Filed under: Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Cannes, Creative Development, Creativity, Fans, Film, Jill, Management, Marketing, Martin Weigel, Music, Paula, Planners, Reputation, Strategy
Back in 2019, Martin Weigel and I were invited by WARC to do our talk, ‘The Case For Chaos’ at Cannes.
While it seemed to go down pretty well – despite me wearing a Louis Theroux t-shirt – we thought that was the last time it would ever happen and not just because COVID was to happen the following year.
However in 2023, WARC invited us to do it again, which – in my mind – was proof ‘long COVID’ was most definitely a real issue and it majorly affected people’s taste and judgement.
Anyway this time, the wonderful Paula Bloodworth joined us to present our infamous ‘Strategy Is Constipated, Imagination Is The Laxative’ talk.
Again, it seemed to go down quite well – despite me wearing a Rosie Cat/Sky Budgie t-shirt – but now we were absolutely certain it would ever happen.
And yet, despite their being no global pandemic to mess with WARC’s minds, they’ve brilliantly/stupidly asked us to do something one more time.
This time, Paula and I will be presenting a talk entitled, ‘Secrets Of Effective Strategy From Artists Who Only Live Creatively’.
In essence, it’s a talk about what we have learned about strategy from working with artists and how they have fundamentally changed our minds on how it’s done and what it’s capable of doing.
Now I must admit, I feel a bit of a fraud doing this, because while I have/do work [part-time] with a number of stupidly successful and amazing artists, I’m basically their ‘cat litter tray’ – doing any ol’ shit they can’t be bothered to do themselves or can’t be bothered to work out – whereas Paula not only works for the incredible Idris Elba fulltime, she is his true strategic partner … both in terms of helping him explore and fulfil his creative and commercial ambitions as well as being the CMO of his IE7 group of companies.
Anyway, our talk is on Wednesday, 16th June at 5pm at the WARC Rotonde Stage.
The premise of our talk covers this:
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Despite all its research, resources, technology and talent, why is the ad industry continually out-played, out-thought and out-innovated by artists with zero marketing knowledge, training or experience?
Based on first-hand experience, this presentation discusses the unique mindset of the artist and how this enables them to fulfill their creative and commercial ambitions in ways our industry’s over-reliance on process, research and spend rarely achieves.
With examples from artists including Idris Elba, Metallica, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus and Queen, ‘ Secrets Of Effective Strategy From Artists Who Only Live Creatively’ provides lessons every strategist, creative and marketing director can use to reignite the excitement, intrigue, creativity and commercial power in their own work.
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So if you’re there, come for the brilliance of Paula and stay for whatever tragic t-shirt I choose to wear on the day, which – if I’m being honest – will probably feature the words “Sorry Jill”, given I’ll be missing her birthday for this. Eek.
On the brightside, I’ve lost so much weight since I last presented at Cannes, people may think I’ve been on the Ozempic to fit in with the look of the celebrities we’ll be talking about – haha.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Ambition, Attitude & Aptitude, Audacious, Audio Visual, Brand, Brilliant Marketing Ideas In History, Collaboration, Content, Context, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Design, Distinction, Emotion, Environment, Fans, Film, Imagination, Loyalty, Management, Marketing, Metallica, Miley, Money, Music, Perspective, Planning, Provocative, Relevance, Reputation, Resonance, Respect, Rick Rubin
So we got through the first week of this blog in 2025.
Congratulations … we all survived and no one died. I think.
That said, the subject matters of the posts have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with things such as anger, frustration and loss. So with that in mind, I thought I’d end the week on a more positive tone.
Kinda.
One thing I have always actively rallied against is stringent strategic processes.
That doesn’t mean I don’t care about rigor or standards – obviously I do – however I don’t think that is demonstrated by blindly following a set process that has pre-determined what is or isn’t of value.
There’s 3 main reasons for this.
1. It automatically narrows and filters what can be used.
2. It ignores differing contexts, situations and categories.
3. You are actively stopping the chance for happy accidents and/or better answers.
It’s one of the main reasons I love working with artists, because at the end of the day – they are the creative – so for them, they determine success by what they FEEL is better rather than what the process tells them it is.
Nothing brought this home more to me than a scene in the documentary about the making of Do They Know It’s Christmas back in 1984.
Bob Geldof and Midge Ure had got together to write a song that they hoped would raise money for the starving in Africa. The single – launched in December ’84 – featured many of the up and coming posters of the era, ‘bullied’ into turning up by the irrepressible Geldof.
Over the space of a chaotic 24 hours, singers … duo … bands … all traipsed into SARM studios to record a song that had just been written and no one knew. Amazingly, there were few egos, with everyone focused on what they had to do, but it’s here that we see a brilliant example of letting the process play second fiddle to perfection’.
George Michael was at the mic and told how to sing his line.
He did it, but while sounding good, he felt it did not reflect the power he wanted to put into it.
So he suggested changing the intonation and sang it.
And he was right, it did sound better …
In fact, it became an iconic moment in the song.
But it might not have been if he was working with people obsessed with following the process than valuing what the process is supposed to deliver.
Fortunately, George was being produced by 2 other singers – and the incredible Trevor Horn, who owned SARM – who recognized that what they had suggested was no where near as good as what he had delivered. And so while it had an impact on how the following lines of the song were structured, they embraced it because ultimately, they knew it was better.
Have a look at this:
[As an aside, you should watch this fascinating interview where Geldof explains how self-awareness about his career meant he was uniquely positioned to identify the need and opportunity for the Band Aid single]
Now you may think this is obvious and I shouldn’t be making a big deal out of it.
And you’re right, it is … except we live in an age where too many companies focus more on the systems, processes and marketing practices than what they produce.
If you think I’m talking rubbish, ask yourself this.
Is there more conversation, debate and value placed on the process being put forward or the work delvered?
I would hasten a guess it’s the former.
It blows my mind.
As I said, process is important – but often its developed without any consideration to what it needs to create or change … blindly believing that if the process is ‘right’, then whatever comes out the other end must be too.
Which – as history and marketing has continued to prove – is bollocks.
Almost as bollocks as people sticking with whatever is made – even though they know it’s not as good as it could be – because ultimately they can point to ‘a process’ and outsource any responsibility of output to that.
How fucking cowardly.
But musicians don’t do that.
Musicians play for the song. Always.
Which is why they’re open to possibilities because the goal isn’t control, it’s expression.
Here are two other examples of it …
First Rick Rubin with his suggestion to Jay-Z on how to start 99 Problems
And Eddie van Halen, rearranging Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ so the solo sounded better:
Let’s be clear here, Jay-Z is hardly a shrinking violet. Same for Jackson. And yet they were open to their guests making a suggestion because they [1] knew it was coming from a good place and [2] it was better.
How often does that happen in our line of work?
How often does someone with ZERO experience in a particular discipline tell someone with a track record how to do their job. How to make something better?
It’s why I laugh when people like Mark Ritson comment on what is/isn’t good creativity.
Don’t get me wrong, he knows a huge amount about marketing practice … he offers real value in developing important marketing 101 rules and behaviours, but he knows fuck all about creativity or innovation.
And I wouldn’t care a less if he didn’t bang on like he was God.
As I said, he is very smart and can make a huge difference to certain sorts of companies. But – despite what he likes to think – not all companies. And the reason why I will always value someone like Rubin more than Ritson is that Rubin plays for the work, not for his own ego.
Open to someone being better. Or smarter. Or just making a better idea.
Not because they don’t care about the process, but because they care more about what it’s supposed to deliver.
Musicians often get dismissed as ramshackle and chaotic.
But if you look at some of the approaches adopted by artists such as Bjork, Metallica, Miley, Travis Scott, ABBA, Radiohead, Dolly Parton, The Black Keys, Rihanna, Marillion, Kendrick Lamare, Prince, Queen, Def Leppard, Pharrell and a whole host more – covering everything from crowdsourcing, business models, brand extensions, distribution management, brand assets, copyright investment, differentiation and distinction, gaming, brand experience and overall innovation in communication to name but a few – you will see they have pioneered more business and communication approaches and practice than almost any of the brands and gurus out there. Or at least done it before most of them.
Part of that is because they’re driven by their need to express themselves with total authenticity. Part of that is because they’re very aware of the context they’re entering – rather than blindly thinking what worked before will automatically work again. And part of that is because the process stops when things outside the process offer something better.
Which is why if you want to increase the odds of making something truly special happen … think like a musician, not a marketing practitioner.
A long time ago I met a music journalist who was interviewing rockstars with their kids.
But it wasn’t the typical, ‘what’s it like to have a superstar as a parent’ stuff, it was ‘what’s cringe about having a superstar parent’.
And it was brilliant.
I particularly liked hearing the kids of Heavy Metal superstars talk about how seeing their Dad on stage was ridiculous.
But what made it better was the reaction of the parents.
Because rather than distain or disgust, the overwhelming emotion was pride.
Pride for their kid speaking their mind.
Pride for their kid keeping them grounded.
Pride for their kid seeing them as a parent – not a Rock Star.
Pride for their kid, being their kid.
It was absolutely heartwarming … which is why I love this clip of Pink Floyd guitarist/singer, Dave Gilmour, turning up unannounced at his daughter’s – Romany – gig in a pub in Brighton.
And while you could think he is stealing the spotlight from her – especially when she sees him and says, “So you’ve decided to come and upstage me?” – you realise that’s not the case at all and Romany knows that too.
It’s a Dad, proud of his daughter.
It’s a Dad, supporting his daughter.
It’s a Dad, appreciating his fame may shine a slightly brighter light on his daughters talent.
But most of all, it’s a Dad wanting to experience the joy of playing a song with his daughter.
And it’s all kinds of wonderful.
Wonderful because you see the utterly typical family dynamic that flows naturally and seamlessly between them from the moment he enters the pub.
Wonderful because the pub in question is a ‘ramshackle boozer’, which both reflects Romany’s desire to earn her music chops rather than expect it because of her Dad as well as her Dad’s attitude that he doesn’t care where she’s playing because he’s insanely proud of who she is and what she does.
Wonderful because of the loving glances they share through the song … a song, you presume, they have played in private over many years. A piece of indelible glue that connects them in ways only they will ever understand.
Wonderful because of the hug and kiss they share at the end … not caring for one moment they’re in front of a room of strangers and that parent/child displays of affection aren’t very rock and roll.
But what I love most is David only played one song that night before buying the entire pub a drink and then leaving his daughter to shine on her own. To play her music to an audience even more enamored with her talent and leaving them with a performance they will remember forever, regardless of the time or other performances they witness.
At a time where there is so much performative displays of toxic strength, confidence and arrogance in the World … the real badasses are the ones who show the love they have for the people who matter most without limits, boundaries of ‘corporate filters’.
In one ways its a moment of utter mundanity.
In others, it’s an act of human wonderfulness.
Which serves as a reminder that while fame can impress others, the people who really matter only see – and value – who you really are.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, England, Fans, Football, Sport
I’m typing this as England are playing the Dutch in the Euro’s.
It’s currently 1-1.
I know … I know … this is a level of topicality this blog has never achieved in 20 years.
Anyway, while England have generally been pants this tournament, they’re playing well in this match … and what is interesting is how much of that energy transfers to the fans, watching or listening to the game be it at home, in pubs or in the stadium.
It’s a good reminder about the importance of energy.
Of giving your all.
Of showing how much you care.
Because even if it doesn’t quite work, energy is infectious.
It pulls people in. It captures their imagination. Makes them believe.
I can’t tell you how many pitches – especially in Asia – we won, because of our energy.
Not because of logic.
Not because of our prices.
Not because of how easy we made it.
Not because of our proprietary systems.
Not because we were pandering sycophants.
But because they felt how much we had put into what we were doing. How much we wanted to create something special. How much we were into what we were showing them. So even if the work wasn’t what they liked, they liked what we had put into the work.
In these times where the talk is about optimisation, efficiencies, AI and programatic, it’s worth remembering how much energy and passion is the real winner.
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Update: Fuck me, we won. We bloody won.
Proof energy can create results, near-history never suggests.
On to the bloody Euro final. Again. Incredible.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand, Brand Suicide, Fans, Relevance, Religion, Resonance
I’m back.
And not away for ages. OK, about a week.
But that means we have the next 5 days together, so take a look at this …
That’s pretty full-on isn’t it?
Hell, I’m not religious annnnnnd have an alarming lack of taste, but even I wouldn’t wear that.
But that’s not what is the most shocking to me … it’s the price.
$60.
SIXTY DOLLARS!
For that piece of crap.
As someone who has bought A LOT of shitty stuff over the years – and I include hundreds of t-shirts in that statement – I can honestly say I would never, ever pay that much for that rubbish. Which begs the question, who do they think will?
Add to that, that the rest of the stores merch seems pretty straight-laced and you’re wondering what the hell they’re thinking.
Though I bet if they had a sign that said, ‘all proceeds go to the local church’, someone would buy it. After all, there’s a shit load of people in America who’ll vote for that racist, lying prick because he ‘claims’ to be a bible-thumping Christian and that is all that matters for them to turn a blind eye to his behaviour.
Which reminds me about one of great horrifying documentaries. This …
I remember watching it when it came out in 2006 and just starring in disbelief … because like Trump, the motivation felt far less about doing good and far more about power and control.
One bit that stood out was when they proclaim Harry Potter is the devil … though it inspired me to be a mischievous shit because we were doing a campaign for South Park and at the end of the online films, I got them to ask one question.
‘DO YOU FIND THIS OFFENSIVE?’
If people clicked ‘no’, it took them to Comedy Central, the distributors of the show – where you could watch episodes.
If people clicked ‘yes’, it took them to a fundamental Christian website who tried to ban Bambi for ‘inappropriate imagery’.
As you can tell, it was another time when that seemed a perfectly acceptable idea.
[Talking of Harry Potter. When the first film came out, I wanted to prove to a client how fan culture can be myopic, obsessive and lacking objectivity. To do this, I went on an online Harry blog – populated with young fans – and wrote, “if Harry is so good at magic, how come he doesn’t use a spell to stop being a 4-eyed geek?”Within hours, my comment had hundreds of the most violent, rude and threatening comments you’ve ever read. Real offensive stuff. could ever imagine. Point proved, hahaha ]
… as it’s Monday and I am basically a Saint, cough cough – I want to give you a present which is the ability to watch the whole movie , which I assure you, will be less wasted time than you reading this post.