Reading Between the Pivots
Pivots in the business world shape the stories that brands tell us, in turn influencing how consumers view the world
Late last year, Disney announced a major reorganization prioritizing its streaming-video services. CEO Bob Chapek said that the move was a recognition of how consumers had changed their consumption habits amid the pandemic, favoring streaming platforms over movie theaters, as well as traditional broadcast and cable channels. Disney reoriented its business by untangling product from distribution, separating decisions over which shows and movies should be produced from decisions over which platforms were best suited to carry them. This reorientation was a change in direction — a pivot.
Pivots in the business world shape the stories that brands tell us. They shape the way consumers see the world. They affect how consumers and organizations cope with the market and, thus, each other. Analogous to the plot twist, pivots are a critical narrative device for good storytelling.
These shifts also shape our consumer experiences more than we realize. Facebook pivoted when it decided to open up its platform to third-party apps in 2007. This move unleashed FarmVille, an iconic social gaming app that lived inside Facebook’s feed, and its legacy continues to live on in…
