Adapting Your Brand Strategy: When and Why to Pivot

Recently, we costed out a project, started working, and then realized we needed to pivot. Despite our best efforts to achieve complete clarity before diving in, sometimes it’s just not possible.

When dealing with a new and evolving concept, speed is crucial 👉

With speed comes the need to adapt quickly, for someone who values process and structure, this can be uncomfortable. It means stepping away from the usual routine.

But there’s an upside: it forces us to keep approaching challenges with a fresh perspective and ask—why?

Brand strategy is often perceived as a highbrow, exclusive domain, stereotypically associated with white men in shackets, beards, and designer glasses—a stereotype I admittedly fit.

The common misconception is that strategists must always have the right answers. However, brand strategy is more about the art of inquiry—asking the right questions rather than knowing all the answers.

Approaching a brand positioning challenge with curiosity leads to better questions and that’s what I love about pivoting during a project – because it means a real insight has been found – we’ve done our jobs, challenged assumptions and avoided blind decision-making.

In short, a project pivot isn’t a setback; it’s an opportunity.

It’s a chance to re-evaluate, ask critical questions, and ensure we’re on the right path for the best outcome for our clients.