The concept of arbitrage—exploiting knowledge advantages between markets—can be applied to marketing. By asking 'What would a juice brand do in the shaving category?', marketers can find novel solutions by applying successful tactics from one industry to another with different dynamics.
Visiting a supermarket in a foreign country is an effective way to generate new brand concepts. By observing what products exist to fulfill universal needs (like beverages or snacks) that are absent in your home market, you can identify proven concepts ripe for introduction.
Tony's Chocolonely intentionally left a day empty in its advent calendar to symbolize unfair wages in the cocoa supply chain. The resulting outrage from disappointed children became a national news story, powerfully making their point about the real-world consequences of inequality.
The forced pause while riding a ski lift provides a perfect moment to reflect on the previous run and plan incremental improvements for the next. This metaphor applies to any workflow: build in mandatory pauses between tasks to consciously reflect, learn, and iterate, leading to greater improvement over time.
To symbolize the unequal distribution of profits in the cocoa supply chain, Tony's Chocolonely designed its chocolate bars with unevenly sized pieces. This turns the physical product itself into a powerful, tangible storytelling device that communicates the brand's core mission without words.
To keep its master perfumer inspired, Hermès would arrange for artists from entirely different fields, like a famous saxophonist, to spend days with him. This cross-pollination of creative thought from outside one's own craft is a deliberate strategy to expand perspective and foster breakthrough ideas.