For success, brands must find the sweet spot between unlearning outdated methods and embracing new perspectives. In this op-ed, Summer Treseder, strategy manager at Initiative Australia, offers insight into how brands can achieve this.
I just rewatched the movie classic ‘Back to the Future,’ and it got me thinking about the duality of past and future: considering we are an industry obsessed with benchmarks and case studies, unlearning— letting go of familiar methods to adopt new approaches — may seem counterintuitive.
After all, isn’t success rooted in methodical iteration and optimisation?
However, in a world where agility is key, clinging to outdated strategies will ultimately stifle growth. Consider the traditional education system, where we are encouraged to take our time, trained to craft lengthy essays and embrace academic speak, only to enter an industry that demands speed over specificity and practicality over perfection.
I would suggest, therefore, that true success occurs at the crossroads of unlearning past mistakes and acquiring new knowledge, mirroring the edge effect, where the intersection of ideas and experiences breeds innovation.
The Edge Effect: A Catalyst for Innovation
The edge effect is an ecology theory that explains how dynamic interactions at the boundary of two ecosystems (the edge) create fertile ground for new life (e.g. desert encounters rain forest). In advertising, the same holds true — innovation is sparked when diverse ideas, perspectives, and disciplines collide.
For success, brands must operate at the edge of their identity, merging history with forward-thinking strategies to stay relevant. Thriving in this space requires equilibrium between unlearning outdated methods and embracing new perspectives through diverse, interdisciplinary collaboration. The question is, how do brands achieve this?
Unlearning in Practice: Cultivating the Edge Effect
Navigating Change While Preserving Brand DNA
Like Marty McFly adapting to 1950s culture, marketers must be agile when faced with rapidly evolving landscapes. This agility doesn’t mean sacrificing depth; responsiveness isn’t about merely following trends but, instead, the edge effect shows us that true innovation arises when brands embrace change and maintain their core DNA. Fashion and jewellery brands like Casio do this well, embracing their roots whilst applying modern twists. For example, Casio marked 50 years of its watches by re-releasing the Casiotron, the brand’s first wristwatch, while reimagining G-Shock models through influencer partnerships, movie tie-ins, and fashion collaborations.
This mentality to innovation is a tactic which marketers often employ when it comes to pitching new ideas and adoption of new products. With more than 53% of Aussies citing an adversity to change, marketers should explore strategies to make new things feel familiar and old things feel fresh. Look at Burberry as a prime example: revitalising its heritage by refreshing the brand with a new logo that reintroduces the iconic coat of arms, featuring antique typography and a revived knight emblem.
Encouraging experimentation & interdisciplinary collaboration
Doc Brown’s DeLorean time machine (a fusion of science, mechanics, and creativity) exemplifies how the edge effect—interdisciplinary connections—drives innovation through experimentation and skill diversification. Similarly, marketers can cultivate innovation by expanding their expertise across diverse fields and fostering environments where experimentation thrives. An example of this, is the creation of edge spaces—both physical and virtual—which promote spontaneous interdisciplinary collaboration and idea cross-pollination.
Breaking the bias through diversity of thought
As advertisers, we must reject corporate conditioning, where the structures of business and the ways things have been done dictates the way things will be done next. Clinging to outdated biases can limit innovation and make us complacent, necessitating the need to challenge this mindset by promoting diversity of thought, background, and perspective. Initiatives like reverse mentoring and valuing life experiences alongside work experiences in hiring practices are just some ways that this can be achieved.
In a time where speed is prioritised, innovation is not always about moving forward but knowing when to look back and unlearn. The edge effect can act as a reminder that true growth occurs when unlearning and interdisciplinary connections collide, and its brands which recognise this that will thrive.
