Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit dedicated to fostering conflict resolution and personal growth by encouraging people to reflect on their experiences, both triumphs and challenges, to question assumptions, reframe self-perception, and ultimately grow. Central to their mission is the “perception box," the unique lens, shaped by personal history, through which each of us views the world.
Recognizing the transformative potential of this idea, Custom Content from WSJ partnered with Unlikely Collaborators to create "Perception Box: Corner Office," a groundbreaking video series exploring the defining moments that shaped three of today’s most influential business leaders.
Through honest, candid storytelling, the series revealed how moments of adversity, resilience, and triumph informed each leader’s decision-making, leadership style, and sense of purpose. Beyond a behind-the-scenes look at success, the project highlighted the power of self-awareness, acknowledging the limits of one’s own perception box, as a catalyst for adaptability, empathy, and innovation.
By capturing these deeply human stories, the series invited our audience of executives and business leaders to pause and reflect on their own perspectives, challenge ingrained beliefs, and embrace the complexities that shape their identities. The result was more than inspiration, it was a call to action for leaders to cultivate authenticity, empathy, and understanding in their own work.
With "Perception Box: Corner Office," we didn’t just share stories of leadership, we advanced a movement toward more self-aware, compassionate, and purpose-driven leadership, making business a force for positive change.
"Perception Box: Corner Office" is a powerful branded content series of three documentary-style films that illuminates the journeys of remarkable business leaders. Each 7–8 minute episode features an intimate, long-form interview with a visionary: Nasty Gal founder and GirlBoss author Sophia Amoruso, coffee industry innovator Bob Stiller, and Silicon Valley entrepreneur Jim McKelvey. Across the series, we explore the formative experiences, pivotal challenges, and personal insights that shaped their identities, what we call their “perception boxes," and examine how those experiences guided them to lead with resilience, vision, and purpose.
Custom Content from WSJ faced both logistical and creative challenges in bringing this vision to life. Casting required careful alignment between our client, Unlikely Collaborators, and high-profile leaders whose stories would resonate deeply with audiences. We prioritized transparency and collaboration, ensuring each participant felt fully understood, supported, and prepared for this unique exploration of their lives.
The heart of the series lies in authentic storytelling. To capture moments of true insight, our subjects shared not only professional milestones but also profoundly personal—and at times, painful—experiences. One spoke candidly about dumpster diving for food; another reflected on losing a parent to suicide. Drawing out these stories demanded empathy, trust, and journalistic integrity. We created a safe, intimate environment, selecting a director with exceptional skill in human connection and minimizing our crew’s presence, allowing leaders to reveal their truths naturally.
Another key challenge was crafting long-form narratives without sacrificing engagement. Traditional branded content runs 2–3 minutes, but our goal was to immerse viewers fully in each leader’s journey. Every scene, musical cue, and animation was meticulously designed to reinforce the story, ensuring a compelling arc from early struggles to moments of realization and growth. Each edit served the purpose of making the narrative cohesive, emotionally resonant, and inspiring.
The result is a series that transcends conventional branded content. "Perception Box: Corner Office" offers an unflinching, deeply human look at leadership, resilience, and transformation. It invites audiences to reflect on their own perception boxes, encouraging empathy, self-awareness, and growth. By highlighting how leaders overcome adversity and embrace purpose-driven decision-making, the series not only celebrates individual achievement but also inspires meaningful change—demonstrating how storytelling can illuminate the human experience and drive positive impact in the world.
Our branded content series, "Perception Box: Corner Office," exceeded all expectations, delivering exceptional engagement across every touchpoint. The site experience saw thousands of clicks, driving an overall engagement click rate that was 8x higher than our benchmark. Additionally, the video completion rate surpassed our benchmark by 42%, a testament to the compelling nature of our storytelling and its ability to captivate our exclusive audience of executive leaders—individuals with limited time but deep curiosity.
Beyond traditional metrics, our work on this video series revealed that the WSJ audience is most engaged when content highlights personal journeys and human experiences. This insight fueled the success of all three releases, each of which centered on leadership and deeply personal narratives. By sharing the emotions, thoughts and experiences of Sophia, Bob and Jim, we forged a powerful, authentic connection with viewers.
Through this process, we not only delivered outstanding results but also grew as a team—refining our production workflows, enhancing talent engagement and elevating client collaboration. These learnings will continue to shape our approach and set new standards for excellence.
Perhaps the greatest measure of our success? Unlikely Collaborators has verbally committed to a second season of "Perception Box: Corner Office." This renewal validates the impact of our purpose-driven work and provides an exciting opportunity to build upon our achievements—pushing creative boundaries even further in the next chapter.
