This is all so painfully true. The resonance of Trad Wife culture felt like a very bad sign and created a gut feeling I couldn't shake all year. Those of us who track culture closely probably all had the same bad feeling this year.
I recently spoke on a panel about forecasting with an 'Optimism Bias'. Forecasting and building strategies with the belief that the future can be better than the present IS a bias and I, too, struggle with what you mentioned in the article - sometimes I downplay the 'bad signs' in favor of the optimistic and the inclusive ideas that are inherently progressive. For the past 6 days, I've been asking myself the question you posed: What do strategists do when culture starts to feel regressive?
I don't have an answer yet, but my gut feeling is that envisioning a future that is better than the present is even more important now than it was a week ago. But, it will take some reckoning with where popular culture has taken us (and why) to continue that work.
Thank you Katie! I think this core question would be a great topic for a panel or even a casual discussion. It’s already difficult enough to convince brands it is worthwhile to pursue progressive values even when we had evidence that it was ‘better for business.’ I’m worried about the internal corporate pushback that’s coming based on these election results combined with economic pressures.
Totally agree - would love to continue this conversation. I think it's so important and will require many POV's as we soul search the best way forward in a future that many of us have been actively working against our entire careers. Instead of flowing with culture, I now find myself swimming against it. And, I share your worries about where corporate priorities will shift in the future.
This is all so painfully true. The resonance of Trad Wife culture felt like a very bad sign and created a gut feeling I couldn't shake all year. Those of us who track culture closely probably all had the same bad feeling this year.
I recently spoke on a panel about forecasting with an 'Optimism Bias'. Forecasting and building strategies with the belief that the future can be better than the present IS a bias and I, too, struggle with what you mentioned in the article - sometimes I downplay the 'bad signs' in favor of the optimistic and the inclusive ideas that are inherently progressive. For the past 6 days, I've been asking myself the question you posed: What do strategists do when culture starts to feel regressive?
I don't have an answer yet, but my gut feeling is that envisioning a future that is better than the present is even more important now than it was a week ago. But, it will take some reckoning with where popular culture has taken us (and why) to continue that work.
Thanks, Anu. Fantastic writing, as always.
Thank you Katie! I think this core question would be a great topic for a panel or even a casual discussion. It’s already difficult enough to convince brands it is worthwhile to pursue progressive values even when we had evidence that it was ‘better for business.’ I’m worried about the internal corporate pushback that’s coming based on these election results combined with economic pressures.
Totally agree - would love to continue this conversation. I think it's so important and will require many POV's as we soul search the best way forward in a future that many of us have been actively working against our entire careers. Instead of flowing with culture, I now find myself swimming against it. And, I share your worries about where corporate priorities will shift in the future.
Yes!! Literally just sent out a newsletter on how the rise in trad wife fashion made trump’s win unsurprising.