Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Comment, Context, Creativity, Culture, Devious Strategy, Effectiveness, Food, Happiness, Insight, Marketing
A few weeks ago I was asked to talk to a board of directors about creativity in business. Specifically, how they could encourage more of it.
I showed them this:
I had seen this image on Twitter and fell in love with it.
Yes, it’s a small thing, but it’s an important one.
Alright … before I go over the top, I do appreciate it’s simply a napkin holder with some words printed on it and there’s millions of companies that offer that.
But instead of just putting their company name on it – or NAPKINS in big letters – someone at this shop saw the opportunity to use them to add charm and value to their brand and product.
Hell, I’ve seen 3 minute TV commercials that can’t achieve that.
And all it took was 4 words.
Four words to turn a lowly napkin into a Donut Evidence Removal Kit. A Donut Evidence Removal Kit that celebrates the deliciousness of their food. That acknowledges what you’ve just eaten is definitely on the naughty side of indulgence.
FOUR WORDS.
ON A NAPKIN DISPENSER.
And yet it all comes together to convey a ridiculous amount of cheeky charm for a shop that, whatever way you look at it, simply sells fried dough.
So don’t tell me creativity doesn’t add value or drive business.
It can make more of a claim for effectiveness than logic ever will.
15 Comments so far
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be honest campbell. they had you at donuts.
Comment by andy@cynic March 14, 2022 @ 8:24 amTrue.
Comment by Rob March 14, 2022 @ 9:01 amanyone who makes donuts proof of creative effectiveness cant be all bad. you just try really fucking hard campbell.
Comment by andy@cynic March 14, 2022 @ 8:26 amThat’s a hell of a write-up for a napkin.
Comment by DH March 14, 2022 @ 8:30 amShortly after this photo was taken, Rob bought all the donuts and sat in a corner eating them.
Comment by Bazza March 14, 2022 @ 8:33 amAnd expensed them.
Comment by John March 14, 2022 @ 8:39 amI’d never expense them John. I’d get someone else to pay for them in the first place.
Comment by Rob March 14, 2022 @ 9:02 amhe isnt that fucking positive about queen.
Comment by andy@cynic March 14, 2022 @ 9:37 amDid the directors try to buy Krispy Kreme or did they understand what you were saying?
Comment by John March 14, 2022 @ 8:33 amIt’s good Robert. Not sure if it is as good as you seem to think it is.
Comment by George March 14, 2022 @ 8:52 amHeathen. Haha.
Comment by Rob March 14, 2022 @ 9:02 amDonut? Have you become American over the weekend, Robert?
Comment by Lee Hill March 14, 2022 @ 8:56 amApparently. What was I thinking???
Comment by Rob March 14, 2022 @ 9:02 amtwat.
Comment by andy@cynic March 14, 2022 @ 9:38 amYou might be overselling it, but I can’t dismiss your point about it being more effective and interesting than a lot television commercials.
Comment by Pete March 14, 2022 @ 11:23 am