I recently had to go to a DIY centre.
On a Sunday.
For anyone who knows me, this is literally my idea of hell.
Fortunately I asked Jill to go inside instead of me to avoid having to kill myself.
I know that sounds like a shitty thing to do, but she LOVES DIY – and is amazing at it – so it was really a gift.
Anyway …
While I was waiting in the carpark, I saw their sign. This was it …
I don’t know about you. but when I looked at it, I didn’t notice the 15% off price guarantee, I noticed they had designed it to look like it had been done by hand.
Oh I get it, DIY store = DIY sign.
But …
Apart from this falling into the ‘cheeky Chappy’ tone that Uncommon destroyed with their [still] best work for B&Q, I can’t help thinking that if anywhere should have perfect signage and store interiors, it’s a DIY retailer.
Sure, there’s something ‘human’ about the imperfection of creation, but faking it doesn’t make me connect to the brand more, it makes me look at them and wonder what the fuck they were thinking.
Yes, it’s a minute thing.
Yes, Mitre 10 are pretty good.
But – as I am seeing a lot in NZ right now – this obsession with reinforcing stereotypes isn’t actually removing barriers for people to feel they can step in and step up with the ambitions or aspirations they have for their life … it’s keeping them, and treating them, like nothing ever changes.
NZ is an amazing place and has so many things the rest of the world could/should learn from … and we genuinely are grateful for the wonderful opportunity the people here have given us to live here – but for a nation that needs ambition and entrepreneurship to maintain a positive future, it’s amazing how little of that spirit is championed or celebrated by society, government and brands.
And while many will claim it’s because of the humble spirit of this great nation, it’s probably – and terrifyingly – because of this.