As India crashed to defeat in the second test at Trent Bridge, one man must have surely felt that he had extracted a measure of revenge. Over the first two tests, he haunted India with his cricketing prowess, much in the same manner in which the Indians might have caused him sleepless nights earlier.
With both bat and ball, he has been quite majestic. Wielding these weapons with belligerent purpose to dismantle reputations and tarnish equities, he has simply ‘lorded' over the series thus far. Perhaps, he has proved once and for all that this Stuart is certainly no mouse.
But beneath the fascinating rise of Stuart Broad; there lurk incisive insights pertinent to the corporate and brand world. And as cricket provides compelling storylines, it is instructive for those in organisational think tanks to try and read between them.
Forgetting the past
Four years ago, Yuvraj Singh launched 20-20 cricket into the consciousness of the nation with a savage assault on Broad, clubbing six sixes in one over. This was the kind of experience which could have permanently scarred a cricketer, but Broad has shown remarkable temperament, character and resilience in putting that event behind him and moving ahead with even greater verve.
The ability to forget the past is a priceless skill for brand teams to acquire. It works both ways. It prevents the brand from being saddled with past approaches, which might have worked effectively. And it infuses a level of confidence in taking on challenges which have ceaselessly thwarted the team before.
The inability of several prominent companies in the imaging business to forget their success stories in conventional photography and take note of the rising revolution in digital technology has cost them their market positions.
On the flip side, there are companies at the front-end of innovation who keep using failures as learning experiences to progress. Edison famously captured this phenomenon when he said, ‘I did not fail. I only discovered 999 ways of not making a light bulb.'
Failure certainly illuminates the path to success.
Exploiting the changed context
As Oriental Zen masters are prone to say, ‘change is the only constant'.
It is fascinating to note how, when the context of a contest is changed, the balance of power begins to shift. Broad bowling to Yuvraj in the test arena presented an altogether different challenge to that match in South Africa. On livelier wickets and in more helpful conditions for bowling, the shoe certainly was on the other foot.
International automobile marketers are quite conversant with this. As they move across nations, what is a mid-level sedan in one market, becomes a luxury car in another.
The context has also changed because of an evolving audience mindset. It is inconceivable that some of the reality shows of today would have been as successful had they been launched a few decades ago. Audience tastes have also moved with the times, and those who don't detect this transition are liable to be stumped by the market.
Unleashing the dark side
Off the pitch Stuart Broad is a completely different person. Mild-mannered and rather innocently boyish-looking, he hardly looks like he presents a threat.
But his personality gets transformed when on the cricket pitch. He becomes a lot more ‘in your face'. He assumes an aggressive demeanour and becomes ultra-competitive. It seems like there is a Jekyll and Hyde transformation at work here.
There is an irresistible pull that people feel towards the ‘dark side' of things. And brands that look to fulfil that need often build strong bonds. In an otherwise mundane life, brands sometimes offer the only outlets for escape and voyeuristic pleasure. They present a licence to be something that the consumer otherwise never will be.
Companies that have large brand portfolios consciously assign some of their brands to this challenge. But even single-brand companies could do well to acknowledge this need to let out the ‘beast' within.
This just might set them up for a truly long innings.
Seeking advice from within
Stuart Broad, post that traumatic over to Yuvraj Singh, surely had the benefit of having someone at home who understood his situation.
His father Chris Broad had been an international cricketer for England. His counsel would have been invaluable, especially because it came from someone who could really empathise with Stuart's predicament, having himself been there. Stuart's resurrection might possibly have started at home itself.
Many a time organisations do not fully exploit the rich bank of experience within. Even if this wisdom dwells in a somewhat different domain, it is invaluable because it often presents a different perspective on things. A perspective enriched by years of witnessing shifts and changes in market situations.
It is time corporate teams truly became ‘Broad' minded, to take on board these resident untapped inputs.
Finally, the Stuart Broad story, while unravelling itself on the cricket field, is something which needs to be noticed in white collar boardrooms as well.
In rising again, he has given hope to all those who are down for the count. He has opened the doors of thinking, in terms of how one can change one's fortune. And that is relevant, not only for individuals, but also for brands who are seeking to bowl consumers over again.
(The writer is a Mumbai-based brand consultant, creative thinking trainer and author of The Madness Starts at 9 .)