Reinventing a 145 year old category
Four lessons brands can learn from Ben Stokes and the England men's test cricket team.
Ben Stokes demonstrated, across a five-day test match, how to reinvent a category by preparing to take bold, calculated risks and build a team dynamic in his image. There's plenty for brands and businesses to take from this win.
With the football World Cup reaching its denouement, you'd be forgiven for missing another historic sporting contest in a predominantly Muslim country. The England men's cricket team is playing its first Pakistan tour since 2005 (17 years ago).
That in itself is a historic moment, as previously, the Pakistani test team were forced to play their test matches in the UAE due to significant security concerns from touring sides. But Ben Stokes and his team added to the records, completing only England's third and fourth test wins in Pakistan ever, delivering the third in a manner unheard of in the sport.
The current England men's test cricket team is busy redefining the whole category of test cricket. They've looked at the accepted way of playing test matches and said, nah, that's not for us. And as a result of this approach, they're delivering some of the finest performances in test cricket ever.
While I appreciate cricket isn't for everyone, anyone working in comms that's feeling constrained by their current playbook can take some inspiration from Ben Stokes and his team. I've picked out four ways the England men's test cricket team can show us how to escape the constraints of a category.
To quote another of my daughter's favourite books, Supertato, "Don't believe me? Then keep reading?"
The rules of a category aren't set in stone: Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum are busy reinventing test cricket. They call it Baz-ball - aggressive, fast-paced batting designed to bring some of the fireworks of the shorter form of the game (Twenty20 and The Hundred) to the longer, more traditional format. They're taking the perceived category rules - take your time, follow traditions, play for the draw when necessary - and bending them to their will. And it's paying dividends - that aforementioned third win in Pakistan came directly from the new philosophy and tactics. It's a lesson for anyone feeling tired by convention - the key is not aiming for complete reinvention. It's identifying what your natural strengths are and looking to apply them in new and exciting ways. You don't necessarily need to mould your plans to the category; what makes your business different, and how can you hone that advantage using clever creativity to stand out?
Live and breathe your philosophies: Baz-ball is high risk. As a batter, you run the risk of looking ridiculous of getting out to a flamboyant, aggressive shot. When this happens, which it does, the phalanx of ex-England cricketers in the media tut and shake their heads at this new way of doing things. To make their category-defying proposition stick, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum consistently back their philosophy, approach, and players. They're unswerving in this commitment. There are no chinks - this is the way it is and the way it is going to be. Heads of Marketing and Heads of Comms need to adopt this line of thinking to make any change to convention stick. Standing out from the pack can make you a target for criticism; it can cause other senior folk nerves. You won't see the benefits of standing out immediately - it's a long-term investment. Stay the course.
Take calculated risks and don't fear failure: England's momentous test win in Pakistan came from a risky decision from Ben Stokes. He was prepared to risk losing to secure a victory instead of taking the safer route more likely to end in a draw. He prioritised a result (i.e. avoiding a draw) over preventing a loss. It made for exciting drama and kept the Pakistan crowd enthralled until the last day's final moments. Ben wasn't afraid to lose - there was no fear of failure in him or his team. I'm sure we've all been in situations with campaign planning when the collective decision has been to take the safe route over any risk. But standing out and changing the rules comes with an inevitable level of risk. Brands and agencies need to weigh up their acceptable level of risk. Not betting the house, but identifying where you are prepared to lose. Where can you apply some budget to try something new that, if it doesn't pay off, isn't reputationally damaging? And if it does pay off, it'll provide momentum and new ideas for the next planning cycle.
Know what audiences want: as Michael Atherton said in the wake of England's test victory in Pakistan, "What is the point of sport if not to keep people enthralled to the end?" People want to be excited by sport - it's why cruel as it is, there's nothing more exciting than a World Cup penalty shoot-out. Ben and Brendon know why people come to cricket grounds and pay their Sky subscription. They want action right until the end - that's what the bold-thinking and intelligent risk-taking gave us all. Competition for sports audiences is brutal - it's a battle for attention, even between different types of cricket. By playing to the crowd and giving them plenty of moments to remember, the England men's cricket team can secure even more endorsement for their category-defying tactics. People can spin "it's what the people want" to suit their own ends, but evidence-based performance is always the most compelling justification that a strategy pays dividends. If it works and people respond, don't revert back to the mean. Double down on your approach, and lean into it more if you can.
I started writing this article after England won the first test of their series in Pakistan. As I finish, the team has just completed its second win to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three contest. Winning runs in sport always end; the aggressive style of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will continue to face questions when it doesn't work and England lose.
What won't change is the philosophy and the belief that this is the way. And that's the single most potent lesson brands and businesses can take from Ben and Brendon. If the approach is delivering effectiveness, stick with it.