Brands, Don’t Water Down Your Messaging

Laura Casinelli is the director of brand strategy at Code and Theory.

Q>What should clients focus on right now, and how has it changed from last year?

Laura>It’s time to focus on building strong foundations and leaning into productive tension.

Last year was about adapting—reacting to a world in flux. Now, it’s about being intentional and creating resilient systems that are built to last. It’s less about chasing what’s next and more about laying down roots that will sustain growth over time.

Like last year, co-creation is still key, but it’s become more focused. We’re learning that:

1. Co-creation isn’t about collaboration with everyone; it’s about being selective and finding the right partners who challenge your thinking and push you further than you’d go alone.

2. The real power lies in that productive tension: the friction between different perspectives that creates sparks. If we resist reaching for same-thinking and embrace the chaos - that’s where innovation lives these days.​

Q>What trends have you noticed in the industry that excite you?

Laura>To navigate this landscape, the best brands are learning to be true to themselves.

Most are moving away from polished, airbrushed narratives and embracing raw, real and sometimes even uncomfortable truths. It’s not about selling a dream anymore; it’s about showing life as it is and proving your value in that reality. Today the winning brands are clear about who they are. They don’t water down their message and are not afraid to stick to their vision, even if it’s not for everyone. Playing it safe might be taking the back seat.

This move toward clarity and authenticity is exciting.

Q>What is unique about Code and Theory's culture, which balances 50% engineers and 50% creatives?

Laura>Engineers push you to make things fit. Creatives push you to dream bigger. Great work entails both.

When these teams come together, there’s always an ambition to dismantle the idea of separate disciplines. We all see the differences, but the aspiration itself creates new perspectives, new ways of expressing thoughts and technical concepts and progress toward simplicity that makes this team particularly effective at finding the right spot of what’s needed, not what’s smarter.

To make this collaboration work, it takes a team willing to sit with uncertainty in that uncomfortable space where everything feels unresolved — without rushing to a conclusion or a fix and then build from there. It’s rare to find a team willing to take on that kind of challenge, and it’s what makes the Code and Theory team special.

Q>What’s the best way to keep staff motivated and working at a high level?

Laura>For me, it’s about kindness, not as indulgence or softness but the act of seeing others and letting them see you. Seeing their strengths, their goals, their way of thinking … It’s a form of respect that creates trust, confidence and clarity, making space for creativity and excellent work.

Q>What’s your most significant source of inspiration?

Laura>Human interactions. Watching how we adapt, connect and solve problems is endlessly inspiring. There’s also something powerful about the idea of shared knowledge — that every conversation or breakthrough builds on what came before. Being part of that bigger story is what moves me, and it’s why I love what I do.

Q>What’s a favourite project you’ve worked on in the past couple of years, and why?

Laura>ETS stands out because it was truly transformational to the business. ETS has always been about research and innovation, but that story wasn’t being acknowledged, not even internally. We dug deep to elevate what made them extraordinary and build together the confidence they needed to embrace it.

Q>What is the one thing you’d tell your younger self?

Laura>I’d tell myself that what feels like a whim, an itch, a pull — that’s the thing to follow. It’s not random; it’s intuition, and it’s smarter than you think.