Token gestures without genuine intention are quickly spotted by digitally native consumers: Jo Jackson

Jo Jackson is the first female CEO of the globally renowned organisation D&AD, a multi-disciplined creative with twenty years of experience building relevant, award-winning brands. She has been responsible for building many brands over her 20+ years of career. 

As Chief Creative Officer at MADE.COM, and Diesel Jo specialised in building in-house creative teams and growing innovative agency Protein internationally. Her clients have included Nike, Adidas, Burberry, Microsoft, Red Bull, Pepsico, Gap, Bestseller, Bacardi Global Brands and Diageo. 

It was on their 60th anniversary that Jo was named the CEO of D&AD. Since then, Jo has been responsible for aiming its digital strategy and education programs to support and grow the global creative community for the future.

Drawing from her career and sharing tips for Indian brands on the sidelines of Goafest, Jackson delves into the essentials of transforming startups into legacy brands, the power of brand advocacy, and the delicate art of navigating controversies in the digital age. She also discusses D&AD’s strategic partnership with Goafest and offers key insights on brand iconicity.

In your recent talk at Goafest, you discussed the idea of humanising brands and linking it to human thinking. Our question is, what does it take for a start-up to build a long-term connection and become a legacy brand? 

A lot of hard work, consistency, and probably starting from the right place. A great example that comes to mind is Glossier. They disrupted the market by starting as a beauty blog, building a community first, and then creating products from that. They utilised classic triggers like scarcity models, beautiful packaging, and immersive experiences. It's about consistently hitting the right consumer touchpoints and maintaining that over time.

Once a startup gains loyalty, how should it approach marketing post that?

The best form of marketing post-loyalty is brand advocacy. It's about having your customers speak positively about your product or service. One satisfied customer telling ten friends about their great experience is invaluable. This type of marketing is the most effective and can't be bought. However, it all starts with a good product or service.

During your masterclass, you mentioned navigating controversies and how rebranding can affect brands. Considering today's quick accountability by internet users, how should brands navigate controversies?

That's a tough one because there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Brands face various challenges, from culturally insensitive creative to plagiarism. Good research, having the right minds in the room, and ensuring relevancy can help avoid some controversies. Mistakes happen, especially during times like COVID-19 or movements like Black Lives Matter.

Token gestures without genuine intention are quickly spotted by today's digitally native consumers. Brands need to listen to their customers, own up to mistakes, fix them, and ensure they don't repeat them. Transparency and sincerity are key.

Can you share two or three takeaways from your masterclass, "Unpacking Brand Iconicity"?

It was fun, and I hope it was well-received. One key takeaway is that the principles we discussed can be applied to any brand, not just product-based ones. Another is the importance of engaging with your audience and getting feedback. I wish we had more time for questions because the interaction is crucial for a deeper understanding.

Can you tell us what led to the decision to collaborate with Goafest and the AAAI to host masterclasses at one of the biggest advertising events in South Asia?

At D&AD, we're here to represent global creative excellence. This means building international connections and ensuring a two-way relationship. We can't just stay in London and expect everyone to come to us; we need to reach out, create relationships, and engage with the community globally. Goafest was a perfect fit as they were keen on focusing on skills and knowledge, aligning perfectly with our masterclasses. It's about sharing knowledge and enriching the experience for everyone involved.