3InsIghts from

Wendy ClarkPresident, Sparkling Brands & Strategic

Marketing, Coca-Cola North America

BRAVERY,

UNDERESTIMATEDBELIEF

Why

WIll FUel yOUr Brand (and yOUr Career)

and BEIng

By JereMy KAtz,

WorldWide editoriAl direCtor,

ogilvy & MAther

WHY BRAVERY, BELIEF AND BEING UNDERESTIMATED WILL FUEL YOUR

BRAND (AND YOUR CAREER)

Wendy Clark, President of Sparkling Brands and

Strategic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America,

departed from her usual main stage presentations

here at Cannes to deliver an inspiring masterclass

on leadership to an overflow crowd of young

(and young-at-heart) attendees. her talk, called

“Bravery, Belief, and Being Underestimated,”

illustrated thee of her most cherished principles

with creative work and leadership advice.

WHY BRAVERY, BELIEF AND BEING UNDERESTIMATED WILL FUEL YOUR

BRAND (AND YOUR CAREER)

Bravery “you Can’t say ‘bravery’ inConsequentially,” said Clark

before demonstrating the principle in question with Coke

zero’s drinkable advertising campaign. the technically

complex work had many places to go awry, but Coke

zero was brand (and prepared) enough to go forward.

to Clark, bravery is a crucial leadership principle

that drives one to disrupt the status quo. leaders

manifest this trait by having a Pov, stating that Pov,

putting it into action, and doing so even with the

knowledge that it may be easier to do nothing.

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WHY BRAVERY, BELIEF AND BEING UNDERESTIMATED WILL FUEL YOUR

BRAND (AND YOUR CAREER)

BE

UnderestImated “it is a gift to be underestimated,” Clark

believes. Being underestimated lowers

the threshold for success and, because

being underestimated is infuriating,

also lights one’s competitive fire.

2

WHY BRAVERY, BELIEF AND BEING UNDERESTIMATED WILL FUEL YOUR

BRAND (AND YOUR CAREER)

BelIeFbelief is one of the most powerful leadership tools.

Clark distinguishes between individual and collective

belief, and one depends on the other. individual belief

is manifested through quiet, humble confidence. When

you have that confidence, you inspire it in others, thus

creating collective belief. Collective belief is “food for the

soul,” and Clark believes that nothing is more powerful.

Speaking of the power of the collective, Clark closed by

repeating a Coca-Cola axiom: “No one has the corner

on smarts. A great idea can come from anywhere.”

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