Key Takeaways from StratFest 2023: Celebrating Strategic Bravery

Embracing Creative ChaosThe central theme of StratFest 2023 was the recognition that brilliance often emerges from the chaos of creative exploration Marketers and strategists were encouraged to break away from conventional thinking and embrace the messiness of experimentation In an era of constant change adaptability and risktaking are essential The AI workshop with the Pulsar team revealed some outofthebox ideas on how to market coffee using provocative DallE inspired images think rabbits in outofspace enjoying a cappuccino as a trigger for those wild ideas that cut through and stay etched in our brainCulture trumps everythingDr Marcus Collins emphasized the importance of cultural relevance in brand strategy Today39s consumers seek brands that not only understand their cultural context but also reflect it authentically Brands that resonate with cultural values beliefs and lifestyles can establish stronger connections with their target audiences This requires a deep understanding of the cultural nuances that shape consumer preferences When you get it right in the words of Jony Ive Apple39s former Chief Design Officer it is seen as the quotstrangely familiarquotMaking Creativity ContagiousJoan Colletta Senior Director of Global Marketing Transformation at McDonald39s highlighted that the craft of creativity requires intentional steps to ensure it thrives from making a business case to ensuring a common creative language to allowing creativity to own its own space and then spread like wildfire The McDonald39s quotRaise Your Archesquot campaign captured this brave process amp8211 and it was brilliantly contagious as everyone in the commercial marched to the beat of the Arches and consumers followed in gleeStrategic Bravery Means ActionThe heart of impactful work highlighted lies in strategic bravery Speakers and attendees alike emphasized the importance of taking risks pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo Strategic bravery is the driving force behind groundbreaking campaigns and innovative solutions For example the Truth Initiative39s quotDepression Stick Breath of Stress Airquot campaign partnering with Mojo Supermarket used humor and reverse psychology to address the very serious nicotine addiction issue among teens Strategic bravery is a bold and innovative mindset that drives organizations to take calculated risks challenge conventional norms and embrace change fearlessly It involves visionary leadership that empowers creative thinking values resilience in the face of failure and aligns strategies with purposedriven goalsPushing the Envelope of PossibilityInnovation has many faces and sometimes it is about having the guts to experiment and simply sing for your supper amp8211 as Tim Leake Founder ampamp CEO Lightbulb and Jeff Tan TEDx Speaker and a fellow Aussie showed us how as they transformed the typical PowerPoint show into a musical duo act that not only drew supportive laughter from the crowd but sparked a group singalong amp8211 we just needed the beach campfire to complete the lookSo sometimes strategic bravery is simply asking quotwhy notquot strutting your stuff and having both the bravado and humility to say quotI did it and grew from itquot It is a balancing act of conviction fear and the exhilarating high of jumping into the unknown For strategists that is the craft amp8211 keeping your eyes wide open and eyes wide shut amp8211 for magic often lies in betweenDEI as Truth TellerIn Vaseline39s quotSee My Skinquot campaign a pressing issue is confronted head on amp8211 the lack of diversity in dermatological imagery Born out of Vaseline39s mission for quotEquitable Skincare for Allquot this campaign isn39t just about user experience it39s about equity Elaine Tan Vice President Director Brand at Edelman shared with me that research shows that less than 6 of imagebased search results depict skin conditions on people of color leading to higher mortality rates for conditions like skin cancer quotSee My Skinquot introduces a groundbreaking search platform dedicated to skin of color The Vaseline and Edelman team created the world39s most diverse medical image library vetted by dermatologists and connected users with realtime dermatologist access Within two weeks it garnered 6000 visits and created 31 million equitable skincare experiences This campaign epitomizes Vaseline39s commitment to inclusivity and the transformative power of strategic purposedriven initiatives Bravery with purpose and tangible outcomesStratFest 2023 reminded us that the marketing and advertising landscape is in a constant state of evolution with AI igniting new possibilities and new challenges Antonio Lucio one of our industry39s most acclaimed CMO and Principal ampamp Founder of 5S Diversity reminded delegates that to stay ahead requires fluency not just across the craft of marketing and tech but also across the language of the PampampL and the imperatives that keep CFOs up at night To thrive in this dynamic environment marketers and strategists must be willing to challenge norms embrace diversity harness technology and above all be strategically brave As the industry continues to redefine itself the lessons from StratFest 2023 serve as a compass guiding us toward a future defined by brave humans and our everintelligent machines all working to make a dent on our brand39s ambitious trajectory amp8211 one bold idea at a timePhoto at top Raquelle Zuzarte Marla Kaplowitz and Elizabeth Paul at StratFest 2023Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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Key Takeaways from StratFest 2023: Celebrating Strategic Bravery

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Raquelle Zuzarte

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