Four Lions, an iconic British black comedy about a group of young British Muslims, who set out to wage Jihadi, through an amateurish attempt at becoming suicide bombers.
An absolute cult comedy classic and a must watch if you’ve not already seen it 👌
(check the trailer👇)
But it’s come to light in recent years that the film very nearly never happened at all.
✖️ Investors loved the script, but were terrified of the narrative.
✖️ With some telling producer Mark Herbert the film would be ‘career suicide’.
✖️ Whilst director/writer Chris Morris recalls The Film Council requesting the film’s ending be altered (no spoilers here) before offering up any funding.
But thanks to the team behind the film’s development never losing faith in the project, it did get made.
It even went on to be nominated for a number of film awards, with director/writer Chris Morris winning a BAFTA for ‘Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer’.
Enough about movie trivia, what could brands take away and learn from this cult black British comedy and the team behind its development?
That taking risks, breaking the rules and challenging conventions of others could be the key to unlocking your brand or products true potential.
✅ Look beyond what everyone else is doing in the category you sit in and take a risk by doing something completely different or innovative to your competitors.
✅ Breaking the rules isn’t a bad thing if it’s done right. Be a challenger in the crowded categories your brand or products occupy, go against the grain of others, it will allow you to stand out amongst the noise.
✅ Challenge the convention of others and the category, following the same path as everyone else will only stand to make you blend in. Be a rebel stray from the path, carve your own and allow your brand or products to thrive.
If Four Lions and the team behind the making can teach us anything it’s that taking risks, breaking the rules and challenging the conventions of others and the category could be the key to unlocking your brand or product’s true potential.
To quote American management consultant Gary Hamel: “Taking risks, breaking the rules, and being a maverick have always been important but today they are more crucial than ever.”
