CASE STUDY N°1 February 25

Thoughts on the Wikileaks of Beauty, an unhinged real estate agent, revolting children and creepy LinkedIn.

I AM TOO CHRONICALLY ONLINE…

…to get those 8 hours of sleep every night, but it makes me a very entertaining meme-sender to my friends and keeps me au courant in the ways of the storytelling world.

Every now and then I stumble upon a really cool campaign, a fun example of excellent branding or tone-of-voice, or something else that catches my eye and scratches my brain in all the right ways. I’ve started sharing some of these things on my LinkedIn, because that is really the only way I can be present on that platform without wanting to shoot myself (is that just me, or does everyone feel like LinkedIn is a miserable place?)

After I sent out my NOTE N°1 some of you reached out to say how much they appreciated the shorter format as a fun content snack, in contrast to the five-course-dinner of a FILE. So, I thought why not gather the cool cases I spot into another little format and add this appetizer platter (I’m hungry, can you tell?) into the mix of this ever-changing and developing Substack. I’d really appreciate it if you could let me know what you think after reading this first Case Study!

( The Wikileaks of Beauty )

Have you heard about the 'Wikileaks of Beauty'? It's exactly what you think it is: a database of white papers debunking some of the most persistent myths in the beauty industry. It is also a really cool campaign by beauty brand The Ordinary.

What delights me about this campaign is not just its novelty and creativity, but the fact that The Ordinary really is the only brand that could have credibly created it: their laser sharp focus is on making efficient skincare as accessible as possible: not just through the ingredients, but via knowledge, too.

The Ordinary made its way into my presentations and workshops years ago, as an example of a brand that makes very clear choices in its positioning, and successfully supports their brand identity with a consistent communications strategy. Unveiling their newest product with the launch of this database of industry knowledge (made more accessible through accompanying articles), is a genius move that combines branding and marketing in the best possible way.

TAKE AWAY

Identity inspires creative, not the other way around.

❝ Campaign developed by Uncommon Creative Studio
❝ Visit the database at Thetruthshouldbeordinary.com

( The unhinged realtor shaking up TikTok )

My new favorite realtor shows off the houses she sells by deadpanning to the camera: “This bathroom is so well illuminated you might just have a shot at finding the light that used to be in your eyes.”

Her name is Kaitlin Hannig, and if you make the wise decision to start following her on TikTok or Instagram, you’ll be rewarded with the darkest, funniest takes on property features. Of course I want floor-to-ceiling windows to be described as offering “a perfect view on the mountains and the inevitable collapse of society.”

Real estate is an industry where trust is everything, and the dominant strategy is to build that trust by appearing polished, professional, and serious. Instead of following the script of her peers, Kaitlin woke up one day and chose violence... And wouldn’t you know—it’s a masterclass in differentiation. By leaning into her very specific, passive aggressive humor, she cuts through the noise, and plays right into the algorithm’s preference for content that creates lots of engagement, giving her a major edge.

But the best thing about it, is that it's not actually a trick. Kaitlin doesn’t just act different—she IS different, and her brand reflects that. From her bleached blonde hair to her tattooed arms, she fully leans into what makes her unique. Her dark humor is a natural extension of her personality, which makes her both relatable and memorable.

Good comedy taps into something deeply human. Kaitlin isn’t just selling houses—she’s cutting through the bullshit and offering a perspective that resonates with a very specific audience. Her content won’t appeal to everyone, but that’s the point. The people who love it are the ones who’ll actually want to work with her. Instead of trying to convince people to trust her, she’s attracting the right people by being exactly who she is.

In short, Kaitlin builds connection in a way that traditional real estate marketing simply doesn’t. I'll admit—this is exactly my kind of humor. But beyond that, I just love this example as it shows how effective brand positioning goes beyond aesthetics or messaging. It’s about knowing exactly who you are, who your audience is, and how to find creative ways to cultivate trust that make sense for your brand—not just for the industry you’re in.

TAKE AWAY

Redefine how trust is built in your industry, and become irreplaceable.

❝ Follow Kaitlin on TikTok or on Instagram

( Severance made LinkedIn even creepier )

Have you visited the Lumon Industries LinkedIn page yet? If you’re watching Severance (and are speculating about what’s really going on in season two), you might want to take a look!

For those without Apple+: Lumon Industries is the fictional—and sinister—company at the center of hit series Severance, where employees undergo a medical procedure to separate their work and personal memories. Their LinkedIn page is as creepy as the show: it mimics corporate language and messaging so well, you could almost miss that something is ‘off’ here (which might say more about how disturbing some real corporations are, but that’s a discussion for another day).

Severance is not the first TV-show to expand its world building to other channels: Westworld, Yellowjackets and Stranger Things are just a few recent examples of entertainment inviting fans to look for clues in the real world and solve their respective mysteries. Fake letters ‘leaked’ on social media, a real email address for a fictional character (that actually replies!), or a working website for a non-existent company—when executed well these are more than just marketing gimmicks. They are extra layers to the main story, making its world deeper and richer. And there are plenty of Reddit rabbit holes to prove that these extra layers are incredibly powerful to turn interested viewers into engaged super fans.

When people ask me what storytelling strategy is, or how I approach it for my clients, I basically tell them it’s the blueprint for building their brand’s world. It’s thinking of creative ways and places to add (or unveil) layer after layer of their main story, inviting customers to get more and more involved, so their relationship becomes more than just transactional.

TAKE AWAY

A brand with depth isn’t just about selling; it keeps evolving. And that's not just how you turn casual consumers into fans, it's also how you have the most fun growing your business!

❝ In an alternate universe, I’d be a screenwriter instead of watching every series on every streamer like it’s my job. But in this one, helping entrepreneurs build their brand’s world is my happy place.

( The Children are Revolting )

Last week I took my daughters on their first trip to London, and their first West-End experience seeing the musical Matilda. It still felt just as magical as when I first fell in love with Roald Dahl’s book at the age of ten!

My oldest daughter is turning 10 in a couple of weeks, and she is of the generation who first watched the movie and musical adaptions, before ever reading the book. She also loves the rebellious story of Matilda, but she’s not growing up with the same one as I did, and that’s OK.

More than OK, actually! I personally love the changes Tim Minchin’s playbook makes to the original story. The musical shows a more empowered Matilda who is inventing stories in addition to reading them, and shifts the focus from individual to collective resistance against oppression. Happy to report we can now add the song “Revolting Children” to our otherwise-Taylor Swift-dominated family playlist.

I know lots of people were very upset when some of Dahl’s books were recently republished in slightly different versions, changing out some of the language and metaphors that we now consider problematic. But art is never separate from its cultural and historical context, so it’s only logical that it should evolve over time. It's not a condemnation of what it was before, it's evolving to better connect with a new audience.

And the same goes for brands, of course…

A couple of weeks ago, Pentagram introduced the new brand identity they created for the Roald Dahl Story Company (bought by Netflix in 2021). In my opinion, their custom ‘Fantastic Mr. Font’ does a wonderful job of staying true to the mischief and strange humor of Roald Dahl, as does the branding’s use of Quentin Blake’s original illustrations in combination with the bold typography.

Like many elderly millennials, I am nostalgic for the original cover of my precious Matilda book that I read and re-read so many times almost 30 years ago. But I can see how, both as an object and with certain aspects of its story, the original book wouldn’t have the same impact on my daughters as its updated versions.

And that’s the most important thing—for something so valuable and entertaining to keep finding its way to new generations; staying true to its core, but continuously refreshed to stay relevant in changing times.

TAKE AWAY

It's entirely possible to be timeless and timely, all at once.

❝ Discover the full brand identity for the Roald Dahl Story Company by Pentagram

Thanks for reading this first case study in my dossiers—did you love it or hate it? Let me know in the comments or send me a message. Besides helping me finetune this newsletter, you’ll also make me feel warm knowing I’m not talking into a big, black void :)

Cheers,
Steph