TwentyFirstCenturyBrand

“How can leaders craft and control their narrative to drive real change? And what lessons can business leaders draw from the world of politics?” In her latest piece for Fast Company, Sara Tate, 21CB Partner, Transformation Practice, digs into these pivotal questions. As elections shake up governments worldwide and new political figures step up, it’s clearer than ever: mastering the narrative is now a core skill in modern leadership. The most influential leaders today? They’re expert storytellers, just like the most effective politicians. In today’s fast-moving business world—where disruption, media scrutiny, and constant transformation are the norm—nailing the story isn’t just a skill; it’s a make-or-break factor. With 89% of large companies currently engaged in digital or AI transformation, leaders who shape a strong change narrative stand a far better chance of seeing their vision realized. Read the full article below or click here to dive in: https://lnkd.in/gc4diUFt

How does a 171 year-old brand stay forever young? That was just one of the questions I had the honor of exploring with the inimitable Tracey Panek from Levi's on the main stage at The Gathering summit. From her unique vantage point as Historian, Tracey shared valuable insights for marketers and brand leaders, like the importance of continually evolving how your brand connects to culture. She also highlighted the importance of sharing stories inspired by the product, whether it's Freddie Mercury's 501s or a lad in Tbilisi, Georgia trading his family cow for a pair of Levi's. And of course, we talked about the Beyonce ad and how it's a modern take on a classic commercial from back in the day! 🤠 Great inspiration for any brand that aspires to last a decade, let alone 171 years. Thanks to Mandy Balak, Ryan Gill and Chris Kneeland for their leadership of The Gathering, where moments like this can happen. More to come!

Ever have one of those nights when you walk away feeling a foot taller? Last week, we joined forces with TIME Magazine in NYC for an exclusive roundtable dinner, bringing together 20 powerhouse leaders from brands like IBM, TikTok, Fenty Beauty, WYN BEAUTY by Serena Williams, Refinery29, KITH, ConvertKit [archive], and more. But this wasn’t just another networking event—it was raw, real, and laser-focused on the challenges C-suite execs are navigating today, as part of our #CMO Thrive Guide platform. The conversation hit deep—no filters, just #realtalk truths on the micro (what ‘life anchors’ help us stay strong in the ongoing industry swirl?) and the macro (how  do we really leverage purpose to fuel profit in the current commercial/cultural climate)? What really stood out? The energy and vulnerability in the room and the shared desire to genuinely connect below the surface, build each other up so we all left feeling recharged. 3 takeaways that I’m personally excited about for 2025: - a new era of intergenerational collaboration in culture & commerce - the rise of ethical intelligence from polycrisis - the fact that golf seems to be the new stabilizing passion of choice for diverse female leaders (based on the sample of 15 at the table at least!) This is just the beginning. We're creating a community of forward-thinking leaders to provide mutual partnership and guidance. Want in on the next one? Let us know—we’d love to have you at the table. Special thanks to Sadé Muhammad Rakia Reynolds Melissa McNutt for co-hosting such an incredible night. And thank you to Michaella Solar-March Dave Altarescu Leah Gregorio Generao Shilpa Shenoy Sukiana Chancy Eileen Ahasic Kate Twist Erika Lewis Sharifa Murdock Cory Corrine Haik Jenny Buccos Chidinma Asonye for bringing such thought provoking insights.

We’re thrilled about the exciting year ahead as we partner with Bacardi. Together, we will supercharge their ambitious marketing vision by creating an exceptional learning and development program and enhancing their talent training experience. Huge gratitude to Irina Rodina, Lisa Jazwinski, Maciej Kadłubowski & Joanne Kellard for making the kick-off an unforgettable experience, spoiling the 21CB and Congregation Partners team – Sara Tate, Stephanie Nicolaides, Paul Irwin, Wendy Aitken, Tim Sparke –  with a cocktail making masterclass, secret recipes, and a personalized bottle of their iconic rum.

"To act or not To act?" As we enter the final stretch of another unpredictable year, C-Suite brand leaders are going to be grappling with a thorny question: Do we take a stand or stay quiet in the face of escalating cultural volatility? From a high-stakes U.S. election to global conflict and politically charged social unrest in the UK and Europe, brands are once again caught in the crosshairs and we can't assume that neutrality will be perceived as neutral. To help navigate these high-stakes decisions, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand has developed the ‘4C’ framework—breaking down the risks and rewards through four key lenses: Customer, Company, Commercial, and Culture. Each brings its own set of challenges, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Every brand’s context is different and the stakes couldn’t be higher I'd value your input on this. What metrics or dimensions should C-suite leaders consider when deciding how to act in such turbulent times? How do you see this framework applying to your own brand’s challenges? You can read our full take 👉🏼 https://lnkd.in/eewwjd_T

If you're leading a brand through the closing months of 2024, you're going to be asking yourself, "Do we take a stand or stay neutral?"—a lot. In 2024, the stakes are through the roof. The 2020s brought a reckoning: brands were pushed to confront systemic inequality. But 2023 flipped the script, with activist investors calling out actions they see as wasteful or even harmful, done in the name of inclusivity or climate activism. If you're trying to balance the needs of diverse customers, investors, and employees, the path likely isn’t clear. The data’s conflicting, the advice is all over the place. No easy answers here. So how do you choose wisely? We explored this tough question and developed a ‘4C’ framework focused on four critical elements: Customer, Company, Commercial, and Culture to help brand leaders navigate these tough decisions. Dive into the framework and research in the article below:

Last week I spent time at the Modern Affluence Summit with some of the world’s most iconic brands discussing the theme of ‘re-imaging affluence’. Although the focus was on luxury brands, here are some universally relevant takeaways that stood out to me: 1️⃣ Investing in cultural capital is no longer optional, it’s essential. Brands need to be deeply embedded in culture to create emotional connections with consumers and drive differentiation. Now, more than ever, they have the opportunity to actively shape cultural narratives. This can be by themselves or with collaborations; but it must be authentic and strategically aligned to an overall vision - not just jumping on a new TikTok trend. “Cultural capital, much like economic capital, needs to be accumulated, nurtured and grown… [it] has become the new frontier of competitive advantage.” – Mike Pickett, Cazenove Capital 2️⃣Community-building should be at the heart of any brand. But there are a lot of misconceptions about what community means and how to nurture them. Community doesn’t necessarily mean like-minded individuals, it can be a platform to allow for differences and bring people together. A community is a group of individuals united by a singular passion point. Community shouldn’t always be monetized, instead it can be a powerful word-of-mouth tool, a direct feedback loop with customers, or a way to enrich the experiences of customers and create lasting connections - like Rapha’s clubhouses. Luxury brands in particular offer a masterclass in leveraging events, clubs, and partnerships to build thriving communities of fans. “Community enables brands to receive direct feedback around their product or service which in turn ensures brands to stay authentic.” ~ Rob Lee, Chief Creative Officer, Rapha 3️⃣ Emotional connection is a never-ending trend.  Today's luxury consumers aren't just buying a product; they're buying into a brand world, a story, and a set of values. They crave connection and shared experiences that go beyond a simple transaction. This means all brands must go beyond traditional marketing and create meaningful connections that resonate deeply. Building a strong connection means aligning with the values and beliefs of your target audience. Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that support causes they believe in, embody sustainability, and prioritise social impact. At times, it also means showing vulnerability to creating a sense of trust, transparency, and genuine engagement. “There’s power of vulnerability in human connection. Vulnerability is not a weakness— it is the key to building trust, fostering creativity, and redefining success in an age of disruption.” - Andrew Phillips Thanks to Ben Whattam Marcus Watson Victoria Archbold for organising a brilliant event. 

Over the past six years, working with some of the world’s most influential brands, we've had a front-row seat to what works, what doesn’t, and—most importantly—the difference between CMOs who stumble, those who survive, and the rare few who truly thrive. Driven by our mission to push leaders toward leaving a lasting cultural and commercial legacy, we brought together a panel of top CMOs, CFOs, and CEOs to share actionable insights, insider hacks, and tools to help brand leaders make the most of their critical first 12 months in a new role. Since launching three months ago, we’ve connected with hundreds of brand leaders at various stages—some stepping into new roles, others prepping for the leap, and many expanding their scope. They’ve found different sections of the CMO Thrive Guide game-changing: how to build key alliances, rally teams, create high-performance cultures, show up as their best selves, identify growth areas, and tackle the challenge of integrating performance with purpose. As we keep refining and adding more deep dives based on feedback, we’d love to hear what resonated with you the most and where you'd like us to dig deeper. (And if you haven’t yet, you can still download your free copy of our CMO Thrive Guide here: https://lnkd.in/gfbD_fDe)

By now you will have heard us reference the Brand Blueprint multiple times. Our foundational strategy framework was built to turn a company’s purpose into a catalyst for real commercial and cultural impact. It functions as the go-to reference for making sharper, faster decisions that keep the brand’s purpose at the center of everything. By blending business ambition, value proposition, and societal purpose into one streamlined model, it ensures that any strategic decision is bold, connected, and delivers commercially. Especially in today’s fast-changing world, every move should align with your ambitions and live up to your brand’s purpose. Too often, we’ve seen profit and brand being separated, treating elements like the purpose as being confined to a CSR department or a few feel-good initiatives. But when your brand strategy supports your growth agenda by defining clear strategic relationships between your market, community and product positioning, it becomes a flywheel that shows everyone, not just the marketing team, the commercial power of purpose and brand. We’d love to hear from you: What element of this model would you find the most difficult to define – the Market, Community, Product, Business Ambition or Purpose pillar?

We’d like to take a moment to highlight Chime, one of our brilliant clients and a financial technology company that believes basic banking services should be helpful, easy, and free for everyone. We had the pleasure of collaborating with Chris Britt, Ryan King, Vineet Mehra and the rest of the team to rewrite the company’s foundational brand strategy which would encapsulate their ambition to address the fundamental misalignment in the industry between what’s good for banks and what’s good for consumers. Driven by their new mission “to unite everyday people to unlock their financial progress” they are way underway to reimagine what banking can be and to empower millions of everyday people to take control of their finances, through disruptive product innovations like MyPay™ which is a new way to get paid between paydays. And let’s not forget the fantastic rebrand and powerful brand campaigns which are led by the wonderful people at AKQA and Jones Knowles Ritchie. We are inspired by every action you take to make your vision a reality and excited to see what you’ll achieve next!