Ignore them at your peril...

"Yes, &"?newsletter will inspire you to approach your brand with a spirit of improvisation, embracing new ideas and building on them in unexpected ways. It's a mindset that can help you thrive in today's fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape. Here we'll share stories of brands that have improvised to solve problems, connect with customers, and create breakthrough campaigns. Unlock your team's potential by saying "Yes, and" to the endless possibilities of creativity.

Orange 'La Compil de Bleues':?An ongoing bias that has permeated women's professional sports is the sentiment that female games are less popular internationally because they are 'less exciting' to watch and/or that women lack the raw talent that their male counterparts have. This viral video from French telecommunications company Orange (a sponsor of the French Football Federation) finally puts that stereotype to bed using deepfake technology to superimpose male players' faces onto the bodies of female players.

Yes, & ...?This is a particularly useful example if your brand is looking to reverse a commonly held or conventional belief by your audience. Our tip is a bit like 'reverse psychology' with a twist. Give your audience something that will confirm their bias at first, then flip the script to create moments of re-evaluation. Make them question what they 'think' they know.

Mattel/Warner Bros Barbie Movie:?When you consider that less than 10 years ago, the Barbie brand had reached its lowest volume of sales in history and the customer perception towards (unrealistic) beauty standards the doll had represented for 50 years, the comeback of this brand is something to be studied. Thanks in no small part to the 2016 initiative to reimagine Barbie for a 21st century audience, the Barbie Movie is breaking box office records and gender stereotypes.

Yes, & ...??The movie?doesn't shy away from the complicated relationship Barbie has had with audiences over the years - it embraces it, even poking fun at well-known Barbie attributes and fictional caricatures of an all-male board at Mattel. It works because Mattel has made an active effort to change the reputation of the brand and succeeded in doing so. If your company has a complicated past, best to embrace the conflict, be intentional about the change you want to make, take action in the right direction and (if the opportunity suits) poke fun at yourselves before others can.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour:?Aptly named 'Swift Mania' for the massive impact her sold-out global tour has made on young concert attendees, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is set to be the highest grossing tour of all time, with a mind-boggling $1 Billion in sales. For context, Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour made $853 Million. So, what's all the fuss? Swifties will tell you that she puts on an amazing performance, but what is more likely is the unique way T Swift resonates with her fans. Her songs tap into real emotion with unapologetic authenticity that her (primarily young female) audiences are hungry for.?

Yes, & ..?Want more tips on what brands can learn from the success of Barbie and the Era's Tour??Watch this.?

Could you use more creative improvisation to break through the discomfort of category conventions?

Forward to a forward-thinking friend, and follow for more!

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