Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Childhood, Confidence, Culture, Cunning, Dad, Daddyhood, Embarrassing Moments, Empathy, EvilGenius, Family, Fatherhood, Jill, Love, Nike, Otis, Parents, Resonance, Social Commentary
So I’ve been doing this advertising job thing for 30 years.
THIRTY.
And in that time, I've had the huge honour and privilege to work with amazing people around the world and do work that has achieved a certain level of fame and notoriety.
Because of that, I have been invited to speak at conferences all around the World … rubbing shoulders that frankly, I should have no right to.
The point of all this is that I've done quite a lot and achieved quite a lot.
Believe it or not, this is not a humble brag, in fact it's about to be a public humiliation.
You see a few weeks ago, while working from home, I was on video conference with a very senior member of NIKE's global team.
They were talking about some stuff, and realising I didn't have a notepad, I nipped downstairs to get a notepad.
When I came back, my client told me Otis had came in, done an impromptu naked bum dance at the screen, then ran out giggling.
To top it off, they said, “… and your son is still more professional than you”
Fortunately this client has known Otis since he was born so he found it funny – as would anyone really – and the meeting carried on as before.
Anyway, as I found this amusing, I put it on Twitter and LinkedIn as ‘the perils from working from home with a 5 year old’.
Within 3 days … THREE … it had achieved more views and shares than literally any conference, presentation, talk, blog post or tweet I’ve ever written.
In fact, it probably comes second to all of them combined.
ALL. OF. THEM.
Doesn’t matter if a talk of mine had been online for 10 years.
Beaten.
Didn’t matter if I’d written an occasionally topical blog post or tweet.
Beaten.
In 3 days, my sons naked bum dance had trounced all of them.
As of the time of writing, on LinkedIn alone, that single post has been read over 190,000 times, been shared 347 times, had over 3000 people approve it, had 100 comments and ignited over 220 different people – from big CEO/CMO’s to law firms – to ask to join my ‘network’.
Yes, my sons naked bum encouraged people to want to connect to me.
What sort of weird bastards are they?
[Of course I said yes, beggars can’t be choosers]
And while I can use this story at every birthday or celebration that Otis has for the next 30 years, nothing has highlighted how utterly futile my career has been than this.
Parents are said to always want their kids to go further than they have achieved.
Well he’s done it already.
At age 5.
Good job I love you with all my heart Otis.
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Well done Otis. 💛
Jemma
Comment by Jemma King May 6, 2020 @ 6:26 amThis is hilarious. It also highlights the strength of your client relationships. This is even more impressive when I have seen the level of abuse you subject them to.
Comment by George May 6, 2020 @ 6:33 amAlso shows his clients prefer dealing with Otis more than him.
Comment by Bazza May 6, 2020 @ 6:49 amTrue.
Comment by George May 6, 2020 @ 6:58 am‘Strength of my client relationships’ is almost government standard of reframing. Hahaha.
But yes, it’s an old client who has dealt with me for a long time – and has known Otis since birth – so I think they saw this as a beautiful opportunity for payback. It worked given the popularity of the humiliation on LinkedIn. Haha.
Comment by Rob May 6, 2020 @ 7:08 amfuck off campbell. the one thing you have is the ability to be rude as fuck and have them putty in your hands. i still havent worked out how the fuck you do it, so i have just decided it was all part of your deal with satan. there is literally no other fucking reason it happens. or why any part of your fucking luxury life happens.
Comment by andy@cynic May 6, 2020 @ 12:19 pmSo you are officially less popular than someone’s ass?
This is the best post on this blog. Thank you Otis.
Comment by Bazza May 6, 2020 @ 6:44 amThat is a resume headline that guarantees you will always get called in for a meeting.
Comment by George May 6, 2020 @ 7:00 amBut never hired.
Comment by Pete May 6, 2020 @ 7:20 amThanks for clarifying that for me Baz.
Comment by Rob May 6, 2020 @ 7:09 amYou should give the list of linkedin contacts to the cops. Or to linkedin. It’s strange enough people want to connect with you, but their reason for it is the opposite of the values the preeminent “professional networking platform” want to project.
Comment by Bazza May 6, 2020 @ 6:48 amIsn’t linkedin already the opposite of a professional network platform?
Comment by Pete May 6, 2020 @ 7:19 am🔥 👏
Comment by Bazza May 6, 2020 @ 7:23 amOtis you are a darling.
Comment by Mary Bryant May 6, 2020 @ 7:00 amThe photo of Otis is brilliant. The perfect blend of innocence and mischief. Just like his father.
Comment by Pete May 6, 2020 @ 7:19 amBut Otis is much cuter. Sorry Robert.
Comment by Mary Bryant May 6, 2020 @ 8:13 amMary FTW.
Comment by DH May 6, 2020 @ 1:30 pmI hope your client wasn’t suggesting that he or she is used to a Campbell talking out of his arse? You deserve more respect than that.
Comment by John May 6, 2020 @ 9:45 amThough, I assume, Nike now insist on Otis’s presence in all meetings.
Comment by John May 6, 2020 @ 10:29 amOtis received a bunch of Nike freebies today – so I think you’re right. On the bright side, I’m proud he is embracing his fathers love of blagging.
Comment by Rob May 6, 2020 @ 10:57 amJust think what you could get if you threatened to repeat his behaviour.
In addition to being fired and arrested, that is.
Comment by John May 6, 2020 @ 11:29 amwhy is this news to you campbell? every fucker has known this from day 1.
Comment by andy@cynic May 6, 2020 @ 12:18 pmI bet Otis dance was more activity than you’ve done in years Rob.
Comment by DH May 6, 2020 @ 1:31 pmDecades.
Comment by Bazza May 6, 2020 @ 4:08 pm[…] I wrote a while back, Otis’ naked bum dance to a very important member of the NIKE global management was an interesting one. While he has […]
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