July 9, 2024
Last Wednesday, we did something.
Step 1 (Normal): We invited three marketing geniuses to be on a panel at Hopeful Monsters HQ.
Step 2 (Normal): We gathered an audience of equally brilliant and interesting marketers, fed them pastries and coffee, and gave them some merch.
Step 3 (Weird): We asked the panelists to talk about doing good shit. Specifically, how they are doing it so consistently, brilliantly, and in such large volumes.
Of course, it’s all one big analogy. And a childish one at that. But if you’re going to do a childish analogy, you might as well go all in.
With that in mind, we also launched our Hopeful Monster-O’s cereal which would help our guests to loosen their creative pipes.
But there's more to Good Shit than just a cheeky name.
It's about our entire philosophy of doing good shit in everything we do. Because we believe in doing good shit—today, tomorrow, and always. It's about daring to be different and making a real impact. In a world where everyone is trying to be safe and conventional, standing out is a superpower.
To help us get the message out, we called in the big guns. The people who don’t just do good shit. They do some of the industry’s best shit.
Our panel was a dream team:
The panel dug into an array of topics on the day but three main themes emerged from the talk. Challenger brands, resourcefulness and inspiration.
Charlotte Offord emphasized the benefits of being a challenger brand, noting that "working as a challenger brand opens up creativity. It helps you overcome challenges, and the wins are far more rewarding."
She highlighted the unique challenges NFL Australia faces, such as the inability to control game times, which forces them to think outside the box to engage Australian audiences. Tapping into the youth market is a key strategy for them, asking, "How can we be present in that space? Not just in sport, but in music, food, gaming, and lifestyle."
Natasha Brack from Snapchat echoed this sentiment, finding excitement in being a smaller player against giants like Meta and Google. "Being a challenger brand is really exciting. It allows us to do more interesting work." With 1 in 3 Australians using Snapchat, and 90% of those under 24, their focus is on retention rather than acquisition, aiming to remain a crucial part of the cultural zeitgeist.
Charlotte also discussed the importance of resourcefulness, especially when operating with limited resources. "Having fewer resources makes you very thoughtful about your choices. It makes you look deep into where you are going to make the most impact." She emphasized the need for creativity and resourcefulness, ensuring that "everybody in the room believes in your idea."
Natasha shared her strategy of internal advocacy, using a metaphor she calls "the tin cup." She explained, "Find a good idea, make it saleable internally, then literally go around the houses asking for funding. It gets easier once you have proof of impact."
Andrew Waddel from Tourism New Zealand highlighted the role of a supportive team in fostering creativity. "Your creativity is dependent on people, so it’s really important that you look after them and ensure that they are in the best place they can be." He also stressed the importance of distinctiveness and differentiation, stating that "good ideas can come from anywhere."
Charlotte finds inspiration outside the sports industry, particularly from fans. "I take inspiration from people who don’t work in the sports industry. The fans of the sport inspire me, particularly internationally." She also stressed the importance of educating new markets and the sense of pride that comes from seeing the fruits of one’s labor.
Natasha, on the other hand, draws inspiration from her team. "I get most inspiration from the team around me. They do great work all the time." For her, case studies are crucial as they showcase great work and make internal advocacy easier.
Andrew believes that creativity is an ongoing process that involves absorbing inspiration from various sources and sharing it with others. "Inspiration is everywhere. You just need to make sure you have lots of sources to absorb it. And ultimately someone to share it with."
We wrapped up the event with some networking, a lot of laughs, and of course, plenty of Good Shit cereal to sample. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. People loved the boldness, the creativity, and the honesty behind our campaign.
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