The Gift of Tangents: Why Divergent Thinking Builds Stronger Brands

“That odd leap my mind makes — moss and data charts, memory and metaphor — I used to quiet it. Now I listen.”

I used to think my brain’s habit of hopping sideways was a distraction. But over time, I’ve come to see those tangents not as misfires, but as sources of insight — clues pointing towards fresh ideas others might not see. In a culture that prizes speed, logic, and linear efficiency, those detours are often dismissed — yet they can make the difference between “safe” and “remarkable”.

I’m currently exploring how divergent thinking — those mental detours, odd associations, and sideways leaps — can be a practical tool in brand strategy. I’ll show how even messy thinking can be shaped, refined, and turned into generative ideas, and share how some brands are beginning to work this way.

What Divergent Thinking Is (And Why It Matters)

Divergent thinking means generating a wide set of ideas, making associations across domains, surfacing unlikely links — without immediately rushing to choose “the right one”.

Its counterpart is convergent thinking, which is about filtering, refining, selecting, and executing. Both are essential. The difficulty is that we often privilege convergence — we curb divergence too early in the name of speed or certainty.

For many neurodivergent minds, tangents arrive unbidden: associative leaps, cross-domain connections, sensory metaphors. These are not faults — they reflect a different wiring. The challenge is not to suppress those tangents, but to scaffold and integrate them in ways that produce something useful, rather than chaotic.

Research supports this: diverse thinking styles — including neurodivergent ones — are increasingly recognised by organisations as a creative asset. For instance, Havas has launched a Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence to embed neurodivergent talent into its creative practice. Likewise, INVNT Group credits neurodivergent voices with reshaping their storytelling and design approaches.

Why Brands Should Invite Tangents

Here’s how divergent thinking can become brand leverage — when handled with intention:

1. Create Novelty, Not Copy

In crowded markets, most brands end up sounding the same. Safe, linear pathways lead to yawnsville: Population: You. Tangents let you step off the well-worn track and land in surprising terrain, which can lead to more distinctive metaphors, narratives, or brand gestures.

2. Resist Consensus Drift

There are very few statues of committees. When someone leans into a different association — even if it feels odd — it can prevent mediocrity. Divergence keeps conversation generative.

3. Reframe the Problem

Often what separates “good” from “great” brand work is asking a different question — reframing rather than solving. Tangents help you see new frames, new contexts, new storyworlds you might otherwise never consider.

4. Build a Reservoir of Options

Each tangent is a seed. Not all will grow. But over time, those seeds form a woodland of possibilities. Brands that lean into this way of thinking gain a pipeline of future creative routes, not just one shot.

How to Channel Tangents Into Useful Ideas

Unbounded divergence can be overwhelming. Here’s how to guide it into usable territory:

1. Use Constraints to Propel, Not Inhibit

Paradoxically, limits can free sideways thinking. Try prompts with constraints (e.g. time, word count, or format) to channel your mind. For example: “In seven minutes, write fifteen associations to this word.” The pressure can push you towards unexpected links.

2. Keep a Tangent / Link Log

Have a dedicated place (digital or analogue) where you record stray metaphors, fragmentary ideas, odd word pairs. Later you can mine it — revisit, pair, and test.

3. Cycle Between Divergence and Convergence

Alternate phases: widen the field, then pull back, then expand again. Expect your first jump to be rough; refinement happens on the return trips.

4. Share Raw Leaps Early

Describe a fragment (“I saw a maze from a bird’s view”) to a trusted colleague and ask: “If this were part of our brand, where could we take it?” Their instinctive response helps you see which tangents carry resonance.

5. Create Rituals to Invite Tangents

• Aimless walks — get outside, take a wander
• Freewriting with no judgement
• Collage or image mash-ups
• Forced pairings (e.g. “cloud + memory + texture”)
• Random word generators or prompts

Brand Signals & Examples

Here are a few organisations or practices hinting at this way of working:

• Havas’ Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence — building structural support so neurodivergent talent can contribute widely and differently in creative teams.
• INVNT Group — they emphasise how including neurodivergent voices reshapes storytelling frameworks, from experiential design to narrative architecture.
• CampaignLive — “A new way of thinking: Why brands need the creative fuel … neurodiversity” — discusses how brands are beginning to see neurodivergent thinking not as a checkbox but as an active source of creative difference.
• Winsome Marketing — Neurodiversity-Affirming Branding — exploring how brands can embed neurodiversity beyond representation, into systems, language, and product design.

These aren’t perfect “tangent branding” case studies yet, but they point to a shift in mindset: difference in thinking is no longer an “inclusion duty”, but a strategic dimension.

Let me be clear: divergent thinking is not always smooth, beautiful, or easy. It can be messy, disorienting, even frustrating. But those detours — if held with curiosity and structure — often carry the cues, the material, and the possibility that straight-line thinking misses.