You see that picture above?
That’s what Nickelodeon studios used to look like versus what it looks like today.
From colourful playfulness to bland corporate box.
From a place that was a magnet for kids to a place that resembles the sort of establishment parents warn their kids of going to.
OK, so that studio closed down in 2005, so the change in look is understandable, however I’ve seen far too many companies who view living their brand values and beliefs as an expense rather than an investment, which means:
1. They don’t mean what they say, they’re just saying it because it’s making them money.
2. They’re undermining their potential from the very start.
How the hell did it get to this?
Oh I know, accountants.
The people who are paid to minimise cost rather than maximise value.
The people who have been trained to ignore emotion and only focus on the rational facts.
The people who only care about Wall Street, not the people whose dollars can influence how Wall Street look at you.
Don’t get me wrong, I know money makes the World go round.
I know that you can easily spend way too much on stuff.
But when you are a brand – like Nickelodeon – whose very existence was built on their ability to represent, attract and influence a particular, hard-to-reach generation … then acting like the antithesis of your soul doesn’t seem such a smart decision.
Of course the tragedy is we live in a World where business celebrates short term gains, because no one stays around long enough for any of the long term pains.
What a mixed up World we live in, which is why we should be extra grateful for brands like GoPro, who are a culture more than just a company.