SEED CLUB 500

SEED CLUB first took root a little over two years ago. Today it has more than 500 members; a wide ranging mix of writers, strategists, artists and researchers from across the world, all curious about deciphering the strange and wonderful corners of culture. Will Rowe, Protein's founder, individually approves and onboards each new member with a 30 minute call. We’ve been constantly impressed by the quality and calibre of applicants. 

When SEED CLUB began, Protein AGENCY had long been working with renowned brands across research, insight, foresight and strategy projects. Through these projects it became clear to us that community was often the thing brands were chasing, a word so overused it had begun to lose its meaning. We were interested in what a community could feel like, surface and create if nurtured in the right way, and not simply used as hollow marketing fodder.

SEED CLUB is a decentralised research community; a walled garden for people to gather and share whatever it is they’ve been obsessing over, intrigued by, questioning or observing. From hyperlocal rap, the pleasure recession and the scorching new world order, to characterful hardware, the aestheticisation of writers and ambiguity maxxing.

These colder months offer us time to take stock, and now we've reached the milestone of 500 SEED CLUBBERS, we wanted to reflect on the past two years of germinating, growing and planting SEEDS.

SEED CLUB STATS 

• 5,142 posts across 774 germinating SEEDS
• 182 commissioned and planted SEEDS
• 34 opportunities to work on paid Protein AGENCY projects  
• 20 CALLS and WORKSHOPS 
• 7 in-person MEET-UPS globally 
• Top 10 search terms – friction; joy; AI; hardware; social media; wellness; merch; Polymarket; taste; nostalgia 
• Virgo is the most common sign (47 members) and Scorpio is the rarest (24 members) 

Charlie Robin Jones authored the first SEED CLUB commission – Brands As Libraries – which was published at the end of 2024. In it, he looks at how brands are moving beyond traditional advertising models to create an ecosystem that encourages interaction, education, and of course, community. Charlie foresaw how branded book clubs, literary salons and lecture series would rise to prominence, as they undoubtedly have today. 

Hadi Afif wrote our most recently published SEED – Habibi Psyop – which explores the pop, politics and potential of the habibi industry. We’ve been in the trenches of habibification for more than a couple of years now, with ‘habibi’ slapped across music, fashion, food and entertainment. This linguistic ubiquity is the most literal expression of a broader cultural appetite for general Arab vibes, and the onset of what Hadi identifies as habibi psyop.

In between those two SEEDS, we’ve shared 180 others, including Cringe = Sublime by Elizaveta Federmesser; Signs Of The ‘New Ugly’ by Jon Jacobsen; Piracy’s Back by Willem Deisinger; and The Pop-Up Problem by Ana Raucea. Alongside such SEED CLUB-penned pieces, we’ve published interviews with the likes of Mindy Seu, Tony Wang, Matt Klein, Ruba Al Sweel, Sean Monohan and Günseli Yalcinkaya. 

Ruby Thelot and Elijah have hosted LECTURES on aesthetic stagnation and what artists can learn from pro-wrestling. Clive Martin, Isabella Burley, Idil Galip and Tyler Bainbridge have been FORUM panellists. We’ve released two REPORTS, one looking at nostalgia and the other at stupidity, and both featuring an array of SEED CLUB contributions. Earlier this year we published our JOURNAL, which is jam-packed with SEED CLUBBERS' sharp cultural observations, analysis and brand recommendations. 

Sure, SEED CLUB includes some exciting cultural figures, but it's not about notoriety, nor do you need to be a bonafide writer or seasoned strategist to meaningfully contribute. We’re looking for anyone who is genuinely curious about culture and wants to be part of a community of thoughtful, diverse voices. People who are receptive and respectful of other people's ideas, and who want to work collectively to grow stories that aren’t being told anywhere else.

If you’ve got a sharp eye, have endless questions, are desperate to analyse culture, or just want to know what a bunch of bright brains are thinking, then you can apply to become a SEED CLUB member here. And if you're a brand interested in how Protein can help with your research, insight, foresight or strategy, please get in touch here. 

PROTEIN GLOSSARY

• SEEDS: Articles published twice a week on Protein.XYZ that analyse the shifts, signals and people shaping culture.
• BRIEFINGS: Bi-annual presentations reflecting on the themes dominating culture, featuring brand case studies and actionable strategies.
• FORUMS: Panel discussions that bring a mix of writers, artists, practitioners and academics together around one provocative question.
• REPORTS: In-depth examinations of the macro shifts defining and redefining culture.
• LECTURES: In-person series that invites prominent voices to unpack the themes and theories on their mind.
• JOURNAL: Annual print publication stacked with original features that dig into the people, brands and trends set to shape the near future.