiration, its "Feedback Friday" series dissects what works, what doesn't and why.

One article in particular stood out this year, demonstrating how thoughtful email design can remain engaging even when images fail to load – something every marketer (and inbox!) has experienced at least once.

In a world saturated with content, that balance between creativity and functionality has never mattered more.

What's on your list?

During travel, on a beach... the best ideas often surface at unexpected times.  

If you've discovered something that's changed the way you think or work this year, we'd love to hear about it.

Recommendations beat algorithms, after all.