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The Lacoste crocodile logo was made in honor of founder René Lacoste’s nickname as a tennis player, and the French apparel brand’s codes prohibits it from being messed with. For the U.S. Open, though, Lacoste is making an exception. For a five-piece capsule collection for Novak Djokovic, the green embroidered crocodile logo has been replaced with a goat. The Paris-born Lacoste, known as “le Crocodile,” won 10 major titles and was the first foreign player to win the U.S. championship twice, in 1926 and 1927. After hanging up the racket, he founded an apparel company that embroidered a crocodile on its polos. It caught on. The company has grown over the last centuryin 2024, Lacoste had $3 billion in revenue, and increased sales 8% from 2023. In a 1973 interview with the Associated Press, Lacoste said he didn’t understand the logo’s popularity, but he wondered if it might have to do with a crocodile not coming across as friendly. “There are kinds of things that just don’t have any good explanation,” he said. “I suppose you could say that if it had been a really nice animal, something sympathetic, then maybe nothing would have happened.” [Photo: Lacoste] So what about a goat? Lacoste announced their new capsule in time for the U.S. Open to pay tribute to Djokovic, a Lacoste brand ambassador who it says is the greatest of all time, or GOAT. Though the animal is more cuddly than a crocodile, the meaning behind the goat is the same as the meaning behind Lacoste’s nickname as a player. It’s about tenacity, winning, and on-court excellence. [Photo: Lacoste] Who’s a GOAT? The greatest-of-all-time acronym has an entry on Urban Dictionary as far back as 2010 that names Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Willie Mays, Pelé, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods the GOATs of their sports, but the term has since crossed over to the mainstream. Now it’s the logo on a polo, T-shirt, tracksuit, jacket, cap, and trousers to honor Djokovic, who with 24 Grand Slam titles to his name holds the record for male players. “Novak Djokovic has been part of the Lacoste family for over eight years,” Lacoste CEO Thierry Guibert said in a statement. “Together, we have shared an exceptional period, during which he won 12 Grand Slam titleshalf of his career total. Beyond the extraordinary player, his tenacity, mindset and values have contributed to elevating and amplifying the brand.” [Photo: Lacoste] The designers behind Lacoste’s goat logo managed to reinterpret visual elements from the crocodile mark for the new emblem. The goat looks up and is facing right, giving it a similar sense of direction as the crocodile mark, and the tiny triangles that give the crocodile the look of a textured, scaly back are used to decorate the goat’s chest. Lacoste previously replaced its crocodiles with 10 threatened animals for the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2018. “This initiative reflects our ability to reinvent our codes while staying true to René Lacostes heritage. Guibert said. Like Nike turning its Swoosh on its head for soccer jerseys, Lacoste’s goat logo is an example of breaking brand guidelines to make a larger point. For Lacoste, that point is Djokovic’s icon status. Promotional material for the collection use the logos like emoji to write out the copy “From a crocodile to the goat.” Djokovic is an athlete worth breaking brand guidelines for, and Lacoste managed to pull it off in a way that’s memorable and fun. This a limited-run, once-in-a-century rebrand for a one-in-a-century athlete.
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E-Commerce
Most leadership advice focuses on how to get promoted. But what happens after? Years ago, I moved from a role leading training and development in a large regional bank to a new position in product marketing. I had the luxury of staying in the organization, which gave me time to mentor my replacement. Carrie, my replacement, wanted the job and was fully qualified but filled with doubt. In our transition meetings, she admitted to me: I dont know if I can lead the training team like you. I only know this one area of training. The team loves you. Ill never be able to lead like that. A 2021 report by DDI reveals that 35% of internally promoted executives are considered failures. This failure rate escalates to 47% for executives hired externally. These numbers reflect the critical need for effective support during leadership transitions. If this sounds familiar, heres how leaders can coach someone up to replace them. COACH THEIR MINDSET AND NOT JUST THEIR SKILL SET When we hand off a role, we often default to knowledge transfer. We overemphasize tools, systems, and processes. But that is not where most leaders struggle. The deeper fear for most new leaders is internal: Will I ever be as good as you? Carrie kept comparing herself to me: My years of training experience, my understanding of facilitation, and my established role as the go-to expert. I had to give her permission to be different. In fact, she brought strengths I didnt: deeper business knowledge, stronger relationships across departments, and a leadership style that had already made her one of the most respected managers in the company. Helping her identify and leverage these strengths was far more important than teaching her how to plan a training calendar. During your transition period, try asking your successor questions like: What parts of this role feel most intimidating? and What strengths do you already have that could serve you here? Offer specific examples, where possible, of where their strengths or approach may provide different value to yours. IDENTIFY AND COACH TRANSFERABLE SKILLS When leaders overlook this step, they can unintentionally make successors feel like they are starting from scratch. Carrie didnt need training expertise on day one. She could learn that. What she needed was permission to lead in a way that reflected her own strengths. We spent time identifying her transferable skills, such as how she built trust, how she developed teams, how she navigated difficult personalities, and how to apply them to this new context. We explored how these new skills would show up in this context. To put this into practice, you can create a two-column chart with your successor. On one side, ask them to write down core demands of the role. On the other side, they can share examples from their previous roles that demonstrate those skills in action. PROVIDE EXPERTISE WITHOUT TAKING OVER When Carrie had to create a brand-new systems training, she immediately looked to me for answers. Instead of jumping in, I asked, When have you had to learn something new in the past? I encouraged her to reflect on her experience and based on her expertise, how she would design it to make it better. She didnt need me to give her the answers. She needed space to figure it out, with just enough support to build confidence. You should approach these moments like a coach, not a fixer. Ask for permission before offering feedback: Are you open to an observation? If your successor asks you to take over, get curious instead: What specifically feels uncomfortable? Is it a task or a relationship dynamic? COACH ON PEOPLE AND POLITICS (NOT JUST PROCESSES) While leadership is relational, most handovers solely focus on the workflows of systems. Instead of just handing over a road map, I asked my replacement to create an Influence Map: listing key colleagues across the organization shed need to partner with to succeed. We categorized each one: green for supporters, yellow for neutral or unknown relationships, and red for conflict or resistance. Influence doesnt come from pushing harder; it comes from navigating relationships with intention. If you choose to help your successor build a similar stakeholder map, try asking them questions like: Who can you build trust with? Who might you be avoiding? What past tensions need clearing? LET THEM JUMP IN BEFORE YOU STEP OUT Dont wait until your last day to start handing things over. During our three-week transition, I began redirecting tasks to Carrie right away. When deciding what to delegate, I had to ask myself, Do I still need to do this? Or is this a great opportunity for a handoff? The stakes were low and small mistakes were part of the learning. If the stakes are higher, you can still delegate, just partner differently. Let them shadow you, walk through your decision-making, or connect them with someone who can support them after youre gone. The earlier they step in, the more confident theyll be when you step out. To put this into action, ask yourself daily: What is one thing I can hand off today that builds their visibility or confidence? The earlier they practice, the more naturally they will lead after you are gone. Helping someone step into your old role requires letting go of control, nurturing a different style of leadership, and prioritizing long-term impact. Ultimately, the best leaders are not just good at their job; they are also good at ensuring that others are equipped to do it too.
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E-Commerce
If you visit your local librarys Instagram page, chances are good that youll find book drive announcements, event notices, and calls for volunteerslikely formatted akin to a pamphlet youd find at the front desk. When residents of Milwaukee check out their librarys social media accounts, it’s a different story. Theyre met with memes, thirst traps, and a multipart cinematic video series parodying the oeuvre of Wes Anderson. For the past three years, Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) has been diverging from the typically staid online presence of most public libraries by going full-send on TikTok trends and video-first content geared toward a younger generation. The librarys accounts look more like the social media-savvy pages of companies like Duolingo or Sour Patch Kidsand its working. [Screenshot: Milwaukee Public Library TikTok] MPLs current Instagram follower count is nearly 240,000an 1,497.5% increase since it began rolling out quirky videos in 2022. And, since starting on TikTok the same year, the library now has 150,000 followers on that platform. Its pretty obvious why a for-profit company like Duolingo might make social media engagement a priority, when it can directly drive product visibility and sales. But for an institution funded by taxpayer dollars, the goal of going viral on TikTok is a bit less clear. According to Melissa Howard, MPLs communications and community engagement director, embracing a TikTok-forward strategy has actually driven the librarys mission in a number of ways, including by opening the door to new community partnerships, boosting database use, and getting younger readers back into the library stacks. @milwaukeepubliclibrary When you’re around I got arrhythmia (literally). I’m on multiple medications for it. #Girlfriend #HemlockeSprings #OldPeople #Elderly #Manga #Comics #Anime #fyp #FlippingOff #Birdie #MiddleFinger #FlipTheBird girlfriend – hemlocke springs Is this my public library or a meme page? In the summer of 2022, MPL was struggling with a dip in patronage that started during the pandemic. Fawn Siemsen-Fuchs, the librarys volunteer coordinator, decided to test the waters with more experimental social content to draw in young readers from communities like BookTok and Bookstagram. MPLs first TikTok videoa parody centering around returning a book to the book droptook off almost immediately, notching over 3 million views and 500,000 likes. We were one of the first libraries to get on Tiktok, have some fun with video content, and not have that more commercial tone, Siemsen-Fuchs says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milwaukee Public Library (@milwaukeepubliclibrary) Since then, MPL has experimented with a broad range of social video under the umbrella of what Siemsen-Fuchs describes as its personal brand of unhinged, heartwarming content. That includes a sensual thirst trap to promote the librarys blood pressure machines; a video featuring a 90-year-old patron reading manga (with more than 3 million views across platforms); and, most recently, a five-part series inspired by Wes Andersons portfolio. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milwaukee Public Library (@milwaukeepubliclibrary) This last project incorporates layers of lore, carefully thought-out artistic direction, and a cast of characters pulled from the librarys staff. Siemsen-Fuchs says its inspired many followers to become personally invested in the storyline. People are like, Oh, my favorite show is on, or theyre sending popcorn gifs, she says. I would say, in general, our viewership is just so kind and so supportive, and they love the library. @milwaukeepubliclibrary Try one or try them all #AEHolidayCard #LetsGo #IntuitTouchdownDance #LibraryTok #LibraryToks #LibraryTikTok #LibrariesForAll #LibrariesRock #BeautifulLibraries #BlackFriday #BlackFridayDeals #fyp #fyp – ‘this is how u get the youth to read’ MPL certainly isnt the only library thats dipped its toes into the TikTok universe: Columbus, Ohios Columbus Metropolitan Library runs its own Law & Order-inspired series on TikTok, and Australias City of Marion Libraries page stars Denise, an employee who has become a fan-favorite character. Still, its not exactly commonplace to see libraries leaning into internet humor so wholeheartedly. Its been our observation that many public institutions do face hurdles when it comes to building a social presence that resonates, whether its from risk-averse cultures, siloed teams that make it hard to tell a unified story, or simply not having enough staff to keep up with the pace of digital media, Howard says. Weve been able to break through by trusting our small, creative team to experiment, take smart risks, quickly jump on trends, and develop a clear vision and voice to connect with people who love the library as much as we do. And while MPL doesnt exactly have sales data to demonstrate the impact of its social accounts, Howard says there are a number of ways that the librarys online presence has boosted its goals. Several videos have correlated with spikes in database use, Hoopla checkouts (a digital book catalog), job applications, and merch sales. In fact, one reel promoting the librarys T-shirts led to its highest merch sale month ever, an 180% increase over the previous month. @milwaukeepubliclibrary #fyp #bookdrop original sound – Freddychase The accounts have also led to new partnerships and civic collaborations, including work with tourism boards, other libraries like the New York Public Library, local bookstores, magazines, and the mayor of Milwaukee. The social media team even earned a Peabody nomination in 2024 for promoting stories that matter. And, while Howard says readership has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic highs, it has increased in the last couple of yearsa change that she attributes, at least in part, to the social media accounts’ success. MPLs social media presence shows that theres plenty of opportunity for public institutions to carve out their own dedicated niches online. For those with the added benefit of baked-in goodwill, like the public library, its a move that makes even more sense. The overwhelmingly wholesome comments on MPLs pages are a case in point: Considering moving to Milwaukee for the library, one Instagram user wrote. Another added, this is how u get the youth to read.”
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E-Commerce
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