Let’s talk about brands. 

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As I've travelled the globe, traversing high streets from London to Beijing, it's evident there is a resurgence in branding. Thank goodness—especially after the pandemic and lockdown. It feels like experiential retail is back! 

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Unfortunately, some brands will continue to die out (but let's be honest – many were on the way out anyway). What’s really interesting? This resurgence in branding isn't dictated by monolithic brands but by a new breed. One driven by community, engagement, and innovation. It's time for execs and directors to take note of brands doing it well! 

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Retail isn't dead; some of your brands are. 

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Brands that drive growth and purchase frequency—these are the ones to watch and learn from. And you have many examples to choose from.

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Think about your matcha lattes with the Blank Street Coffee phenomena who are embracing collaborations with Stormzy's stylist, Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe (known as Melissa’s Wardrobe on Instagram), who coined the hashtag #MMMDI (“Mel made me do it”). 

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Or take the viral streetwear London brand Corteiz, started by Clint years ago. Their “Bolo Exchange” created a frenzy in London over a weekend in 2022, convincing avid followers to swap their Canada Goose, North Face, and Moncler jackets for a Corteiz “Bolo” Puffer Coat – with the donated ones going to charity. 

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In 2023, LVMH Men appointed Pharrell Williams as Creative Director for Menswear. His influence on hip-hop culture, music, production, and his own Billionaire Boys Club brand made him a sound appointment for LVMH Men to connect with a new consumer experience, moving the brand into the next generation with aspirational designs to entice spending again.

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The power of brand is more important than price or product. Yes, you do need the secret sauce of a great product. Create a relevant product, then be bold, be seen, and be present! 

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As James Watt, Brewdog Founder, stated on a podcast, the brands that do well are the ones that “defy logic, are ambitious and bold.” It’s been a 15-year journey from starting Brewdog to its £1bn valuation.

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Simon Porte Jacquemus started his brand at 19 with the purpose of letting people enter his world. He wanted to create a brand that would be so cool yet recognisable, from his Oma to the Gen Z TikToker. His brand has the highest engagement versus the top ten brands globally. He has built his brand over 15 years, and people are interested in what he does. By the way, he is looking for a minority stake investor, which will catapult his brand even further! 

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Can't relate to the above? Let’s talk about Nike (currently in dire need of a rebrand and reconnection with consumers; however, I digress). 

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Can we acknowledge the fact that the Michael Jordan partnership (the biggest celebrity/athlete collaboration to date) with Nike by 2023 would have generated over $6 billion to date? And yet, while Nike was sleeping, another partnership was brewing with its rival Adidas in Germany. 

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One that would redefine and reposition itself as a lifestyle brand leader 

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Then along came Kanye West in 2015, whose partnership with Adidas was the cash cow/cultural revolution of the time. Sales surpassed expectations, generating over $2 billion in revenue and accounting for 10% of Adidas' global revenue in 2022. Adidas was bold and embraced a new opportunity to connect with consumers. 

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Now, how do you pivot your brand from a PR disaster? We've seen this with Adidas, which had to reinvent itself after Yeezy-gate. They pulled their good old Samba from the archives, creating a kaleidoscope of colours, designs, and collaborations as bold as my makeup colour palette. This move has been cash-positive, generating billions in profit. 

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On the other end of the spectrum, Jellycat has opened cafes to serve plush, imaginary treats, immersing customers in a 360-degree Jellycat world with experiential shopping experiences at the helm of its brand strategy. 

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Then there's the streetwear brand Corteiz. If you missed their collaboration with Nike, you are living in a bubble that needs bursting.

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Represent, founded by the Heaton brothers from Manchester, is building its menswear brand with brand extensions like 247 Sport and a fitness drink called Cadence. They leverage guerrilla marketing, curated drops, and coordinated meetups to create a buzz for products and sports activities. 

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The takeaway here? Embrace the zeitgeist. Be quick and aware of what matters to people. The above brands have leveraged podcasting, vlogging, TikTok, and all the new social media platforms to engage, inspire, tell their brand story, and showcase their product offerings. 

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I remember suggesting to a brand founder that we needed to embrace podcasting as an opportunity to tell the brand story and bring the founder and the brand to life instead of an extensive investment in photoshoots and lifestyle imagery. The idea was laughed at. 

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Yet podcasting, as Steve Jobs brilliantly introduced as part of iTunes in 2005 (coining it “TV for radio), has become a billion-dollar industry since its inception and a brilliant way to reach audiences and consumers—especially with all the advancements in technology and the various platforms catering to this format. 

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I say all this to give you time for introspection as you go into 2025. Look around you. Are your team a reflection of the world around you? Are you in touch with community and consumer moments? Do you trust your community enough to give them permission to show up and make decisions? What do these brands all have in common? Less red tape of complicated sign-offs, being part of the culture, and relevance with the masses. And guess what? It's revenue-generating and profitable. 

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So, as we rock and roll into 2025, building a brand should follow the ingredients of a great cocktail: shaken, not stirred. Shake up your brand and entice your customers with exceptional product design and experiences. It might surprise you.

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Dropping the mic on my first Stigs post.