The Hidden Mentor in Unexpected Places: What Deadpool Teaches Us About Brand Transformation
If You Think Your Brand Is in Control, You’re Already Losing
Once upon a time, brands dictated the story. Creatives crafted the message. Agencies controlled distribution. Consumers were just the audience, passive recipients of whatever the brand decided to say.
That world is dead.
Today, the consumer is the brand manager. They decide the story. They own the conversation. And if you don’t let them in, they’ll tear the walls down themselves.
This brings us to Deadpool, which is the only superhero who understands modern branding.
Deadpool: The Mentor You Didn’t See Coming
Deadpool is not the guy you turn to for life advice. He’s vulgar, reckless, and seems to make it all up as he goes. He doesn’t fit the traditional mold of a mentor.
But look deeper.
Deadpool does something no other superhero does: he breaks the fourth wall. He doesn’t just fight villains — he talks to the audience. He drags them into the story, making them feel like insiders like they matter.
And that’s exactly what great brands do today.
The smartest companies break the fourth wall between their brand and their audience. They don’t pretend they’re in control — they acknowledge that the audience is.
Meanwhile, brands that ignore this reality are losing relevance at record speed.
The Brands That Forgot Who Owns the Story
Deadpool understands that his audience isn’t just watching — they’re part of the experience.
Some brands forgot this. And they paid the price.
Victoria’s Secret was once the name in lingerie, defining an industry. Then, something shifted. Women weren’t just watching their runway shows anymore — they were reshaping the conversation around inclusivity and body positivity. Victoria’s Secret ignored the shift. They doubled down on their old fantasy instead of listening to their audience. The result? A collapse from $7.6 billion in revenue in 2017 to near irrelevance. Meanwhile, Savage X Fenty handed the microphone to their customers — and took over the space.
Abercrombie & Fitch: Once a retail powerhouse in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Abercrombie & Fitch cultivated an exclusive image, targeting a narrow demographic of young, attractive consumers. Over time, this strategy backfired as societal values shifted towards inclusivity and diversity. The brand’s refusal to adapt its image and messaging led to a significant decline in sales and reputation. It wasn’t until recent years that Abercrombie began rebranding efforts to align with contemporary consumer expectations.
And then there’s the opposite — the brands that get it.
Liquid Death turned bottled water into a $700M brand by handing the script to their audience. They didn’t market at people. They built a cult-like following by making their customers part of the joke, the movement, the rebellion.
Threadless: An online apparel company, Threadless built its brand by allowing artists to submit t-shirt designs, which are then voted on by the community. Winning designs are printed and sold, with the artist receiving a portion of the profits. This model not only fosters a sense of community but also ensures that the products resonate with customers, as they play a direct role in the design selection process.
Your Brand’s Fourth Wall Is Already Gone
Here’s the truth: You are not in control of your brand anymore.
Not really.
Your audience has the power. They decide the conversation. They decide what sticks and what doesn’t. The brands that win aren’t the ones that cling to old scripts; they’re the ones that invite the audience in.
So, ask yourself:
Is your brand stuck in a script that no longer resonates?
Are you talking at your audience or with them?
Are you brave enough to hand them the pen?
Because Deadpool figured it out. The brands that thrive have figured it out.
The ones that haven’t? They’re just talking to themselves.
And talking to yourself? That’s a one-way ticket to irrelevance. Even Deadpool wouldn’t monologue that much.