Same same, but different
What Conan O'Brien, Tucker Carlson and Microsoft have in common
This is Deconstructing the Saga, the Story Knight newsletter that unpacks the magic and mechanics behind stories that engage and inspire.
In this issue we explore how reinvention is needed to attract audiences.
Last week, this column outlined how an emotional reaction is triggered by an element of surprise, and how reframing an issue can create a sense of surprise.
Widening the aperture on what drives emotional connection reveals reinvention to be another factor.
Reinventing a brand in a way that is true to the original perception of that brand is difficult, but doable, and can expand a brand’s reach.
Packets for late night
Consider America’s late night talk shows. Comedy writers seeking to get staffed on these shows must submit a packet which contains jokes, sketches and other bits that fit the host’s existing persona.
This means that a packet submitted to Jimmy Kimmel Live! cannot be recycled and submitted to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
But writing pages of jokes that fit the hosts existing voice is not enough. Because the show already has a room of 10+ writers who can do that.
Rather, aspiring writers must ensure that their packets do two things at the same time: capture the host’s voice/comedic style (to demonstrate suitability for the show) and also provide new ways to stretch the host’s voice in different directions.
Because once the audience can predict what comes next in a show - comedic or otherwise - the show loses its edge and maybe its audience, which is something it can ill afford to do in today’s attention economy.
Reinvention isn’t just for writers. It’s for performers too. Conan O’Brien went from late night talk show host on NBC to travel series host on HBO Max while remaining his absurdist, self-deprecating, cerebral self.
Tucker’s new audience
For almost seven years Tucker Carlson hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News’ coveted 8pm time slot.
In the approximately 1,700 episodes hosted during those seven years, Tucker presided over a news commentary show that was consistently populist and steeped in racial grievance under the cover of ‘just asking questions’ and unabashedly approving of anything Trump said or did.
After leaving Fox News in April 2023, Tucker has launched his own independent media empire while remaining a political commentator as host of The Tucker Carlson Show.
Freed from the shackles of corporate media, Carlson reinvented his on air persona to one of a media insurgent, with no topic off limits. In pursuit of the truth (or at least what he wants his audience to think is the truth), he didn’t shy away from interviewing controversial figures like Vladimir Putin or Nick Fuentes.
In doing so, he’s moved away from traditional conservative orthodoxy by openly challenging military adventurism (a position not often found on Fox News) and subtly questioning whether Trump has betrayed the MAGA movement that propelled him to the White House.
Doing so has helped Tucker expand his audience, influence and impact. In particular, his anti-war position has attracted people on the left to his message, overlooking the fact that Tucker platformed a literal Nazi in Nick Fuentes.
Progressives felt that Tucker - much to their surprise - was validating their long-held anti-war positions. So while he attracted around 3 million viewers on Fox News; across Twitter, YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, he’s averaging around 6 million views.
He’s still the Tucker who is comfortable with racists and is ‘just asking questions’. But his brand expansion to challenge traditional conservative views is what is fueling his expanded reach without costing him the viewers that made him a household name to begin with.
His original fans haven’t left him. In fact, they think he’s more authentic than ever before. Such is the power of reinvention.
The necessity of reinvention
Of the top 10 most valuable public companies in 2006, only one - Microsoft - remains in the top 10 in 2026.
While it’s easy to conclude that Microsoft’s staying power is because of almost monopoly-like dominance in personal computing, its revenue breakdown reveals a different picture.
In 2006, Microsoft sales were driven by Windows, Office and Xbox. Conversely, revenue today is powered by cloud computing, AI and Office as a subscription. To remain among the world’s most valuable enterprises, Microsoft reinvented their entire business model.
Why reinvention works
The common thread between the reinvention of Tucker Carlson and Microsoft is that the brand perception shifted even though brand values stayed the same.
Strategies can (and should) change over time. But values tend to stay the same. And so any attempt to reinvent a concept must stay true to what the audience perceives your brand values to be.
So while reframing can create an emotional connection, reinvention can give your audience a whole new reason to love your brand.