“Mom, it was SO AWESOME!”
My 15-year-old daughter FaceTimed me from New York as she walked out of the Tony-nominated musical Suffs, the story of the last seven years of the suffragette movement.
She was absolutely beaming — and if you know teens, you know that’s a big deal. Not only did she have a great interaction with the director, Leigh Silverman (with photo evidence to prove it), but everything about the show excited her — the female empowerment, the energy in the room filled with people buzzing with inspiration, and of course, the stories.
Like Hamilton, Suffs brings history to life in a way that engages and inspires like no textbook ever could. In the final moments, we see young suffragette Alice Paul, who led the decades-long fight to win women’s right to vote in 1920, still fighting on the front lines in the 1970s to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. The audience sees themselves, still marching.
One of the stories Suffs tells is about the tension between the older generation, who want to quietly push for change by being likable and building alliances, and the younger women, who couldn't care less about making people comfortable as they stage protests and shout from the rooftops that they are unwilling to settle for crumbs.
And here’s where the marketing lesson comes in.
Do we push for slow, steady progress within the system, or do we take bold, disruptive action to drive change?
The key is knowing what your organization needs at this moment.
Sometimes, incremental changes are the right path. Keep doing what you’re doing, don’t ruffle feathers, and get predictable outcomes. But other times, when your leadership, investors, or your own conscience demands more, bigger returns or a memorable campaign, you might have to be disruptive. And here’s the thing: change is rarely easy. People don’t like the unknown and are usually risk-averse.
At BSTRO, we help our clients navigate this decision through our marketing assessment process. We work with you to understand your unique situation and what you really need to do to hit your goals (within the timeline you have and with a reasonable budget), so you can choose the right approach for driving change — whether that's working within the system or staging a marketing revolution.
Because in the end, your marketing has the power to change the trajectory of your company. You can use it to bring important issues to life and spark conversations that might otherwise be ignored, or you can focus solely on your products. We’re not here to judge — we’re here to help you determine what story you want to tell and help you make the impact that best serves your needs.
So ask yourself: is it time for your brand to take center stage and demand change, or are you happy with slow and steady progress?
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At BSTRO, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect, inspire, and drive results. If you're looking for a marketing partner who understands the importance of a great story, let's talk.
Don't forget all the talented women streamers that do not use their cameras~ 😊