Old Power vs. New Power

Opening Shot — Old vs New Power

Corporate boards once favored tenure, continuity, and tradition. Today, power is shifting. Activist investors are forcing faster moves. AI-native directors are joining the table. Shareholders are asking harder questions about culture, brand, and reputation.

Old power was about stability; new power is about speed. The clash is clear: hold the line, or adapt in real time?

Big vs Small Clients

For decades, global agencies chased billion-dollar retainers. Now, boutique shops are winning the cultural game. A small client, if it’s the right client, can elevate an agency more than the largest account.

Big clients bring scale. Small clients bring signal. Which one defines success?

America vs Japan

In the U.S., consumer brands rely on scale and visibility. The bigger and louder, the better. In Japan, brands lean into heritage and discretion—products with almost no marketing but decades of trust.

Two markets, two measures of value: visibility vs quiet reputation.

Expectations vs Reality

Remote work was expected to flatten access. Reality is more complex. Proximity bias still favors those closer to HQ. Hybrid models create new hierarchies—who’s in the room, who’s on screen.

The promise of “anywhere work” meets the reality of “who’s near power.”

A-Street Perspective

Every clash tells us something. Old vs new. Big vs small. Visibility vs discretion. Expectations vs reality. Where you stand between these forces often determines the opportunities you see—and the ones you miss.

Every edition of A-Street exists for one reason: to help you spot the signal before it becomes consensus.