In a world where trends shift overnight and consumer expectations are higher than ever, brands can no longer afford to rely on rigid playbooks or cookie-cutter strategies. The most effective brands can fit and flex—blending purpose with experience to show up seamlessly and authentically in consumers’ lives. Adaptability isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the new currency of relevance.

But being adaptable is easier said than done. Here’s how to think about adaptability and specific actions brands can take to become and show up as adaptable:

It starts with purpose

A brand’s purpose acts as its “why”—the motivating cause beyond making money. A strong purpose allows a brand to act and behave in ways that are authentic and connect on a deeper level with audiences. 

Brands need to resist the urge to grasp at fleeting trends to be hyper-relevant in today’s culture. Instead, they should work to uncover a universal human truth—an idea that can unify a community around your brand that will earn you the trust to flex across markets, offerings and generations.

Take Snapchat. Its purpose, “empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together,” is based on the simple truth: A lot of people are lonely.

With this idea as an anchor, Snapchat has successfully created a distinct offering focused on connection. It can now adapt its message and appeal across generations—and it’s working. It is not winning only with Gen Zers, but also growing in popularity with boomers.

Root your purpose in something foundational to the human experience—an idea that crosses demographic lines. Use that truth to create a platform for your brand’s purpose and guide your brand’s behavior.

Build adaptable behaviors

Brand is behavior—how a company’s people, products and services show up in the world. That’s what influences what people think, feel and do, and what memories we leave behind.

Brands can (and should) show up as one recognizable entity, but also adapt across different contexts, different audiences and even emotional states.

Take skincare brand CeraVe. The heart of CeraVe is in its purpose: dermatologist-developed, safe and effective skin care for all. Its charm, however, lies in its unique ability to blend the expected with the unexpected, continually delighting consumers to build lasting connections. Every experience the brand creates emphasizes its dermatological expertise and product efficacy with an irreverent twist. In its recent Michael Cera campaign, it injected emotion with the help of humor—and as a result, became nearly inescapable.

CeraVe activated the campaign across high-profile Super Bowl ad for mass exposure to influencer activations that connected with younger, digital-savvy audiences. This flexibility and personality highlighted and reinforced its positioning, garnering attention for the brand’s product line and led to a 25% increase in sales.

To build this type of adaptability, try expanding beyond your brand’s expected behaviors. Find the tension in your brand and explore it. Balance the seriousness and technicality of your product with something more refreshingly playful or fun.

Sometimes, you can’t go it alone

One of the biggest mistakes brands make when chasing adaptability is doing something inauthentic, abandoning their identity for something shiny and new. Instead, strategic collaborations can allow brands to showcase their versatility without losing their essence.

Since its inception, Crocs has been known as a comfortable, hyper-casual and (let’s be honest!) ugly shoe. But it is challenging the box so many consumers have put it in through surprising out-of-category partnerships, such as creating runway-ready platform shoes with Balenciaga. The surprising collaboration drew on the distinct strengths of each brand—fashion and comfort—to grow their appeal. This world-merging created buzz, sparked curiosity and captured the attention of new audiences, all while remaining authentic to Croc’s identity.

Partnerships and collaborations that actively curb stereotypes can help a brand stretch into a new context, application or image. Consider misconceptions that your brand faces and find a partner that helps you challenge those while still bringing your essence.

Adaptability isn’t just about surviving change—it’s about owning it. The brands that will lead in the future are those that balance their core identity with bold experimentation. By connecting with universal truths, building behaviors that flex without faltering and collaborating in ways that defy conventions, adaptability is a brand’s best competitive advantage. The question isn’t whether your brand can afford to adapt—it’s whether your brand can afford not to. The future belongs to those who flex to win.