At 5&Vine, we believe Challenger Brands are born out of discomfort. They're not defined by size, but by their ambition to rewrite the rules. As economic headwinds hit the Canadian market, now is the time to use discomfort not just to survive—but to grow stronger.
Over the past months, we’ve seen how Challenger Thinking enables brands to stand out through bold compassion and strategic agility.
Reboot with Purpose
In moments like this, humanity matters more than ever. A brand’s empathy-driven response to customers becomes a competitive edge. There is no better time to reboot—socially, economically, and operationally.
This is a rare window to rethink product positioning, realign messaging, and recommit to your purpose.
Big brands may have more cash reserves. But Challenger Brands have something better: the agility to adapt, the hunger to innovate, and the courage to challenge what's broken. As many incumbents dig in, Challenger Brands must shift from fighting for what was to committing to what could be. Consumers are reevaluating what gives their lives meaning—and they're doing the same with brands.
5 Ways to Approach Economic Uncertainty Like a Challenger
Each of these steps is designed to help your team find clarity, uncover bold ideas, and start leading differently—starting today.
1. Be Your Own Customer
Anonymously experience your own product, service, and customer journey. Respond to customer support tickets. Feel what it’s like to walk in your customer’s shoes—then act on what you find.
Ask:
- Where are we failing, meeting, or exceeding expectations?
- How can we be exceptional?
- What are we doing that no one else dares to?
Invite your full executive team—or a cross-functional group—to participate and compare notes.
Reflect: What are we afraid to admit about our experience today?
2. Walk in Your Competitor’s Shoes
Buy from your competitors. Use their product. Call their customer service. Document what’s delightful and what’s disappointing.
Then ask:
- Who are they serving—and who are they ignoring?
- How are they advancing (or ignoring) society’s needs?
- What gaps can we fill better?
This is how we identify opportunities to outperform—not just by chasing market share, but by earning it through difference.
Reflect: What blind spots are our competitors leaving wide open?
3. Embrace Negative Feedback
Social listening and review audits may not be glamorous—but they’re invaluable. Patterns in negative reviews often reveal your most urgent opportunities.
Instead of defending your reputation, invest in improving your reality.
✅ Monitor reviews across channels
✅ Track themes and repeat concerns
✅ Act swiftly and visibly to rebuild trust
Reflect: What feedback are we most resistant to—and why?
4. Seek Out Analogs
Don’t just monitor your industry. Look at what’s disrupting others. How might the Loop Earplugs of logistics or the Paynter Jacket of wellness inform your next move?
Innovation often comes from applying proven ideas in new contexts.
Challenge yourself to:
- Track innovations in art, tech, sustainability, fashion
- Sample and remix these ideas into your own strategy
- Ask: What would this look like in our category?
Reflect: Where are we clinging to legacy thinking that no longer serves us?
5. Build a Challenge Network
As Adam Grant writes in Think Again, every great leader needs a challenge network: people who will poke holes, raise the bar, and speak truth.
Form a group of diverse, critical thinkers who can:
✅ Review your strategy and product roadmap
✅ Spot blind spots and biases
✅ Help you pressure-test bold moves
This is how Challenger Brands stay sharp—and stay relevant.
Reflect: Who challenges us—and who are we willing to be challenged by?
In uncertain times, the temptation is to play it safe. But true Challengers know: playing it safe is often the riskiest move of all.
When market leaders protect the status quo, they often do so at the expense of equity, sustainability, and progress. Challenger Brands must rise—not just to compete, but to correct and lead.
This isn’t just about survival—it’s about becoming the kind of brand the future demands.
Now is your moment to build a business fit for the future. One that aligns with what people value—and what society needs.
🔗 Download The Canada Challenger Playbook for practical frameworks, Canadian case studies, and strategies to help your brand rise through disruption.
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Start Challenger Thinking This Week:
- Conduct a competitor walkthrough
- Schedule 1-hour customer support shadow
- Identify 3 analog innovations and reflect on relevance
- Share this article with your leadership team
Need help launching bold moves with clarity? Our Crisis Challenger Journey services are built to guide you.
