'Resist the Usual or Disappear' Urges Y&R's Sandy Thompson

Sandy Thompson, Global Head of Planning at Y&R, urged agencies and brands to ‘Resist the Usual’ in their communications, by finding their ‘Brand Tensity’ to engage and entertain.

Addressing the 1000-strong audience on day two of Spikes Asia 2014, Thompson kicked off with a question.

“Why do we want to talk at people, labelling them, segmenting them and ultimately targeting them? Instead of talking at, today we need to give people a reason to talk about your brand.”

Thompson shared proprietary Y&R BAV 2014 research illustrating the increasing challenges, including loss of trust – down 32% in the US, 43% in China and 20% in Australia– and the declining depth of intimacy consumers have with brands.

“More data, better technology, unlimited information, countless channels, tests, more tests, and new tests, endless opportunities for connecting and targeting, are not necessarily making us better at what we do. Instead they are often confused as the necessary pieces of a perfect formula for better communication.”

Thompson urged brands to avoid becoming perceptually redundant and to break free from the copycat syndrome. She urged brands to ‘Resist the Usual.

She shared how broadcast TV has defied all predictions of its imminent demise by undergoing an amazing resurgence, thanks to ground-breaking content like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory and Sherlock. 

Y&R research shows that it is the complexity of these shows, and their characters, that is resonating with today’s audiences. According to Y&R’s ‘Secrets & Lies’ study, it is inner contradiction that people are identifying with.

 “At Y&R we call this ‘Brand Tensity’ – Tension plus Irresistibility equals Tensity,” explained Thompson, going on to share examples from popular culture, and highlighting the ‘Brand Tensity’ in a number of popular brands. It is the seemingly contradictory characteristics within a brand, a person, that make them uniquely attractive.

Thompson concluded with a call to action, advising brands on how to survive and succeed. “We need to stop being afraid of our vulnerabilities, embrace inexperience, stay fluid to stay interesting, embrace new technology and platforms, surprise and delight not confirm and contain. When brands are not afraid to embrace their own unique tension, they disrupt the category and drive deeper advocacy.”

And it is by identifying and leveraging, one’s inner tensity, that brands can hope to stand out. That brands can hope to Resist the Usual.

Click here to download the full ‘Resist the Usual or Disappear’ presentation.