01
Imagine People Generously
I’ll be honest—I’m not a huge fan of the expression, “I like it... but I’m not sure the consumer would get it.” It’s lazy, it’s insulting, and it cheapens the work. Here’s how I see things...
Good advertising, good art, good anything manages to close the gap between how we see ourselves (i.e. intelligent, capable, kind-hearted) and how we see others (i.e. shrug emoji). It reminds us that we’re not so different after all.
But this doesn’t just happen by itself. We have to make it happen. As a strategist it’s my job to imagine people generously.
02
Make It Unruly
Advertising is about attention. Whether you’re making a billboard or a banner ad, it has to be seen to be effective. The more distinctive you are, the more attention you get. This is simple stuff. Or at least, it should be…
Yet everyday we see—or rather don’t see—more of the same: ads that are made to look and sound like every other ad.
This sucks. It sucks for creatives. It sucks for consumers. But most of all, it sucks for brands. Because as long as advertising plays by the rules it’s only preparing to be ignored.
03
Let Creativity Do Its Thing
There is no substitute for raw creativity. The type of brilliant, bizarre stuff that doesn’t come from gently reinterpreting a brief, but rather, from using it as a springboard to jump into a completely different stratosphere…
These are the ideas that separate the brands we love from everyone else. And this isn’t just a matter of making awesome stuff for its own sake. Study after study has shown that marketing which aims for fame is more effective. So let’s rise to the challenge! Coming up with safe ideas is far too costly. To do whats best for brands, we have to let creativity do it’s thing.
