I’ve spent an enormous amount of time on forums like Superfuture, Styleforum (streetwear and denim, thank you), and Stylezietgiest. I check back in occasionally and it’s quieter now. Forums as a medium aren’t quite what they used to be as consumption habits have shifted.
And though I increasingly feel that what’s ‘cool’ alludes me, I’m still interested in the space and stay across it by reading newsletters like Blackbird Spyplane and updates in BoF.
So it was very cool to see a write up of SSENSE by Tom Alder in his Strategy Breakdowns newsletter (linked in comments).
It got me thinking about some of the big retailers/media brands in that space that do more than just their core thing, in order to become more sticky to their customers and create and nurture new ones. Net-a-porter is (was?) one. Monocle Magazine is another.
I think there’s something in that for any business in a crowded and largely undifferentiated market.
For example, most agencies do some combination of the same work.
Sure there might be some ‘proprietary’ models or “Our 6-Step Success Cycle” or whatever, and that has some value, but at its core it’s a wrapper for the same work. Much like selling or writing about clothing.
The true value can come from what you do *around* the core thing.
Do you contribute to original R&D in your field? Do you run programs in conjunction with educational institutions? Offer capital or investment? Events? Newsletters? Podcasts? (okay, maybe not podcasts).
To stand out, differentiate, stay top of mind, try looking beyond your ‘thing’ – particularly if it’s very similar to everyone else’s.
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