Issue 46: A Bulletin for Big Ideas and Better Business

OPINION/ BRANDING 

The dangers of judging quickly

💬 Sir John Hegarty

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 the company was in bad shape. Its market share had been eroded by Microsoft, and the business was reportedly losing $1.04 billion per year. The co-founder led a bold reimagining, and launched the iconic advertising campaign Think Different. The ad itself consisted of archive footage of trail-blazing individuals – from Muhammed Ali, to Mahatma Gandhi. The voiceover proclaimed that “the ones crazy enough to believe they can change the world, are the ones that do.” The commercial didn’t feature a single Apple product, but it did offer a compelling vision of the company’s new worldview.

The fact that the film has caused so much debate is one way of qualifying its success

While Jaguar’s electric re-invention ad has divided audiences – and whipped the marketing community into a frenzy – Apple’s example shows that the approach is not without precedence. While a leaked concept image has fuelled speculation, the carmaker will reveal the real model at the centre of its new direction today. While vision and philosophy are fundamentally important, there’s nothing so crucial as the product. Will it captivate audiences? Offer something fresh? And catapult the cat into a lucrative era supported by the adoration of a new market? The code to unlocking this lies in the company’s heritage – and the way in which that heritage is articulated. Brands often assume that younger people don’t care about history, but this is a mistake.

The fact that the Jaguar affair has caused so much debate is one way of qualifying its success. Neither has the re-launch been restricted to the echo chamber of those who work in branding. After doubling down on core products, a sharp re-brand and some cost saving exercises, Jobs produced a miraculous revival of Apple. A year after his return, the business was making $309 million per year. Jaguar executives will be hoping for an equivalent leap.

THE AGENDA

✏️ Pencil it in: your agenda for the coming week

1.
The winner of the annual Turner Prize for Art will be announced at the Tate Britain, London. Now in its fortieth year, some corners of the art world are questioning its relevance.
3rd December

2.
There’s still time to head to Miami Art Week. The story dominating proceedings this year is Jaguar’s decision to launch its new car there.
2nd – 8th December

3.
The refurbished Notre Dame Cathedral is due to open to the public in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a quick word on the forecourt beforehand.
7th December

4.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s (THR) annual Women in Entertainment gala takes place in Los Angeles. Selena Gomez is tipped to receive the year’s Equity in Entertainment Award.
4th December

5.
The Ad Council will assemble for its 70th Annual Public Service Awards Dinner. It’s positioned as one of the most consequential get-togethers in advertising. The name could use work, however.
x5th December

US / MEDIA

Inside Out 2
Contributor: FlixPix / Alamy Stock Photo

Pixar has lost none of its creative lustre

Pixar has been recognised as among the most creative companies since it pioneered the first computer-animated movie, the much beloved Toy Story. Besides the advances in digital filmmaking, the studio has also birthed some of the world’s most recognisable characters. For a while, it looked as though the business was incapable of making a dud. Then a flurry of flops caused the entertainment community to doubt its enduring ability to produce hits. Elemental, in 2023, saw the lowest box office sales in Pixar history. While it seemed doom and gloom for a while, the title then ushered in a sales bonanza through streaming and DVDs. More recently, Inside Out 2 made $1.6 billion in cinemas – a breath-taking figure. Creativity doesn’t tend to be replicable, but Pixar has demonstrated how it’s the best thing to double down on when times get tough.

ON CREATIVITY /

Contributor: Clo’e Floirat

GLOBAL / ENTERTAINMENT

Gone too soon
Contributor: Andy Gallagher / Alamy Stock Photo

More musicians are appearing on Fortnite

Fortnite, the battle royale shooter game, is emerging as the most sought-after platform for musicians. Rapper Travis Scott was the first to play in real time to fans there back in 2020. With much of the world in lockdown, Scott’s five performances drew almost 28 million players. Metallica, Ariana Grande, and Eminem have all followed suit since. Most intriguingly of all is Juice WRLD’s showing at the weekend. The rapper was a fêted name in hip hop, until his untimely death in 2019 at the age of twenty-one. His mother, Carmela Wallace owns the rights to Juice WRLD’s estate, and gave permission for his avatar to appear at Fortnite’s event Remix: the finale. The combination of messages and mediums are crucial. And it appears that video games are the next big platform for musicians.

CHINA / FASHION

Style and craft
Contributor: Alberto Grosescu / Alamy Stock Photo

Métiers d’Art show celebrates craft

Chanel might be the most recognisable name in luxury. So as not to drift from its emphasis on craft, it has been running The Métiers d’Art initiative, since 2002. The idea is to put on display the specialist techniques of ateliers and makers. Each instalment is staged in a different location, and the choice of city is always significant. Last year, it was Manchester, a decision that echoed the brand’s intention to strengthen ties with the UK. Today, the fashion house has elected to run the event in Hangzhou, China. With an economic slowdown in progress in the nation, Chanel will be hoping to bolster its position in the market there. The city itself is appropriate too, Hangzhou has a rich history of silk manufacturing. Sounds like a perfect fit.

It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.

/Oscar Wilde