Cosmos, Commitment and the Cost of Getting It Wrong
- Dani Sewell
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
I couldn’t help but wonder… what happens when a brand forgets why people loved it in the first place? Once upon a time, 'Sex and the City' was more than just Manolos and martinis. It was about friendship, daring honesty and the thrill of women living unapologetically on their own terms. Then came 'And Just Like That'. Cue the box ticking, the overcompensating plot points, and the strange sensation of being reunited with old friends who had inexplicably had their personalities rewritten by a committee.
Brand loyalty, like any great love affair, is built on trust. You can’t seduce your audience with a sparkling Cosmopolitan one night and serve them lukewarm tap water the next. Nostalgia isn’t just a soft-focus filter; it is equity. It is years of emotional investment, of late nights watching reruns, of seeing yourself in the messy brilliance of Carrie’s monologues or Miranda’s exasperated eye rolls. It is why we forgive the odd misstep. But betray that equity with something that feels hollow, and you risk turning passion into disillusionment. That is exactly what happened when the reboot stumbled into our lives wearing fabulous shoes but carrying very little substance.
The problem wasn’t simply that the characters had aged, or that the world had moved on. The problem was that the reboot seemed to forget why we, as fans, were all so invested in the first place. With 'Sex and the City' the loyalty was fierce. It wasn’t just about the shoes or the cosmopolitans. It was about connection. The show gave its audience a mirror, albeit a one-of-a-kind entirely impractical and unattainable one. It invited women to see themselves in Carrie’s romantic chaos, Miranda’s pragmatism, Charlotte’s optimism and Samantha’s unapologetic bravado. That emotional investment was brand equity in its purest form. It created nostalgia so potent that decades later, audiences would still clear their schedules for a reboot. That is the power of equity.
But here’s the rub. Equity is not unconditional. Nostalgia is not a free pass. You can’t simply dust off a familiar label, slap on some glossy updates and expect the audience to fall at your feet. When And Just Like That delivered storylines that felt more like committee decisions than authentic evolution, it broke the spell. The values that had once defined the series were blurred by box ticking. The chemistry that had once been effortless was diluted by an almost desperate determination to be “of the moment.” The brand forgot its essence, and audiences noticed.
This is where the lesson for businesses becomes sharp. Brands, like beloved shows, are built on relationships. They thrive on mutual respect. Your audience expects you to evolve, but in ways that feel true, relevant and believable. They want more than continuity; they want growth. They don’t want you to reinvent yourself into something unrecognisable. They want you to hold on to the qualities that made you irresistible in the first place, while adapting gracefully to the times. Think of it as upgrading your accessories, not swapping out your entire style or personality.
Too often, businesses fall into the trap of confusing progress with pandering. They chase trends, they rush to tick every demographic box, they lose sight of their core. And the result? Audiences drift. The trust that took years to build can be undone in a season. Once loyalty cracks, repairing it is far more difficult than nurturing it in the first place. Just ask Carrie and Miranda’s disillusioned fans, including me!
What audiences and customers crave is authenticity. They want to feel that you understand them, that you are evolving alongside them, not talking down to them or trying to second-guess them. They want to be surprised, yes, but by excellence, not by inconsistency. The real art lies in exceeding expectations, not merely meeting them. A beloved brand is like a favourite character: we know their quirks, their strengths, their flaws. When they grow, we want to recognise the journey as credible. When they suddenly behave like someone else entirely, we switch off and vote with our feet.
This is exactly where our team can work as an extension of yours. We help businesses find the sweet spot between evolution and authenticity. With Director-led expertise, we get under the skin of your business to discover what makes your brand special, so that we can nurture and amplify those elements for tangible, measurable, commercial success. We understand that your audience is your tribe, and tribes don’t just want shiny campaigns. They want a story that rings true. We give you the tools to tell that story with substance as well as style and integrity, so your customers don’t just stay with you, they grow with you.
The cautionary tale of 'And Just Like That' is a reminder for every brand that the stakes are high. Equity can be tarnished. Nostalgia can be soured. Loyalty can be lost. However, with the right insight, the right strategy and above all the right approach to connecting with your audience, your brand can continue to dazzle long after the first flush of infatuation.
And just like that, you realise… the greatest love story isn’t between Carrie and Big. It’s between a brand and its audience.
If you are ready to protect your equity, grow your audience and keep your customers loyal for the long run, get in touch with our friendly team today to find out more about how we can help.
