Leading the Future

Simon Mainwaring CEO, We First @SimonMainwaring

Leading The Future

1. The New Normal

2. Brand Transformations

3. Cultural Leadership

Leading The Future

1. The New Normal

2. Brand Transformations

3. Cultural Leadership

1 . The New Normal

Change as new fears

Change as new behaviors

Change as new opportunities

Fears: Pace of change

Fears: Range of change

Fears: Scale of change

Fears: Acceleration of change

Th

e S

eco

nd

Mach

ine A

ge

Fears: Compounding change

Wetp

@in

t

Fears: Depth of change

Behaviors: Younger demographics

Hav

as

Med

ia, ‘

Mean

ing

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l Bra

nd

s R

ep

ort

’ 20

15

Elit

e D

aily

‘Mill

en

nia

l Stu

dy’,

20

15

Behaviors: Younger demographics

Behaviors: Younger demographics

Behaviors: Generation App

Opportunities: Story vs. data

Opportunities: Story transcends tech

Opportunities: Expert storytellers

Leading The Future

1.  The New Normal Fears. Behaviors. Opportunities.

Leading The Future

1.  The New Normal Fears. Behaviors. Opportunities.

2. Brand Transformations

3. Cultural Leadership

2. Brand Transformations

Brand Positioning

Consumer Engagement

Community Architecture

Brand Positioning

Singularity

Celebrant

Consistency

Hav

as

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ia, ‘

Mean

ing

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l Bra

nd

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’ 20

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1. OWN A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN PROPERTYBrand Positioning: Singularity

Hav

as

Med

ia, ‘

Mean

ing

ifu

l Bra

nd

s R

ep

ort

’ 20

15

CLARITY BUILDS COMMUNITY

clarity

message community

MARKETIN

G

AMPLIFIC

ATIO

N

Brand Positioning: Singularity

Hav

as

Med

ia, ‘

Mean

ing

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l Bra

nd

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ep

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CELEBRATING CUSTOMERSBrand Positioning: Celebrant

Self-directed/Celebrity.

Self-directed storytell ing. 1. CONSUMER-DIRECTED PURPOSE STORYTELLING

BRAND

Community-facing/Celebrant.

Brand Positioning: Consistency

Brand Positioning: Consistency

Takeaway 1:

Your brand must own a fundamental human property.

2. Brand Transformations

Brand Positioning

Consumer Engagement

Community Architecture

Consumer Engagement

Co-ownership

Co-authorship

Co-creation

UNILEVER - SUSTAINABILITY INTEGRATIONEmployee Engagement & Activation

Co-ownership: Unilever/Employees

Co-ownership: Levi’s/Consumers

Co-ownership: VMA’s

Co-authorship: Patagonia

Co-authorship: REI Members

Co-authorship: Dove/TOMS

Co-creation: AirBnb

Co-creation: Sport England/Always

Co-creation: Starbucks/GAP

2. Brand Transformations

Brand Positioning

Consumer Engagement

Community Architecture

Community Architecture

Strategy

Collaboration

Content

Strategy: Mission

Strategy: Tactics

Strategy: Upgrades

Strategy: Rewarding engagement

Strategy: Upgrades

Community Architecture

Strategy

Collaboration

Content

Collaboration: Values

Collaboration: Outside of industry

Collaboration: Sector-wide

Community Architecture

Strategy

Collaboration

Content

Content: GE

Content: TOMS

Content: I l ly/Patagonia

Takeaway 2:

Brands must be the celebrant, not celebrity, of their customer community.

Leading The Future

1.  The New Normal Fears. Behaviors. Opportunities.

2. Brand Transformations Positioning: Singularity. Celebrant. Consistency

Engagement: Co-ownership. Co-authorship. Co-creation. Architecture: Strategy. Collaboration. Content.

Leading The Future

1. The New Normal

2. Brand Transformations

3. Cultural Leadership

Cultural Leadership

Leading change

Leading conversations

Leading culture

Leading change: Existing Products

Leading change: New Products

Leading change: Industry-wide

Leading conversations: Patagonia

Time  

Them

es a

nd T

actic

s  Conversation leadership  

Different tactics accumulate over time

to define, shape and lead the conversation.

2005 Common Threads Recycling Program  

2007 Footprint Chronicles  

2010 Common Threads 5R Program  

2011 Don’t Buy This Jacket  2009

Sustainable Apparel Coalition  

2013 Worn Wear  

2015 Worn Wear Tour  

Leading conversations: Patagonia

Time  

Sust

aina

bilit

y Im

pact

Pro

gram

s  Conversation leadership  

Impact investments, initiatives and programs implemented over time build

social proof and demonstrate The conversation ‘in-action’

2009 Sustainable Apparel Coalition  

2013 $20 Million & Change Fund / Patagonia Works

2014 Patagonia Park 2014

DamNation

1985 Environmental Grants Program: 1% of Sales  

2006 Ambassadors  

Leading conversations: Patagonia

Leading conversations: Dove

Leading conversations: Dove

Time  

Tact

ics

and

conv

ersa

tion

them

es  

Conversation leadership  

Different tactics accumulate over time to define, shape and lead the

conversation.

2006 Model transformations Self-esteem fund  

2005 Real bodies  

2004 Vote for real beauty  

2007 Beauty comes of age Unrealistic beauty  

2010 Self-esteem mentors Self-perception  

2015 Choose beautiful  

Leading conversations: Starbucks

Starbucks – Shared Planet.

Shared Planet

Different themes establish, maintain and

expand consumer engagement around your conversation.

Gridlock in Congress Job Creation

Boycott Political Donations Same Sex Marriage

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Online Employee Education

Racism

What Starbucks Knows About America

Crowded Space

Focus: The Solution or End State (Strategic)

Focus: The Problem (Tactical)

White Space

Where the opportunity is.

THE CONVERSATION GOLD RUSHTHE CONVERSATION GOLD RUSHConversation gold rush.

Leading culture: Tesla

Leading culture: Patagonia/REI

Leading culture: Starbucks

Takeaway 3:

Brands must transcend their products, services and categories

to positively shape culture.

Leading The Future

1.  The New Normal Fears. Behaviors. Opportunities.

2. Brand Transformations Positioning: Singularity. Celebrant. Consistency

Engagement: Co-ownership. Co-authorship. Co-creation. Architecture: Strategy. Collaboration. Content.

3. Cultural Leadership Change. Conversations. Culture.

1.  Own a fundamental human property.

2.  Be the celebrant, not celebrity, of your customer community.

3.  Define, frame and lead a conversation that shapes culture.

Leading the future: 3 Takeaways

Thank you. @SimonMainwaring WeFirstBranding.com Slides: Simon@WeFirstBranding.com