Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Colenso, Comment, Confidence, Consultants, Content, Context, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Emotion, Empathy, Fake Attitude, HHCL, Imagination, Immaturity, Love, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Only In Adland, Planners, Relationships, Resonance, Respect, Uncommon, WeigelCampbell, Wieden+Kennedy
This is a plant in our office.
I have no idea who owns it.
I must admit I don’t even really like it.
But that sticker …
Oh I like that.
I like it a lot.
Sure, to some it may be stupid.
Or even disrespectful.
But to me, it shows a company where the people within it have a mischievously creative spirit. The sort who spot creative opportunities to do something people will notice, or relate to or just feel for a whole host of reasons.
In just a single word, they found a way to make anyone who sees that little sticker not just see a plant, but a hard-to-please, always demanding, never content, forever dissatisfied pain-in-the-ass plant diva.
In short, they gave a plant a personality.
In one word.
Yes I know I have a ‘history’ with dodgy stickers – and I also loved the time someone at Wieden Shanghai put the sticker ‘freedom’ next to the ground floor button in the lift [which was promptly taken down, probably by the same person who still goes mental when they discover another of my Wieden leaving stickers hidden somewhere in the building despite me having left years ago, hahahaha] … but I particularly love this one.
I love someone thought it was worth doing.
I don’t care they may have given it no thought whatsoever – in fact that makes me like it more – because it’s those little, pointless things that reveals the most important thing you could ever want to know about an agency.
Are you entering a place that has a culture of creativity or a business that sells efficiency processes under the label of creativity?
14 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I bloody adore this also! The idea, the reality, the fact that someone did it against all the possible self-questioning ‘why-nots’. God we need more randomly inspired freshness that challenges the daily dirge and reminds us that whatever else we are (or wish we were) we ARE capable of astonishing acts of imagination. My all-time favourite quote: “It’s our defiance that redeems us”.
Comment by Jerry Beale June 23, 2021 @ 8:06 amI love that quote. I am a massive believer that we have got so bombarded with logic that the only logical way to make any impact on culture – or have culture give a shit about anything – is to let acts of ridiculous win.
Comment by Rob June 23, 2021 @ 9:01 amOnly you would see this but it is an excellent observation Robert. A true creative culture is demonstrated in the small acts not the big.
Comment by George June 23, 2021 @ 8:44 amOh I like that definition a lot.
Comment by Rob June 23, 2021 @ 8:58 ama sticker on a fucking fucked plant is better than some of the shit ive seen winning metal at cannes.
Comment by andy@cynic June 23, 2021 @ 9:08 amand you have a very fucking twisted love of stickers campbell. you fucking freak.
Comment by andy@cynic June 23, 2021 @ 9:09 amYes, it’s funny. But are agencies really so devoid of creativity that this sort of thing – something you’d see in any number of regular offices – is worthy of special comment? Not being snarky, just genuinely bemused.
Comment by John June 23, 2021 @ 9:17 amThat plant has more personality than any planner. Maybe you should all communicate through stickers. People might pay attention to you then. Might.
Comment by DH June 23, 2021 @ 9:24 amThanks for the insightful answer Dave, hahaha.
Comment by Rob June 23, 2021 @ 4:34 pmExcellent post Robert. The sort of devious observation only you notice.
Comment by Lee Hill June 23, 2021 @ 10:23 amYou know they wanted to put that sticker on you but you were on one of your “holidays.”
Comment by Bazza June 23, 2021 @ 1:23 pmBut it is one of your better posts.
Comment by Bazza June 23, 2021 @ 1:24 pm#backhandedcomplimentgold
Comment by DH June 23, 2021 @ 2:17 pmHis greatest talent.
Comment by Rob June 23, 2021 @ 4:35 pm