“It’s only when the tide Feature, Not a Bug Consumer Behavior Reinforced goes out that you realize The SARs Outbreak (2000-04) catapultedChina who has been swimming Since World War II, the US economy has faced naked.” 12recessions (averaging to an occurrence ahead of the rest of the world in digital adoption. every ~6 years), each with its own unique After 2008, consumers lookedto e-commerce as - Warren Buffett characteristics. Most relevant to recall are the a source of discovery, easy comparability, and a 21st century cases –the Dot-Com burst in path to finding deals and discounts. When we 2001 and the Great Recession of 2008. zoom-out, myths about e-commerce were In fact, when President Trump took office in busted through these periods. For example, we 2017, he inherited the single longest, on- once believed instant gratification would be a record, uninterrupted period of economic barrier to online migration. It was believed, for expansion in US history, which came to an end example, that no one would buy clothes without when COVID-19 disrupted the due course of touching and feeling them, and yet, apparel is things. The pandemic in turn, became an now the #1 category purchased online – accelerantfor e-commerceand digitization. consistently. Through the anticipation of challenging times, Conflict Fuels Innovation brands should be aware of structural changes in their environment. Being canny enough to The 2008 recession drovethe rise of the first recognize them and bold enough to invest wave of direct-to-consumer all-stars, including accordingly is what separates changemakers brands like Bonobos and Warby Parker, who from the rest. A silver bullet for success is drove a new era of democratized, digital mythology –your consumer, market, and peer narrative, influence, and a consolidation of set determine your trajectory. growth on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.