What brands and leaders can learn from the Oscars

Ah, the Oscars.

A night of sparkle, suspense and at least one acceptance speech that goes on far too long. But beyond the red carpet and the tearful thank-yous, there’s a bigger story about timing, taste and what captures the moment.

Look back at the past few years and you start to see a pattern. The safe bets. The surprise wins. The long shots that suddenly become frontrunners. The Academy might be voting on movies, but the same dynamics play out everywhere. So, what can brands and leaders take away from the way the Oscars unfold? We took a closer look at the trends and landed on three key takeaways for businesses ahead of this year’s ceremony:

Playing it safe is only safe for so long

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that Academy voters lean safe…until they don’t. In 2024, Oppenheimer cleaned up – big-budget, bigger cast, biopic. A textbook Oscars film. But the year before? Everything Everywhere All At Once – chaotic, wild and hyper-modern. The least Oscars-y Oscars film ever.

Look back further and it’s the same. The Shape of Water (unusual), CODA (small-scale), Parasite (non-English language) – all followed ‘safe’ years. The industry moves in correction cycles – rewarding predictability, then pivoting to the unexpected.

Our take: Bold moves rarely exist in isolation – they’re shaped by what came before and the gaps waiting to be filled. The Oscars show us that audiences (and voters) have a limit for playing it safe. So, if you’re looking to make a disruptive move, don’t just go against the grain for the sake of it – read the room. Find the moments when appetite for change is building, identify where sameness is starting to feel stale and step in with something fresh at exactly the right time. Innovation isn’t just about being different but about knowing when people are ready for something different.

The risk of relying on what worked before

Nostalgia sells. Top Gun Maverick – huge box office success. Barbie – global cultural moment. Neither took home the big awards, but they dominated conversations. And then there’s Oppenheimer – a historical throwback that did both. But there’s a flip side – films that banked too hard on past glories and got left behind. The Fabelmans – Spielberg’s love letter to cinema, barely made a dent. The Irishman – Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino…and still, nothing. There’s a fine line between ‘classic’ and ‘predictable.’

Our take: Nostalgia is a shortcut to connection, but it only works when there’s something new to say. The best brands (and films) don’t just remix the past, they reimagine it. Just look at LEGO. Honouring what made you successful in the past is important, but clinging to it can hold you back. Businesses that evolve don’t just rely on legacy – they build on it, adapting to what their audiences need next. The challenge for leaders is balancing what people love about you with where you need to go next.

Culture moves faster than institutions (but institutions still hold the power)

The Academy has often been criticised for not keeping up with culture. The average voter is 63 years old, male and white. But the movies dominating public conversation are often driven by younger, more diverse audiences.

The same gap exists everywhere. In business, in politics, in leadership. Society moves fast – institutions move slow. The ones who bridge that gap (and don’t just react five years too late) are the ones who stay ahead.

Our take: If you’re making big decisions – about strategy, leadership, positioning – are you looking forward, or are you waiting for the trend cycle to push you there? The best leaders spot shifts before they become mainstream. If you’re constantly playing catch-up, you’re already losing ground. And let’s face it – in a world that moves fast, the cost of being late to the conversation isn’t just relevance – it’s opportunity.

So there we have it. The Oscars prove that timing, storytelling and knowing your audience are everything. The same goes for brands and businesses. Whether it’s launching a new strategy, refreshing your positioning or making a moment truly land – success goes beyond having a great idea; it’s about knowing when and how to deliver it.

We help brands read the room, spot the shift and make sure when their moment comes, they own it. If you’re ready to make meaningful impact, let’s talk.

Ah, the Oscars.

A night of sparkle, suspense and at least one acceptance speech that goes on far too long. But beyond the red carpet and the tearful thank-yous, there’s a bigger story about timing, taste and what captures the moment.

Look back at the past few years and you start to see a pattern. The safe bets. The surprise wins. The long shots that suddenly become frontrunners. The Academy might be voting on movies, but the same dynamics play out everywhere. So, what can brands and leaders take away from the way the Oscars unfold? We took a closer look at the trends and landed on three key takeaways for businesses ahead of this year’s ceremony:

Playing it safe is only safe for so long

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that Academy voters lean safe…until they don’t. In 2024, Oppenheimer cleaned up – big-budget, bigger cast, biopic. A textbook Oscars film. But the year before? Everything Everywhere All At Once – chaotic, wild and hyper-modern. The least Oscars-y Oscars film ever.

Look back further and it’s the same. The Shape of Water (unusual), CODA (small-scale), Parasite (non-English language) – all followed ‘safe’ years. The industry moves in correction cycles – rewarding predictability, then pivoting to the unexpected.

Our take: Bold moves rarely exist in isolation – they’re shaped by what came before and the gaps waiting to be filled. The Oscars show us that audiences (and voters) have a limit for playing it safe. So, if you’re looking to make a disruptive move, don’t just go against the grain for the sake of it – read the room. Find the moments when appetite for change is building, identify where sameness is starting to feel stale and step in with something fresh at exactly the right time. Innovation isn’t just about being different but about knowing when people are ready for something different.

The risk of relying on what worked before

Nostalgia sells. Top Gun Maverick – huge box office success. Barbie – global cultural moment. Neither took home the big awards, but they dominated conversations. And then there’s Oppenheimer – a historical throwback that did both. But there’s a flip side – films that banked too hard on past glories and got left behind. The Fabelmans – Spielberg’s love letter to cinema, barely made a dent. The Irishman – Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino…and still, nothing. There’s a fine line between ‘classic’ and ‘predictable.’

Our take: Nostalgia is a shortcut to connection, but it only works when there’s something new to say. The best brands (and films) don’t just remix the past, they reimagine it. Just look at LEGO. Honouring what made you successful in the past is important, but clinging to it can hold you back. Businesses that evolve don’t just rely on legacy – they build on it, adapting to what their audiences need next. The challenge for leaders is balancing what people love about you with where you need to go next.

Culture moves faster than institutions (but institutions still hold the power)

The Academy has often been criticised for not keeping up with culture. The average voter is 63 years old, male and white. But the movies dominating public conversation are often driven by younger, more diverse audiences.

The same gap exists everywhere. In business, in politics, in leadership. Society moves fast – institutions move slow. The ones who bridge that gap (and don’t just react five years too late) are the ones who stay ahead.

Our take: If you’re making big decisions – about strategy, leadership, positioning – are you looking forward, or are you waiting for the trend cycle to push you there? The best leaders spot shifts before they become mainstream. If you’re constantly playing catch-up, you’re already losing ground. And let’s face it – in a world that moves fast, the cost of being late to the conversation isn’t just relevance – it’s opportunity.

So there we have it. The Oscars prove that timing, storytelling and knowing your audience are everything. The same goes for brands and businesses. Whether it’s launching a new strategy, refreshing your positioning or making a moment truly land – success goes beyond having a great idea; it’s about knowing when and how to deliver it.

We help brands read the room, spot the shift and make sure when their moment comes, they own it. If you’re ready to make meaningful impact, let’s talk.

Ah, the Oscars.

A night of sparkle, suspense and at least one acceptance speech that goes on far too long. But beyond the red carpet and the tearful thank-yous, there’s a bigger story about timing, taste and what captures the moment.

Look back at the past few years and you start to see a pattern. The safe bets. The surprise wins. The long shots that suddenly become frontrunners. The Academy might be voting on movies, but the same dynamics play out everywhere. So, what can brands and leaders take away from the way the Oscars unfold? We took a closer look at the trends and landed on three key takeaways for businesses ahead of this year’s ceremony:

Playing it safe is only safe for so long

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that Academy voters lean safe…until they don’t. In 2024, Oppenheimer cleaned up – big-budget, bigger cast, biopic. A textbook Oscars film. But the year before? Everything Everywhere All At Once – chaotic, wild and hyper-modern. The least Oscars-y Oscars film ever.

Look back further and it’s the same. The Shape of Water (unusual), CODA (small-scale), Parasite (non-English language) – all followed ‘safe’ years. The industry moves in correction cycles – rewarding predictability, then pivoting to the unexpected.

Our take: Bold moves rarely exist in isolation – they’re shaped by what came before and the gaps waiting to be filled. The Oscars show us that audiences (and voters) have a limit for playing it safe. So, if you’re looking to make a disruptive move, don’t just go against the grain for the sake of it – read the room. Find the moments when appetite for change is building, identify where sameness is starting to feel stale and step in with something fresh at exactly the right time. Innovation isn’t just about being different but about knowing when people are ready for something different.

The risk of relying on what worked before

Nostalgia sells. Top Gun Maverick – huge box office success. Barbie – global cultural moment. Neither took home the big awards, but they dominated conversations. And then there’s Oppenheimer – a historical throwback that did both. But there’s a flip side – films that banked too hard on past glories and got left behind. The Fabelmans – Spielberg’s love letter to cinema, barely made a dent. The Irishman – Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino…and still, nothing. There’s a fine line between ‘classic’ and ‘predictable.’

Our take: Nostalgia is a shortcut to connection, but it only works when there’s something new to say. The best brands (and films) don’t just remix the past, they reimagine it. Just look at LEGO. Honouring what made you successful in the past is important, but clinging to it can hold you back. Businesses that evolve don’t just rely on legacy – they build on it, adapting to what their audiences need next. The challenge for leaders is balancing what people love about you with where you need to go next.

Culture moves faster than institutions (but institutions still hold the power)

The Academy has often been criticised for not keeping up with culture. The average voter is 63 years old, male and white. But the movies dominating public conversation are often driven by younger, more diverse audiences.

The same gap exists everywhere. In business, in politics, in leadership. Society moves fast – institutions move slow. The ones who bridge that gap (and don’t just react five years too late) are the ones who stay ahead.

Our take: If you’re making big decisions – about strategy, leadership, positioning – are you looking forward, or are you waiting for the trend cycle to push you there? The best leaders spot shifts before they become mainstream. If you’re constantly playing catch-up, you’re already losing ground. And let’s face it – in a world that moves fast, the cost of being late to the conversation isn’t just relevance – it’s opportunity.

So there we have it. The Oscars prove that timing, storytelling and knowing your audience are everything. The same goes for brands and businesses. Whether it’s launching a new strategy, refreshing your positioning or making a moment truly land – success goes beyond having a great idea; it’s about knowing when and how to deliver it.

We help brands read the room, spot the shift and make sure when their moment comes, they own it. If you’re ready to make meaningful impact, let’s talk.