Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Awards, China, Creativity, Culture, Equality
This is an open letter to Little Black Book, Campaign Brief, Adweek, Cannes, Warc … basically every industry publication or award show around the world.
Please …
Pretty please …
… can you stop awarding English speaking agencies – especially those only with offices in English speaking nations, only producing work in English – titles like ‘Best APAC agency’.
I get they may have won more awards than any other agency in the region.
I get they may have topped more categories than any other agency in the region.
I get they may have been recognised more than any other agency in the region.
BUT at best, they’re the best ENGLISH SPEAKING agency in APAC.
That clarification is important …
Because apart from it being factually correct, it stops devaluing and demeaning the companies, agencies and people who don’t speak English as their native language.
Which in terms of the APAC region, is the vast majority.
Years ago, an agency who had been named APAC Agency of the Year, put something out that said something like:
“If you’re a company in Japan who are ambitious, then the APAC Agency of the Year would love to help you fulfil your goals”.
Now I get recognition is important.
I also get being named APAC Agency of the Year is utterly epic.
But … but …
Hell, it wasn’t even written in Japanese … which suggests they didn’t think it mattered if you don’t speak the language, don’t know the culture, don’t have an office in that country, don’t have any Japanese employees, don’t work in Japanese … you can teach them a thing or two about great work.
I mean, can you get more Colonialist than that???
Hell, even if they meant it in terms of expanding outside of Japan – rather than inside the country – it’s still pretty arrogant.
That said, I used to see this shit all the time when I was in China.
I still remember an exec from a UK-only based agency telling a room full of Chinese business leaders “we can help them be successful”, despite that being the very first time they had been in China … or the social media ‘guru’ who told people at Unilever China why Twitter was so powerful, not realising Twitter was banned in China.
It would be hilarious if it wasn’t tragic.
I should point out Colenso has been crowned ‘best APAC agency’ in its time … and while that before I was here, I still find it wrong and would openly say it was.
Sure, they didn’t suggest they were going to colonise the whole region with their approach to creativity, but they also didn’t say they weren’t … which still suggests some sort of superiority, intentional or not.
Look, I get the titles are a byproduct of how the awards are calculated … and I get it also reflects who enters and how many times … but given the vast majority of the judges are English natives – with Western frames-of-reference – it immediately benefits those who come from similar backgrounds.
This is not a new issue for me.
I said it when I got Chaz from BBH to do a co/presentation with me/Wieden in 2012 … I said in back in 2013, when I was invited to speak at Mumbrella about Asian creativity and I said it every time I was spoke at an Asian awards where the lead language was – bizarrely – English.
Asian creativity has a terrible reputation.
I know there’s issues of scam advertising, but that’s not unique to Asia. Remember Peggy?
The reality is the Asian region has used creativity in innovative ways for thousands of years.
For fucks sake, this is where paper, printing, money, gunpowder, wheelbarrows, coffins, chopsticks, toilet paper, holistic health and TikTok originated.
Sure, the creativity produced today may not always follow Western market approaches … and their contexts of life may be very different to other countries … but that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy, valuable, creative or interesting.
We can all learn from others.
There is so much to gain from hearing how other countries approach things.
Being the best English speaking agency in APAC is still a wonderful achievement.
But there’s enough ego in this industry without us adding to it by handing out titles that have more in common with colonialism than creativity.
Over to you industry award and magazines …
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Agency Culture, Apathy, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Business, Corporate Evil, Corporate Gaslighting, Culture, Devious Strategy, Equality, Management, Marketing Fail
A few weeks ago, I saw this Linkedin x Headspace ‘survey’ …
What struck me immediately was the possible choice of answers they gave.
Not one offered any possibility that the ‘scaries’ could be caused by the company you are working for.
None.
No reference to toxic behaviour.
No reference to bad working conditions.
No reference to unrealistic expectations.
And yet, if you visit Corporate Gaslighting, you will see endless stories of people having to deal with just that … and let me tell you, no amount of prep, self-care, going out or unplugging is going to solve that.
Now I know someone is paying Linkedin for this ‘survey’, but in choosing to only offer those options, they – and Headspace – are reinforcing the belief the emphasis of blame – and responsibility – falls with the employee … and frankly, that’s the sort of attitude that causes the ‘scaries’ in the first place.
Now of course Linkedin has form for claiming ‘professional community’ while revealing they’re all about corporate complicity, but if they want to at least continue that claim, it would be great if they ensured they reflected the needs of the audience, not just the person who is paying them the most.
And people wonder why the great resignation happened … even though, as I wrote a while back, that title was chosen by people who show they don’t really understand the conditions they’ve created because ‘the great reset’ or ‘the last hope’ would be far more appropriate.
Linkedin.
Headspace.
You could play an important role in the future of work.
Not just in getting jobs, but setting standards and allowing alternative voices to be heard.
I get money is also important, but you’re better than this … surely?
That said, maybe your actions are the best demonstration of what corporate life is these days.
Chase the money.
Do whatever the highest bidder asks.
Only mingle with like-minded people so no one gets to call either out.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Comment, Confidence, Culture, Education, Emotion, Empathy, Equality, Honesty, Leadership, Legend
I hate losing.
Absolutely hate it.
But I also understand there are benefits to it.
Well, if you lost despite giving your all.
Because losing is a lesson.
It forces you to take a long hard look at yourself.
What you did.
What you didn’t.
What you can improve.
What you need to improve.
What you can take forward with you.
And while there’s the famous Vince Lombardi quote:
“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser”
… I’ve found those who take loss on the chin aren’t necessarily doing it because they don’t care, they’re doing it because they do.
But recently I found incredible quote from Muhammad Ali.
A new way to look at the role of losing … and I love it.
What a way to own loss …
Turning the narrative from despair to character.
Changing judgement into inspiration.
And to do that when you’ve lost the ‘fight of the century’ … incredible.
But then Ali always knew the role and responsibility he held.
He may not have wanted it, but he was not going to close the door on those who needed it.
Needed him.
Needed his direction, inspiration and articulation.
Needed to know there was a chance of a better life than the one others wanted them to have.
Which is why it makes everything even more perfect that he then went on to win that fight.
Twice.
Because honour in losing was just preparation for his honour is victory.
In a World of white, toxic machismo … how we could do with Ali’s majesty right now.
Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Culture, England, Equality, Family
Recently a mate sent me a photo and – quite frankly – I’m all kinds of obsessed with it.
Look at it.
LOOK AT IT!!!
How amazing is that?!
I have no idea how they could capture so much in one frame, but they did.
Everywhere I look there’s an image that makes me go, “WTF?” … from the travel agents, that seems the most misplaced shop in the history of misplaced shops, through to that guy in the top window seemingly relieving himself on the people below.
I have no idea if this image is staged.
If it is, it’s utterly brilliantly done.
But I have a feeling its real, because while I’ve never seen all of these things happen at the same time, I’ve definitely been in places where a bunch of them have.
More than that, I’ve been in places where what we see in this photo is not some sort of circus of chaos, but everyday normality.
While I didn’t grow up in that environment, a lot of my friends did – and so I spent a lot of time in those places when I was younger. And you know what, I only saw good in it. The community. The interaction. The colour and vibrancy. The noise. The freedom.
Which is why even though it would be easy to make judgements on the people in the photo – and the environment they’re living in – my personal context tells me they’re good people [except maybe the guy urinating on those below] dealing with a different set of circumstances and options.
Or said another way, they’re a product of a system designed to dismiss them rather than enable them.
A system that determined they only deserve minimal investment in housing, education and infrastructure because there was more personal-gain to be had directing the funds to places and people who offered more political and professional capital.
Sick really isn’t it?
Especially when council’s and governments are supposed to look after the best interests of all, not just those who will keep them in power.
Now many of my friends who grew up in these places have gone on to do great things.
Started their own businesses.
Become amazing parents to amazing families.
Moved into jobs where they can help others move forward.
But all of this was because of who they are – and who their families are – rather than the system wanting to help.
Which is the issue I have with democracy … because it encourages self-interest, not the nations.
Now of course, democracy is better than the alternative but I do think it would be better served if the voting age was 16 – 65.
A way to better equalise the balance of voters.
A way to allow more policies designed for youth rather than about them.
A way to stop youth only being able to make their voice heard from the age of 18, when those 65 and above, can keep pushing their opinion till death.
This does not mean I want to rob the elderly of their rights or the benefits they deserve. It’s just I don’t want youth to be told what they can have by people who aren’t them and so, don’t really get what they want or need.
So while this photo is amazing for a whole host of reasons, the main one – for me – is how we live doesn’t represent who we are.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Context, Creativity, Culture, Dad, Daddyhood, Differentiation, Distinction, Diversity, Education, Effectiveness, Emotion, Empathy, Equality, Family, Fatherhood, Government, Happiness, Imagination, Inclusion, Individuality, Insight, Jill, Love, Management, Marketing, My Fatherhood, New Zealand, Otis, Parents, Perspective, Prejudice, Relevance, Resonance, Respect, Social Divide, Standards, Teamwork, Trust
I recently saw this piece of brilliance …
Isn’t it awesome?
Of course some people will think it’s cute … but wrong.
Whereas others may think it’s cute … and smart.
Putting aside the fact the responsibility for clarity of communication is with the communicator, not the recipient – which means the exam board have to accept their role in the answer given – it also highlights how one persons ‘normal’ is another persons ‘lateral thinking’.
I know that sounds a big leap for what is a young kids incorrect/correct answer to an exam question … but at a time where the British PM wants to kill the arts and freedom of expression for kids in schools – in favour of even more logical and rational studies – it’s a sign how early we try to destroy/control/devalue the imaginations of the young.
What I find ironic about the British PM’s stance is that he seems to be of the belief that having people study maths for longer will make everything better.
Putting aside the fact that much of the UK’s global influence – ignoring the violent invasions of other countries – has come from the arts, that’s a big call to make.
Even more so when you consider the financial mess the UK is in right now, has come from the hands of the very people he wants to encourage more of.
As a parent this situation is very difficult.
Of course we want our children to be set up to embrace life. But if they’re all being taught the same thing … in the same way … without consideration of what their own personal talents, interests and abilities are … then are you actually preparing them to thrive or simply survive?
Recently Otis got diagnosed with a learning difficulty.
I say difficulty, but really it’s a complication.
It’s called Dysgraphia.
While this doesn’t affect his ability to learn, it does affect how he does it and what he may be able to do because of it.
We are incredibly grateful the school he goes to – Birkenhead Primary – not only embraced this situation by changing the way he could engage and present his schoolwork. They did it by specifically tailoring their classes and approach to ensure Otis could participate in ways that actively played to his strengths while maintaining the pace of everyone’s learning. And if that wasn’t impressive enough … they were the ones who first noticed there may be an area of challenge for him and were proactive in acting on it.
The impact of this approach on Otis has been enormous.
Not just in areas of his schoolwork that were being impacted because of dysgraphia, but in his overall confidence, enjoyment and willingness to participate.
He has always been a kid who tries hard and wants to do the right thing [so definitely more like Jill than me] … but thanks to his teachers, he now feels he can express himself fully rather than having to become a smaller version of himself in an attempt to find a way to get through certain areas of class that challenged him because of his dysgraphia rather than his ability.
Frankly I doubt this would have happened if we were still in the UK.
Not because the teachers aren’t as good, but because the system doesn’t allow the sort of deviation of approach that Otis’ school created for him.
What’s scary is Sunak’s attitude towards education will only make this situation for kids like Otis, even harder.
Either actively leaving them behind or setting them up for a life of anxiety, guilt and feelings of inadequacy. And yet it doesn’t have to be that way.
So many of these complications aren’t barriers to learning capacity, just accessibility.
A bit of flexibility can unlock the full potential of a child, especially with the power of technology these days.
But the schooling system is increasingly about ‘targets’ rather than learning.
Preparing you for exams rather than life.
Systems rather than needs.
And while I totally accept creating an education system that caters to the masses as well as the edges is incredibly difficult, having a one-dimensional system that ‘succeeds’ by forcing compliance and oppression is not the solution either.
What the British PM needs to understand is making kids study maths for longer isn’t going to solve the UK’s economic woes. But maybe designing an education system that enables teachers to help kids learn how to play to their strengths, is.
Or to paraphase Sir Ken Robinson … see creativity and imagination as a strength, not a weakness.
We’re so lucky Otis’ school values potential rather than parity … but I can’t help but wonder how many other clever kids are out there who have been written off simply because the system would not allow for them to be recognised, embraced and helped.
When will certain governments understand an educated generation is a successful nation?
Probably when they understand school should be about learning not teaching and it’s an investment rather than a cost.