Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Apathy, Attitude & Aptitude, Creative Development, Creativity, Germany, Insight, Relevance, Resonance, Strategy
This is my last post for a couple of weeks as I head off on a stupid trip around the World.
Los Angeles.
London.
Milan.
Amsterdam.
And finally … Berlin.
While I’m excited for all the places I’m going – even more so, the people I’m meeting – I am especially excited about going to Berlin.
Part of that is because it’s one of my favourite cities.
Part of that is because I get to see some friends I’ve not seen for years.
Part of that is because I’ve been kindly invited to speak at the GWA/Strategy Collective ‘Strat Con’ conference.
The topic of the conference is basically a discussion around the future of strategy … which is appropriate given I think if we carry on the way we’re going, there won’t be one. Or at least a bright one.
And why do I say this?
Well, it should be obvious, but if I had to sum it up it’s this:
Everyone thinks they’re different. Everyone is exactly the same.
Of course, a lot of this is because we all use the same tools, systems, models and approaches.
Where the goal is less about impact and change and far more about ‘packaging efficiency’, all reinforced by ‘for profit’ gurus who flog their systems – and themselves – as business superchargers when they’re insurance salesmen enforcing a self-interest driven definition of category convention.
Add to this the increasing amount of clients who want anything relating to their business, their audience or their competitors sanitized or erased from the ‘planning process’ to ensure their ego remains unharmed, and you can see why it’s not just strategy fighting for its relevance, but marketing as a whole.
It’s kind-of why I also find it hilarious we’re so worried about AI when the real problem is us.
Our complicity to formats and systems means innovation, invention and originality is literally being filtered out of our process and thinking so how they hell can we complain about AI when we’re making it so easy to duplicate us.
If you think this means my talk at Strat Con is going to be depressing, you’re right … it is.
Or should I say the first half is …
The second half will hopefully leave the attendees feeling a bit more hopeful.
Maybe excited even.
We’ll see … I hope so, I want the discipline and the industry to win.
And the good news is we have the talent, the brains and the creativity to do it … we just need to step out of the ‘brain jail’ we’ve all slowly walked our way into, encouraged and pushed by certain individuals who have a vested financial interest in taking us there and then keeping us there.
So see you in a couple of weeks, because while I’ll be back from my trip much shorter than that, I think we all could do with a rest from me.
Including me.
Besides, any bruises I end up with after my speech will need some time to recover.
Ta-ra. See you on Monday 13th July.
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, AI, Attitude & Aptitude, Confidence, Conformity, Craft, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Independence, Individuality, Planners, Planning, Point Of View, Strategy
One of the many things I love about China, are their proverbs.
Whatever the subject, there will be an expression that captures the issue in a brilliant, wonderful way.
And there’s so bloody many of them … and each one not only makes you nod your head in agreement, but also makes you think and then look at things differently afterwards.
Anyway, I heard one recently that I love.
In fact, I love it so much I’m going to use it as the ‘final lesson’ in a presentation I’m writing for a talk in Berlin – more of that in tomorrow’s post.
The quote is this:
I love it.
I love it for a load of reasons.
One of them being that China tends to encourage conformity rather than individuality – so this is beautiful for simply challenging that convention.
But the other reason is that it sums up the heart of the presentation I’m writing.
Especially in a world where so many people are – rightfully – worrying about the impact AI will have on their job, career, livelihood.
Because to take that quote one step further …
If you spend years doing all you can to become a perfect, straight tree …
A tree who stands perfectly with all those other perfect straight trees …
Not only could you find yourself being chopped down and turned into boards, you may discover that’s all you were ever going to be allowed to be.
Or said another way:
When you blindly follow someone else’s definition of ‘best practice’, the result isn’t just that you get turned into boards … it’s that your career is spent being walked on and walked over by people who never cared what you could become, only what they could become.
Which is why if you want to increase the odds of living a bigger life, be the wild tree.
Because while others may mock your shapes, bends and scars … you’ll know they’re signs of a life well lived, not a life walked upon.
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Confidence, Delusion, Linkedin, Marketing Fail
I’ve got to be honest, I’m getting fed up reading certain people’s sarcastic comments on other people’s posts on Linkedin.
I could maybe handle it more if they were responding to something offensive or idiotic.
I could maybe tolerate it more if the commenter had a long history of doing things that were truly special.
And I could maybe accept it more if they had a track record of posting interesting and well considered posts of their own over time
But in most cases, none of these ‘occasional acceptable’ filters are true, because not only is the only thing these people are synonymous with is trolling others posts … the issues they attack are, for all intents and purpose, harmless observations or a badly phrased updates.
But there they are, fulfilling their ‘main character’ delusions by going on the attack with a smug ferocity that makes you think they’re a fully paid-up member of the Andrew Tate fuckwit gang.
Talking of Andrew Tate … their responses always sound like they’ve been shaped by that manosphere twat.
You just know they’re convinced their retort is as sharp as a knife being plunged deep between someone else’s eyes, but to everyone else, we simply see their comments as blunt and missing the spot by a mile.
There’s one person in particular who seems to have all the sniper skills of a blind, drunk man … but that doesn’t stop him. Every day I see him make an attempt to churn out a sarcastic comment, even though his words always come across as inane and as confusing as the person he’s attempting to ridicule.
The funniest part is you just know they think this makes them look clever to others …
Or they hope they do, because that’s the characteristic they desire most in the world.
You can tell this by the other way they behave on Linkedin …
Crawling and fawning to people who have achieved the level of industry status and fame they crave … with the caveat, the people they aspire to be tend to all express themselves with the level of self-righteous arrogance that would put Nigel Farrage to shame.
Of course, many can respond to comments on Linkedin without ever looking stupid, arrogant or desperate for attention.
And there’s even a few who can pull it off while being openly sarcastic and confronting. [Albeit because they’re smart, experienced and their comments are actually addressing an issue that needs challenging]
But the individuals I’m talking about don’t fit either of that criteria …
So, while they may be fooling themselves into thinking they’re sharp, witty and successful-as-hell … they’re not fooling anyone else.
Which is why I love they keep posting.
Because the more they think it elevates them, the more it’s bringing them down.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Business, Clients, Communication Strategy, Complicity, Confidence, Conformity, Consultants, Craft, Creative Brief, Creative Development, Creativity, Experience, Fulfillment, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail
I’ve been around.
I’ve been doing this strategy thing for longer than many who read this blog have been alive.
And of all the things I’ve learned, one of the most valuable has been to never doubt the importance of having a good client.
To be clear, a ‘good client’ doesn’t mean they never challenge you. Or place high expectations on you. Or resist the urge to add pressure to what needs to be done and by when.
The reality is good clients do all those things. The difference is how they do it and why.
Because a good client acts as a proper partner.
They take responsibility for what they need to make happen.
They calm and control the internal noise, voices and opinions.
They share your ambition for the work, not just for the desired impact of the work.
They welcome, encourage and invite truth and transparency.
They remove the barriers and fears that stand in the way of making something great.
The don’t blame, shame or complain – they stay the course and know when to get involved and, just as importantly, stay out the way.
They never dictate … because they’re always clear with what needs to be done and why.
And if things change, they tell you early and transparently.
Plus you know they will have done what they can before that situation occurred.
They always listen at least as much as they talk.
They brief with an actual document not just a casual conversation.
They give feedback that is objective rather than just subjective
They don’t let internal processes stand in the way of opportunities that come their way.
They trust you and your expertise and look for the best rather than seek out the worst.
And they never, never treat you like you’re a servant, commodity or low-level employee.
They do all those things.
All of them. All the time.
Which is why you can have all the processes in the world …
You can have all the systems, data, structures and efficiency tools …
But not one of those comes close to what a great client can deliver and do.
For the work.
For the business.
For the customers and employees.
And for making sure you do everything you can to given them the work of their lives.
We don’t talk about this enough.
And we certainly don’t teach it or train it.
Instead, we keep hearing how we must adhere to a singular process or format, regardless of category or context, even though it has often been created by people who have never made anything of note and if they have, in one area and one area only.
You can tell who they are because they love to sound like they are business liberators when – as I’ve said many times – they’re far more like insurance salesmen.
And that’s find if you want that sort of thing – but often that is never how it is sold. Now of course I understand there’s huge costs and risks associated with creativity and marketing … but there’s a major difference between playing to win and playing not to lose … which is why there’s a huge difference between a client who uses process and deliverables as a stick and those who operate via transparency, taste and trust.
And for those of you who don’t think one person can negatively – or positively – influence the output of a corporation, even if they have built an approach and format that has been tested over years, I refer you to the quote by the Dalai Lama.
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito”
We need more training from the people who have made great things happen and over again …
Actual things, not just theories, self promotion or
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Comment, Creative Development, Creativity, Distinction, Effectiveness, Emotion, Empathy, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Perspective, Planners, Planning, Point Of View, Relevance, Reputation, Resonance, Respect
As it’s Monday, let me start this post with some good news.
This is the last week of posts for a while as I’m flying off to Europe on Friday.
Not for a holiday.
Not for Colenso.
But for a stream of meetings in LA, London, Amsterdam, Milan and Berlin.
All in 8 days. Darrrrrling.
God, what an asshole humble brag. That isn’t even humble.
Which is why I am not asking you to feel sorry for me because [1] I’m not stupid and [2] 8 days or not, it’s a fucking dream gig. However – if it makes you feel any better – while all of these trips are at the invitation of a range of different VIP’s, I’m only going because they want me to be their cat litter tray rather than be a valued guest.
Did that make you feel less loathing towards me?
What about making the darkness of Monday morning feel a bit brighter?
No? OK … better move quickly on.
So not too long ago, I wrote a post about the brilliant Trevor Beattie and his brilliant analysis of the modern Specsavers creative work.
Specifically, the strategic shift from ‘what it was’ to ‘what it is’.
And while he didn’t say the current work doesn’t live up to the standards of the original work, his central point highlights – at least to me – why I don’t think it does, exemplified by this piece of work that I saw near our office recently.
I should point out this gives me no joy to say whatsoever, because:
1. Specsavers played a significant role in saving my sight by recognizing my disease early and then writing a referral letter for me to urgently see a specialist.
2. Specsavers has continually proved the commercial and creative power of s great idea.
3. The shift Trevor highlighted, may – for reasons I don’t quite understand – be deliberate.
But whatever is behind it … going from the comedic potential of not seeing properly to laughing at the incurably stupid … has potentially resulted in moving the brand from friend to foe.
Or worse, bully.
Now whether they meant this to happen or not is anyone’s guess.
I’m assuming not.
Which reinforces the need to always understand the nuance of an idea – because if you don’t do that, you don’t just undermine years of craft, care and rigor, you undermine the very value you are being paid to elevate.
See my recent post about the billboard for the movie, Devil Wears Prada 2.
There’s too much complexity in our business. But solving it with simplistic interpretation doesn’t help anyone either.
Which suggests every creative, strategist, suit and marketer may need to go to Specsavers to see how to do their job properly.
With craft.
With rigor.
With care.
With an ability to actually – ironically – see it.
And with an understanding of the nuance behind the idea so your work – whaever role you play – is always building the brand up rather than tearing it down.