Putting “What If” At the Center of the Creative Brief with Shobha Sairam, Chief Strategy Officer at 22 Squared Inc

For over two decades, Shobha Sairam has worked on a wide variety of brands at a number of agencies around the world, including Leo Burnett, Mother, Deutsch, and The Community among others. 

Most recently, Shobha has led strategy at 22 Squared Inc, based out of New York, where she and her team have breathed new life into brands like Baskin Robbins, Party City, Publix, and Toyota. 

Over the years, Shobha’s research for different brands has exposed her to a variety of sensitive and challenging subjects, including sexual wellness, banking, and the American Dream, and her process for getting to the heart of people's feelings around such complicated subjects is inspiring.

Some of my favorite aha moments talking with Shobha include:

• The surprisingly complex reasons people have sex and how those reasons led to the evolution of the K-Y brand
• Moving beyond the classic problem-solution formula that most brands adhere to 
• The impact Gen Z has had on brands and storytelling across multiple categories  
• Re-framing the banking industry away from the standard idea of “financial freedom” toward something more poignant and provocative
• Transforming “What is” to “What If” in creative briefings and client work sessions to consistently get to more effective, engaging work

Show Notes:

Below are links to campaigns and other inspiring ideas that came up during our conversation.

Oatly - Forced Perspective Campaign

Shobha’s most recent favorite book - The Sword and The Scimitar