A brand's history is a valuable asset. The most powerful ideas for future growth are often rooted in the brand's 'archaeology.' Reviving timeless concepts, like the Pepsi Taste Challenge, and making them culturally relevant today is often more effective than chasing novelty.

When building a brand, differentiate between long-term and short-term elements. The core purpose and emotional connection should be enduring. In contrast, functional and experiential benefits must be constantly refreshed to remain relevant as markets and consumer tastes evolve.

Enduring 'stay-up' brands don't need to fundamentally reinvent their core product. Instead, they should focus on creating opportunities for consumers to 'reappraise' the brand in a current context. The goal is to make the familiar feel fresh and relevant again, connecting it to modern culture.

In today's fast-moving environment, a fixed 'long-term playbook' is unrealistic. The effective strategy is to set durable goals and objectives but build in the expectation—and budget—to constantly pivot tactics based on testing and learning.

As you and your business mature, your messaging must evolve in lockstep. You will naturally outgrow your old messaging before your audience does. If you don't update it, you'll become trapped serving an old identity, unable to attract clients who match your current level of expertise.

To successfully pivot your brand, you must tune out critics telling you to "stay in your lane" and stop caring about short-term data like views. True brand evolution is fueled by self-esteem and a long-term vision, not by the immediate, and often negative, validation from an existing audience.

Achieving a brand status that commands a premium price is not a short-term project. It demands years, often decades, of consistent messaging and marketing investment to build the necessary emotional connection with customers. Most companies lack the patience and long-term vision for this.

The most effective long-term campaigns use "disguised repetition"—keeping core brand assets consistent while introducing fresh creative elements, like Aldi's Kevin the Carrot—to build memory structures without causing audience fatigue.

Coach's CMO cites Spam's journey—from immigrant staple to source of shame, now a trendy icon—as proof that brands don't have fixed meanings. People and culture constantly redefine a brand's significance, a lesson she learned before any formal brand strategy.