GOOD THINKING AI hates contradictions. Your brand should love them.
This week, we dive into a topic that’s been coming up a lot in the letter: embracing contradictions as a brand advantage.
Most brands get flattened by simplification. The majority of brand guidelines sap the real out of the ‘audience’ they pretend to understand.
From wellness drinkers who love wine to ultra-marathoners who stop for a smoke, this episode is a call to stop blanding yourself (and brands) from the inside out.
Enjoy!
Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy
02:01 — CONTRADICTIONS ARE A SUPERPOWER // The power of tension.
03:55 — BRANDS DOING IT // From Liquid Death to Duolingo, why friction beats focus.
06:10 — THE BRAND BOOK IS DEAD // Why “our girl loves X” is a dangerous and outdated fantasy.
08:15 — FIND THE HUMAN FIRST // How we actually uncover contradictions in brand workshops and why they matter more than personas.
10:51 — BOUJEE SKINCARE, DIRTY PILLOWCASE // A skincare story that proves every audience has layers.
13:27 — BUILD FOR THE JUNGLE, NOT THE ZOO // Why brands fail when they design for “the zoo,” not “for the jungle” according to Tom Beckman.
16:09 — A TALE OF TWO CUSTOMERS // What happens when you try to blend opposites and please everyone.
18:55 — PRECIOUSNESS IS THE ENEMY // The PSA for every brand still clutching their brand book too tightly.
20:10 — COMPLEX CAREERS // Why multifaceted humans build stronger brand.
22:13 — AI CAN’T DO CONTRADICTION // This may be your biggest opportunity.
25:45 — SAME SAME VS DIFFERENT // Why ChatGPT’s new ad accidentally proves our point about the loss of soul in creativity.
28:53 — STOP RATIONALIZING EVERYTHING // The real danger of over-editing identity.
ABOUT
Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning.
Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +15K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack
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