The Power of Risk-Taking in Building Brands - E28

Feb 22, 2024

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Uncharted territories are intimidating, but being the first to step out and take risks could help your brand set yourself apart.

On this week’s episode, we welcome back Greg Hoffman, former CMO of Nike, to hear about the role of risk-taking in fostering Nike’s pioneering brand ethos and how companies and brands can take risks while staying authentic and true to company values. Drawing inspiration from the world of sports, Greg highlights the Brazilian national football team as a compelling example of not just prioritizing the victory, but the ‘how’ behind the win.

Greg Hoffman is a global brand leader, former NIKE Chief Marketing Officer, and founder and principal of the brand advisory group Modern Arena.

For over 27 years, Greg held marketing, design, and innovation leadership roles at NIKE, including time as the brand’s CMO. In his most recent role as NIKE’s Vice President of Global Brand Innovation, he led teams tasked with envisioning the future of storytelling and consumer experiences for the brand.

Timestamps:

0:00:00 Intro
0:00:10 Greg Hoffman's background at Nike
0:01:00 Taking risks as a leader and brand
0:03:33 Greg's personal risk of choosing marketing over design
0:04:08 Failure as a step towards success
0:06:23 Taking risks with concepts and projects
0:08:20 Incentivizing risk-taking and creativity
0:09:56 Going first and creating a revolution in the industry
0:11:19 Carving out time and space for parallel ideas
0:12:47 Brazil national team as an example of risk-taking
0:14:11 Greg's childhood admiration for Brazilian football
0:15:41 Brazil's focus on playing the game beautifully
0:15:41 Brazil's success belongs to the people as well as the team.
0:16:26 The story of the photo shoot with the Brazilian national team and the fans.
0:17:22 Open scrimmage and training session with the Brazil team.
0:18:41 Fans storm the field during the training session.
0:19:26 The connection between Brazilian athletes and the people.
0:20:04 Including the fans in the Brazil World Tour campaign.
0:21:21 Creating an emotional connection through human characteristics.
0:21:47 Capturing the fans was not initially part of the plan.
0:22:13 Being resourceful and adjusting on the fly.
0:22:40 The authenticity of capturing the fans organically.
0:23:46 Authenticity is paramount in building a resonating brand.
0:25:14 Revealing different aspects of brand personality over time.
0:25:56 The risks and backlashes considered in the "Dream Crazy" campaign.
0:26:10 Building on previous campaigns to challenge the status quo.
0:27:36 Using the 30th anniversary of "Just Do It" to inspire and challenge.
0:28:35 The personal connection between Greg and Colin Kaepernick.
0:29:21 The importance of authenticity and amplifying athlete voices.
0:30:00 The personal and professional connection in the room during the campaign.
0:30:39 Telling a story authentically and reaching the most people.
0:31:17 The importance of objectivity in creative work
0:31:57 Bringing out work that is never forgotten
0:32:33 Lightning questions
0:35:33 Three takeaways

Episode References:

Emotion by Design | Greg's Bestselling Book
The Modern Arena | Corporate Site
Greg Hoffman | Instagram
Rei Inamoto | Instagram
Rei Inamoto | X
I&CO | Corporate Site

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