Branding

Brands Can't Be Neutral

As brands rush to “be in culture,” many still cling to the safety of neutrality – but you can’t have the reach of culture without accepting its consequences. If you want real emotional connection, you need a point of view.

Feb 2, 2026

Share this post

This week we saw some big brands finally stand up and take a stance against the actions taken by ICE. Target, Anthropic and even OpenAI put out messages saying enough is enough. Some CEOs did so to internal staff only but they must have known full well it would leak within seconds.

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be about US politics. It’s about branding.

Every CMO who has ever worked for a large-scale company or a publicly traded one knows that to remain neutral in situations like this can work for and against you.

Creative Director Camille Chu on Brand Craft in the AI Age

Buck’s Camille Chu on scrappy beginnings, brand systems, pragmatic AI – and why a bit of discomfort is the shortest route to real brand growth.

Creativity Branding

Alex Zeevalkink

Jan 22, 2026 — 4 min read

Switzerland: The Iconic Brand That Created Trust by Doing

Switzerland didn’t advertise its way into trust but instead it built and protected it. It turned a minimal flag, strict origin standards, and consistent performance into the world’s neatest quality mark desired by other brands.

Branding

Alex Zeevalkink

Jan 16, 2026 — 2 min read

In Search of Innovation: What Good Leadership Really Looks Like

Innovation rarely fails because the ideas aren’t there. It fails because teams don’t have time, safety, or a clear “why.” Here’s what I’ve learned about leadership from the people who actually make room for new things – and what that looks like on the inside.

Creativity Marketing

Alex Zeevalkink

Feb 4, 2026 — 5 min read

Past, Present and Still Playing

From Chelsea’s “Return of the Rebel” and TAG Heuer’s revived Formula 1 watches to fans co‑creating future kits with AI, clubs and brands are using nostalgia to draw in fans, blending archive with the present day to offer continuity in a culture where the past is as valuable as the future.

Sport Culture

Rich Hewes

Feb 4, 2026 — 5 min read

The ‘Richness’ of Female Athletes and Why Brands Need to Go Deeper

Brands are falling over themselves to get into women’s sport, but too many still treat it like a bolt-on sponsorship. The real wins, however, can be found in telling richer stories, tapping into their wider passions, and committing to the game long after the final whistle.

Sport

Hannah Bowler

Jan 29, 2026 — 4 min read

Fashion, Cultural Fluency and What Comes Next

Each week, The Sport Subthread newsletter opens with one take on a moment shaping sport and culture, followed by work, ideas, and hopefully fun references for those of you working across brands, agencies, and rights holders.

Sport Culture

Rich Hewes

Jan 28, 2026 — 4 min read