To introduce the value of multiplicity, Calvino quotes Emilio Gadda, who sees the world as a“system of systems” in which each individual system conditions the others andis conditioned by them in turn.
For Musil,knowledge is awareness of the irreconcilability of two polar opposites:precision and chaos. Multiple points of view and interconnected systems lie inthe tension between these two poles. It is quite incredible how Calvino wasagain able to so clearly foresee our contemporary age in this idea.
Brands, whichare the bearers of values and vehicles of the ‘sense’ of our culture, becomemore or less open systems that exist and adapt in relation to the other systemsthey are connected to, such as fashion and design for example. In this sense, we might claim that the value ofmultiplicity validates the primacy of curiosity, the ability to navigate andexplore the complex systems in the constant tension between precision andchaos.
Many brands choose not to be represented by a single symbol, but through a multiplicity of signs that express every nuance of the brand and can reach different audiences in different contexts. AOL’s mission is to inform, entertain and connect the world through a multitude of extraordinary experiences.
Anotherinteresting case is that of L’Occitane en Provence, which chose to expand intonew markets by localising their production and the entire brand experience. Inthis particular case, the whole brand is transformed and becomes L’Occitane auBrésil.
The ability of individual ‘systems’ to condition other systems is proven by Jack Daniel’s, which hasextended its brand territory to contaminate different categories with thepromise of a unique taste and well-defined lifestyle
