Talking about creativity with Enzo Abbate is exploring a world that encompasses sound, words and images. From founding the creative agency Xister to leading Studio33, a space dedicated to storytelling through sound, and now with his new venture with Hypercast, Enzo has witnessed all the transformations communication has undergone over the past twenty years. His, is a kind of creativity that doesn’t settle for just impressing, it seeks to transform, connect, and leave a mark. How? Through the power of language and the ability to tell authentic stories.
REMIDA meets ENZO ABBATE.
L: What does creativity mean to you?
E: For me, it has always been about listening. I took my first steps in this field in 1997 and was lucky enough to witness the birth and evolution of the internet, firsthand. In 2002, with Xister, I put creativity at the heart of digital communication. When applied to business, creativity is very simple: instead of looking at an Excel spreadsheet, you look at the world. It comes from the ground up, it’s about picking up on emerging signals from cultures and subcultures, and bringing them to the table. It’s about combining existing elements to generate something new, something that earns trust and credibility in the eyes of the public. When those signals are translated into an original language, authentic, powerful and long-lasting connections are born.
L: Sometimes creativity can be constructive, but other times it can, and maybe should, destroy. What’s your take?
E: That’s true: creativity isn’t just about building, it’s also about tearing down what’s no longer useful. Just think of Tesla, which completely eliminated intermediaries in the sales process. Destruction, when done with intention and vision, can turn you into a legend. People often recognise and reward these moves precisely because they’re unconventional. Today, Gen Z sees anything mainstream as fake-advertising, and is often perceived as inauthentic. If you want to capture their attention, you need to take risks and, most of all, be true in your communicative exchanges.
L: And what about social media? What does the future hold for them?
E: Social media is the frontline of today’s cultural battle. On one hand, it feeds into a life of appearances, FOMO, and the pressure to “be present” or risk invisibility. It definitely has a dark side. But at the same time, it has offered a voice to everyone. You just need something to say. In terms of content, short-form videos have been the dominant format, the real hallmark of our time. But they’re reaching the end of their cycle, and I firmly believe long-form content, like podcasts, will become increasingly important. Looking ahead, I imagine a social ecosystem that combines both worlds. A sort of TikTok + Spotify. That’s obviously a dream of mine, but I think the path is clear: on one side, a lightning-fast front-end with super-optimised algorithms that show me what I like in seconds, an infinite scroll that’s truly infinite. But on the other side, a solid back-end built on long-form content, where I can go deeper and carve out time for high-quality experiences. I can browse on the surface or dive deep. In other words, less space for purely aesthetic influencers, more space for those who build influence on real expertise.
L: Let’s talk podcasts. In your view, what are the key ingredients behind their success?
E: The podcast is the most powerful communication tool we have today. Why? Total disintermediation and portability. First of all, podcasts are unfiltered, they’re free conversations, with no gatekeepers, no framing. Or at least that’s how they started. Joe Rogan alone gets millions of listeners, numbers that some mainstream networks can only dream of. What I love about podcasts is that they let you be yourself, without a broadcaster editing the message. They’re a portrait of a conversation. Communication is a basic human need, just like eating or sleeping, and audio is the most direct and portable way to meet that need. Don’t forget: podcasts “follow” me, and they’re on-demand. The real protagonist is the listener.
L: Why do you think disintermediation works so well? What psychological need does it fulfil?
E: I think it brings people closer to reality. It responds to a need for authentic, human connection. It’s the same reason found footage films have been so successful: they intentionally resemble documentaries, so people perceive them as more real. There’s a huge hunger for reality, and it’s shaping the way we consume content more and more.
L: How did you fall in love with podcasts?
E: My path has always followed two parallel tracks: digital and sound. My university dissertation, way back in 2000, was a study of radio and internet phenomena, and looking back, it was almost prophetic. From that passion came Studio33, entirely dedicated to music, sound and words. And with that same passion, I decided in 2021 to bet on podcasts, convinced they would become a dominant language. And so far, things are going well!
L: You’ve mentioned it a lot, and it seems like a key element in your vision: what role does words play for you?
E: Well, that’s a passion I share with Remida. The word is the true grey eminence, in all its forms. We’re coming out of an image-dominated era, but the word is making its way back to the centre. Spoken word, to me, is pure magic. It has the power to change reality. Words are freedom: they let us go beyond the image, which is always superficial. I believe the future of communication will increasingly revolve around language. Companies need to realise that having loads of channels is pointless if there’s no clear direction for the language tying them together. Words are freedom. Images, on the other hand, always box you in.
Enzo, it’s always a pleasure to talk with you. And yes—we totally agree with everything you said. ???? And you, are you ready to speak up? Because in the end, no matter the medium, what really matters is knowing what to say. ???? Write to us at supernova@remidastudio.com
