How can you think outside the box as a brand strategist?

Curiosity is a practice that requires the cultivation of a widened perspective. Start by shutting your laptop, standing up and going for a walk. Leave your phone behind (but do take a small notebook and a pencil). Wander around. Avoid your usual routes. Look up, look down, look around. Stroll through a gallery or museum. Peruse a small, independent shop you've never been to, find something unusual and ask the shopkeeper to tell you about it. Read a magazine dedicated to something you know nothing about. Watch people. Eavesdrop. Talk with them. Listen to them. Don't seek answers, just collect little nuggets. Write them down. Draw little sketches. They won't help you with today's project, but they will help you with tomorrow's.

Read widely. Read weirdly. Weird stuff has a funny way of coming back into your life, briefs, projects, as and when needed. Trusting that process is 80% of the job.

Thinking outside the box in branding means coming up with unique and unexpected ideas. For example, when Apple introduced the iPod, they didn't just sell a music player; they created a whole new way to experience and buy music through the iTunes store. They thought beyond the typical boundaries of the tech and music industries. Another example is Airbnb, which changed the way people think about travel and accommodations by letting individuals rent out their homes to travelers. Instead of traditional hotels, they offered a more personalized and unique experience, thinking differently about how people can connect when they travel. These companies thought creatively, and it paid off in big ways by setting them apart from their competitors.

Bike company, VanMoof, was losing thousands weekly due to damages caused by careless couriers. So they changed their packaging to something that would be handled with more care. Result = 80% drop in damage costs. Sometimes it pays to think *inside* the box.

The goal must be clear. Is the brand aiming to create awareness or to increase engagement or to communicate the brand vision? The start point is always to go through the data, on current consumers, lapsed consumers and prospects.

How to be playful and think outside the box as a brand strategist: 1. Look for inspiration outside of your industry. Challenge the status quo of what is being done in your space. Don't follow. Personally, I love APAC D2C brands. (so many amazing experiential marketing campaigns from sneaker brands in the last few years) 2. Push for 10X ideas that disrupt. Spend way more time on ideation because a 10X idea executed at B- level can outweigh a polished 2X idea executed at an A+ 3. Develop your brand voice to own it's tone. Look at Wendy's Twitter feed. p.s. if this isn't your brand, don't force it! 4. Create psychological safety for your teams to push boundaries, experiment, and fail! This is key to building a winning brand. Repeat 1 - 4.

Read! Read everything, see everything, go to theaters, opera, ballet. See Art! See Rothko and Warhol, Try to understand, above all don't overthink, and Forget the stupid marketing PowerPoint cliche “thinking outside the box “ There are no boxes. Push to be interested and interesting.

The Art of Play is a fundamental ingredient to innovation. We lose this ability as we get older through the process of rigidity of schools, courses and programs that teach us process. Or, rather one can say that it is taught out of us... Being playful unlocks untapped ideas, energy & ultimately innovation. There is a collaborative approach to play thinking that requires listening, flexibility, & improvisation. Creatives thinkers understand and value this at their core, which is sometimes thought of as unproductive - but in reality, it is a means and approach to anchor the impossible to the possible. I have conduced workshops at every level of an organization, and the truth is, the ones that incorporate the art of play, ultimately succeed.

Let’s dive into a world where thinking inside the box is an alien concept! Ever discovered the iPod’s cozy spot in your jeans' tiny pocket? That’s Apple’s playful genius—a reminder that thinking outside the box is just more fun. Today, Airbnb offers experiences, not just stays. They play differently, reshaping industries. Learn from them! Have fun, think differently, and create cool experiences. In this game, the craziest ideas usually win. It’s time to turn mundane pockets into spaces for innovation. Let’s play our way to brand strategy brilliance.

Here's my take on thinking outside the box as a brand strategist: Embrace Playfulness: Fostering an environment of experimentation through humor and storytelling breaks down creative barriers, sparking innovation. Expand Creativity with Metaphors: Use metaphors to create a deeper, emotional connection with your audience, transforming your brand into a metaphorical journey. Dare to Prototype: Visualize ideas tangibly; prototyping bridges the gap between ideation and execution, ensuring smoother transitions from concept to reality. Cross-Pollinate Ideas: Collaboration is key. Bring together diverse perspectives for a fusion of unique ideas, amplifying creativity within your team.

Hot take: I’m a writer by trade, but it was during the years I spent as a broke waitress that I learned all about flexibility. It takes an insane amount of patience, grit and adaptability to function in those types of high-stress situations. It wouldn’t be until about 5 years into my actual career that I’d recognize just how much I took away from those experiences. The pressure that transpires from both learning and failing in real-time is what builds true resilience. And you can leverage this foundational attribute in just about any field –?especially brand strategy. Flexibility is all about keeping an open mind, pivoting strategically, mastering adaptation, and leaning on those around you to level out the playing field when it gets rocky.

Try exploring diverse perspectives, challenge assumptions, and experimenting with unconventional ideas. The brand brain is a muscle that needs exercising. Staying open to evolving strategies will foster mental flexibility.

Flexibility in your job means you might be planning a pink, glittery Barbie campaign one day, and the next, you're in a serious meeting, plotting a strategy for a tech company. That's just how it goes, and it's perfectly fine. Being able to switch between different types of projects and adapt to new situations is exactly what makes you good at your job. It's like having a toolbox where you've got a tool for every task – whether it's for tightening a tiny screw on a toy or building a complex machine. The trick is to learn as you go, pick up new tools along the way, and always be ready for the next task at hand.

thinking creatively and being flexible go hand in hand. Stay open to new ideas, learn from mistakes, and welcome feedback. Flexibility helps you adjust your approach based on changing situations, making brand strategy more adaptable and effective.

Flexibility is like the secret sauce for companies. It helps them break free from boring routines and adapt to tricky situations. Being flexible means the brand is not just tough enough, but also a smart leader, always ready for new challenges. So, give it up for the brand that not only handles changes but also turns them into victories, making a big impact on the innovation scene.

Time management. Effectively managing your time can provide the structure and space needed for creative thinking. By allocating dedicated time for brainstorming, exploring new concepts, and experimenting with ideas, you can enhance your creative productivity. Additionally, setting aside moments for reflection and relaxation can allow your mind to make unexpected connections and generate innovative solutions. Balancing collaboration with well-managed, focused individual time can be a key element in maximizing your creative potential.

Work closely with cross-functional teams and encourage diverse team members to collaborate on projects. Fresh insights often come from interdisciplinary collaboration.

I love idea-ping-pong this means thinking through business and branding problems together with others, building atop each other's ideas. Try not to judge ideas to early.

My favorite tool is collaboration because it is essential to delegate tasks to effectively manage those you excel at. One brain is good, but three are better.

Being open to varying perspectives is the best way to allow new ideas to flow in, and almost always lead to out-of-the-box thinking. Ultimately, strategists are observers, nuance picker-uppers, and the read-between-the-lines folk. The best way to craft a brand or business' journey and give it a solid foundation to differentiate itself is by picking up bits and pieces of magic from those around you. The artist - you - can then weave it together to create something extraordinary for the brand you're partnering.

The term "strategic" is often thrown around loosely, but true strategic action involves three key components: ?? Deep Understanding: Devote ample time to grasp the true nature of the situation or challenge. ??? Evaluating Options: Carefully consider different strategies, focusing on choices that truly impact the outcome. ?? Internal-External Alignment: Align external needs with your internal resources and capabilities for effective implementation. #StrategicThinking #BusinessStrategy #LeadershipInsights

Be Brave is an important strategy I’ve been exploring. Challenging the norm is an overrated concept but to challenge the leadership team to actually be brave and take action with unique strategies that are uncomfortable (for a while) but make a difference to their business and brand is rewarding.

Culture eats strategy for breakfast, so make sure you know what you are doing fits. Of course, all the creativity, flexibility, and collaboration must align with a solid strategy. Essentially, this is about connecting the dots between creative ideas and business objectives. It's about ensuring that every 'out of the box' idea has a clear path to enhancing brand value or achieving business goals. Another thing I keep seeing is that people confuse what a strategy is versus the tactical part. I use POST to remind me of people (audience), Objectives, strategy and Tactics. Initially, it stood for technology (platform).

There comes a point when you have enough ideas and have to narrow them down and align them with your brand. They say that a good debater always criticizes the best version of an argument, and the same applies here. Before dismissing ideas or giving feedback to your team, try to imagine each idea executed in its best possible form and disregard any inconsistencies, or stylistic factors which you know could be fixed or improved. Then critique the best version of the core idea and think about how it fits with your strategy.

Another important perspective to add is the concept of "simplicity." While thinking outside the box often involves exploring complex ideas and solutions, simplicity is equally important. Simplifying your brand strategy and messaging can make it more accessible and memorable to your audience. Sometimes, the most innovative and effective solutions are elegantly simple. Striking the right balance between creativity and simplicity can set your brand apart and make it easier for people to understand and connect with your message.

Strategists are generally overthinkers. I've found that sometimes out-of-the-box thinking happens when I'm able to get out of my own head. Go out for a walk, not actively think about work, or just sleep over a challenge and see what your brain comes up with the next day. Seek inspiration from out-of-the-box places too. Watch a movie, read a book, talk to someone who has nothing to do with strategy. And then come back to that particular task.

Brand strategists need to understand the humans they're building strategies for (the client) and the humans the strategies are about (The ICP). If a brand strategist doesn't understand the human brain, cognitive biases, the decision-making process, and consumer behaviour, the strategies will be a hit-and-miss.

To think outside the box you need to get outside your box. Go outside. Take a walk. Get some fresh air and inspiration. Whether it's in nature or the urban jungle, getting outside will always deliver you new perspectives and viewpoints.

For me just 'sitting' on all the data leads to some magical connections at times when I am not 'trying' to arrive at the solution....it just comes together itself....there is definitely a role of slow thinking. But equally looking at the 'media of the category' to delve into semiotics codes at play; often reading up on the history or culture antecedents. Going through industry reports or examples from more developed markets are also sources of insights. But nothing like first-hand immersion on consumer.

Step one. Open the lid of the box and step out, being careful not to trip on the rim or tear the box. A small step ladder can be helpful here. Step two. Once out of the box, observe your surroundings. Have you stepped out of the box into another, slightly larger box? If so, repeat step one until you're confidently out of the box. Step three. Think.