"Being called a "Neanderthal" has long been shorthand for a knuckle-dragging brute - an insult implying someone is primitive and clueless. In popular imagination and even early science, Neanderthals were cast as dim-witted cavemen, a species of losers on the evolutionary stage. But recent discoveries have radically rewritten that story. Far from being sub-human dullards, Neanderthals are now understood as complex, intelligent hominins who created art, used tools and even share genetic ties with all of us."
"In a sense, the Neanderthal "brand" has undergone a posthumous PR makeover: from reviled caveman to respected ancestral cousin. This dramatic evolution of public perception holds a trove of insights for entrepreneurs and brands. If a whole human species can rehabilitate its reputation (albeit with an assist from science), then a company or individual can certainly transform their own image. Let's explore how the Neanderthal journey from primitive to progressive serves as a metaphorical masterclass in rebranding and legacy management."
Neanderthals were long portrayed as primitive, dim-witted cavemen due to early fossil interpretations and popular imagination. Recent discoveries reveal Neanderthals as complex, intelligent hominins who made art, used tools and share genetic ties with modern humans. That shift in understanding functions as a posthumous reputation makeover, transforming a reviled image into one of respected ancestral kin. The rehabilitation of Neanderthal perception demonstrates how entrenched narratives can be overturned and suggests practical lessons for brands and individuals seeking to recover from reputational damage through sustained evidence and reframing.
Read at Entrepreneur
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