The WARC Podcast Why strategy needs to be more feral
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Jun 5, 2025 Richard Huntington, CSO of Saatchi and Saatchi and author of 'Feral Strategy', dives into brand strategy's need for a radical shift away from outdated orthodoxy. He argues that conventional methods have led to uninspiring brand work. Emphasizing the importance of genuine purpose, he explores the challenges of navigating strategy in an uncertain world. Huntington champions 'feral thinking', where unconventional ideas bloom from everyday moments, pushing marketers to embrace creativity and authenticity for impactful strategies.
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Instrumental vs Ornamental Strategy
- Brand strategy should be instrumental, driving commercial growth, not ornamental or merely refreshing values.
- Without clear purpose and focus on growth, brand strategy risks becoming superficial and ineffective.
Brand Strategy Quality Decline
- Most brand strategies are bland, uninspiring, and fail to deliver meaningful outcomes.
- This mediocrity results from excess quantity, falling practitioner quality, and faddism in the industry.
Reject Orthodoxy and Dogma
- Avoid orthodoxy and dogma that stifle creative thinking and innovation in brand strategy.
- Question mainstream beliefs continuously to prevent brand strategies from becoming formulaic.