A Wren Says

Today I was catching up on old episodes of the Glossy podcast. During the episode, the two hosts were talking about the recent American Eagle “Good Jeans” controversy. As journalists initially covering the campaign, they were excited by the new angle that American Eagle was taking. The brand switched up its old patterns of using multiple models to go with a single celebrity spokeswoman. It was slightly edgy and slightly scandalous given Sweeney’s flirtatious take, another new direction for the brand. As the hosts looked back on the initial thoughts of the ads before they hit the public, those early viewers didn’t see this new Eugenics backlash as the controversy that would result.

They didn’t see it because they couldn’t.

Similarly, when Balenciaga decided to go for their interpretation of the childhood toy photography series, they likely thought people would think they were edgy. They probably didn’t see the accusation of pedophile coming. The team putting the ad together (presumably) couldn’t see it because they couldn’t either.

Having more lived experiences and knowledge bases in the room and at the decision-making table means that you will get to understand your ideas from more angles. They could flag different issues that a team who all previously thought the same could have missed. Having a diverse team isn’t just an ethical move; it’s good for your business.

You can’t see everything by yourself. Build a team that can help you see all the angles.