Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Ambition, Brands, Business, Creative Development, Creativity, Planning, Relationships, Strategy
So a few weeks ago, I spoke at StratCon in Berlin.
I had known about the event because I knew one of the organisers – Fran, from Jung von Matt – but it was my first time ever going.
I knew it was going to be good because the brilliant Paula Bloodworth told me how much fun she’d had when she spoke there previously – delivering a presentation that went down so well that I discovered it was still being talked about TWO YEARS LATER – but even then, I wasn’t prepared for how much I was going to enjoy it.
Part of this was because of the variety of ‘strategy speakers’ they had talking …
Rather than having people from the same discipline all through the day, they had strategists that covered a broad spectrum of the discipline.
Advertising,
Branding.
Research.
Consultancies.
Media.
It meant the audience not only heard a broad spectrum of thinking, it meant they understood the different issues, approaches and contexts that go into those specific areas of strategy … something that is sadly missing from many of the other conferences out there.
Another thing I loved was there were almost zero ‘agency/product pitches’ from the presenters …
We’ve all been to those talks that feel more like a ‘timeshare sales meeting’ than a place where you hear interesting opinions and perspectives … but there was none of that here. In fact, for a conference that had a very focused topic for the day, it was amazing how many different viewpoints we heard, aided by the fact there were a variety of strategists, from a variety of different disciplines of strategy in attendance.
And that range of speakers went one further …
Because not only were they different to the usual suspects at these sorts of events – bar me, obvs – they represented different lengths of time in the industry. In fact for Vinzenz – a young planner from Mother Berlin – it was their first ever industry talk and so not only did we have the privilege of learning what they felt was interesting and important for the development of his strategic career, he got to experience and grow from the experience.
More conferences should do this.
And finally, the thing I loved about StratCon was the audience.
Unlike in other markets where there will be some strategists who slag off every speaker because they think they’re better, smarter and more experienced than them [plot twist: they’re not] this felt like a real gathering of a community.
People coming together to share, learn, connect and hopefully be better.
It felt tangibly different to other conferences I’ve attended … and while that may be because it’s organized by the community rather than outsourced to a company who seek to monetize every element they can from every person and company in attendance or because German strategy is – as more than one attendee told me – ‘starved of inspiration’ so everyone went in with open minds and attitudes, the result was that StratCon was a lovely place to be.
Our discipline is in a weird place right now and as I said in my talk, for it to get better requires more than another fucking framework, an optimistic mindset or a sense of intellectual superiority. Which is why I liked StratCon so much, because it was where honesty – rather than sales pitches – prevailed … and if anything is going to help us get out of this small box we’ve walked ourselves into, it’s dealing with the issues that are holding us back rather than hiding from them with the deluded belief ‘the framework will set us free’.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and the organizers of the event …
Not just for inviting me – which was amazing – but allowing me to spend time in a city that was hugely important to my Dad.
Walking around that first day let me feel I was close to him again and for that alone, I can never thank you enough.
I can honestly say while I was only in Berlin for a short time, I leave with memories, moments, people, stories and an amazing pre-event dinner, that will last a fucking long time. And given how many incredible things I did and saw on that trip, there’s no higher compliment I can give than to say you were one of the true highlights.
An extra hug of appreciation to Fran, Heleen, Vinzenz, Achim and ‘Hamster’.
Auf wiedersehen …
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Art, Creativity, Culture, Planners, Planning
Well, hello again …
How are you?
I had a pretty spectacular and wild time and do you what was one of the most amazing bits …
The people I met didn’t talk about Cannes once.
In fact, they probably don’t even know what it is.
And what makes that even more amazing is their work – stuff they personally created – has creatively, culturally and commercially made more impact than arguably everything and everyone who appeared at Cannes this year.
That’s not meant as a diss at Cannes – or the people there – but for a festival about creativity, it seems a lot of it is more about ‘looking’ creative than ‘being’ creative.
And there’s a huge difference … because where a lot of the stuff around Cannes was desperately and obviously trying to look like it was wild and original [Heinz/Heineken anyone], the people I met over the past few weeks are inherently creative in every aspect of how they live, so the end result is they don’t have to show it because they’re just it.
It was incredibly inspiring and hopefully it spilled over into my talk in Berlin … because while I was scathing about where we – as a discipline are heading – I want us to succeed.
I need us to succeed.
Not just because I care deeply about our industry.
Not just because I know there is incredible talent scattered throughout our discipline.
But because when we are allowed to embrace independent thought – rather than just follow a set process with set outputs, designed by people who have never made work and have a financial interest in getting companies to follow their methodology – we can do things that can genuinely change outcomes in amazing ways.
Or as I ended my presentation:
Our discipline cannot afford to dismiss or ignore strategy built on independent thinking.
Because it’s not an alternative to frameworks, but because it creates the breakthroughs frameworks willnever see, but will always follow.
It’s good to be back.
See you tomorrow.
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, AI, Attitude & Aptitude, Confidence, Conformity, Craft, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Independence, Individuality, Planners, Planning, Point Of View, Strategy
One of the many things I love about China, are their proverbs.
Whatever the subject, there will be an expression that captures the issue in a brilliant, wonderful way.
And there’s so bloody many of them … and each one not only makes you nod your head in agreement, but also makes you think and then look at things differently afterwards.
Anyway, I heard one recently that I love.
In fact, I love it so much I’m going to use it as the ‘final lesson’ in a presentation I’m writing for a talk in Berlin – more of that in tomorrow’s post.
The quote is this:
I love it.
I love it for a load of reasons.
One of them being that China tends to encourage conformity rather than individuality – so this is beautiful for simply challenging that convention.
But the other reason is that it sums up the heart of the presentation I’m writing.
Especially in a world where so many people are – rightfully – worrying about the impact AI will have on their job, career, livelihood.
Because to take that quote one step further …
If you spend years doing all you can to become a perfect, straight tree …
A tree who stands perfectly with all those other perfect straight trees …
Not only could you find yourself being chopped down and turned into boards, you may discover that’s all you were ever going to be allowed to be.
Or said another way:
When you blindly follow someone else’s definition of ‘best practice’, the result isn’t just that you get turned into boards … it’s that your career is spent being walked on and walked over by people who never cared what you could become, only what they could become.
Which is why if you want to increase the odds of living a bigger life, be the wild tree.
Because while others may mock your shapes, bends and scars … you’ll know they’re signs of a life well lived, not a life walked upon.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Comment, Creative Development, Creativity, Distinction, Effectiveness, Emotion, Empathy, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Perspective, Planners, Planning, Point Of View, Relevance, Reputation, Resonance, Respect
As it’s Monday, let me start this post with some good news.
This is the last week of posts for a while as I’m flying off to Europe on Friday.
Not for a holiday.
Not for Colenso.
But for a stream of meetings in LA, London, Amsterdam, Milan and Berlin.
All in 8 days. Darrrrrling.
God, what an asshole humble brag. That isn’t even humble.
Which is why I am not asking you to feel sorry for me because [1] I’m not stupid and [2] 8 days or not, it’s a fucking dream gig. However – if it makes you feel any better – while all of these trips are at the invitation of a range of different VIP’s, I’m only going because they want me to be their cat litter tray rather than be a valued guest.
Did that make you feel less loathing towards me?
What about making the darkness of Monday morning feel a bit brighter?
No? OK … better move quickly on.
So not too long ago, I wrote a post about the brilliant Trevor Beattie and his brilliant analysis of the modern Specsavers creative work.
Specifically, the strategic shift from ‘what it was’ to ‘what it is’.
And while he didn’t say the current work doesn’t live up to the standards of the original work, his central point highlights – at least to me – why I don’t think it does, exemplified by this piece of work that I saw near our office recently.
I should point out this gives me no joy to say whatsoever, because:
1. Specsavers played a significant role in saving my sight by recognizing my disease early and then writing a referral letter for me to urgently see a specialist.
2. Specsavers has continually proved the commercial and creative power of s great idea.
3. The shift Trevor highlighted, may – for reasons I don’t quite understand – be deliberate.
But whatever is behind it … going from the comedic potential of not seeing properly to laughing at the incurably stupid … has potentially resulted in moving the brand from friend to foe.
Or worse, bully.
Now whether they meant this to happen or not is anyone’s guess.
I’m assuming not.
Which reinforces the need to always understand the nuance of an idea – because if you don’t do that, you don’t just undermine years of craft, care and rigor, you undermine the very value you are being paid to elevate.
See my recent post about the billboard for the movie, Devil Wears Prada 2.
There’s too much complexity in our business. But solving it with simplistic interpretation doesn’t help anyone either.
Which suggests every creative, strategist, suit and marketer may need to go to Specsavers to see how to do their job properly.
With craft.
With rigor.
With care.
With an ability to actually – ironically – see it.
And with an understanding of the nuance behind the idea so your work – whaever role you play – is always building the brand up rather than tearing it down.
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Comment, Communication Strategy, Community, Complicity, Conformity, Consultants, Crap Campaigns In History, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Customer Service, Management, Marketing Fail, Planes, Planning, Reputation, Research, Resonance, Respect
Way back in 2006 I wrote a post about what exclusivity means.
Not the marketing version of it … but what the people who can afford to have it, really want and expect from it.
The reality is this group of people don’t care about showing – or sharing – their success with the masses. They don’t have any desire to be ‘aspirational’. In fact what they want couldn’t be more different – because all they really seek is to keep the masses as far away from them as is physically possible.
I entitled the post, FUCK YOU MONEY, but really it should have been called FUCK OFF MONEY … because that’s the spirit that defines exclusivity to them. The ability to live in a world where the only people around them are equal people.
Or said another way, they like to practice economic racism.
It’s part of the reason LVMH lost cache in China when they opened stores in lower-tier cities.
It’s part of the reason Bentley lost long-term customers when they became the car-of-choice for rappers.
And it’s part of the reason why Air New Zealand have scored a massive own goal with their most valuable customers with this billboard rolling out all across NZ.
For those who don’t know what Koru is … it’s Air New Zealand’s new Frequent Flyer Program and Koru Black is their highest tier.
To be fair to Air NZ, Koru is genuinely one of the best frequent flyer programs of any airline in the World … so with that in mind, I get why they think offering the public the opportunity to get more points to get closer to ‘black status’ is appealing.
However, it isn’t for the fuckers who already have achieved that status.
For them, they’ll not only see it as Air NZ allowing more people to be part of their club’, they’ll see it as Air NZ allowing ‘lesser people’ to be part of it given they ‘won’ their place via a promotion rather than ‘earned the right to be there’ as they will no doubt tell themselves they achieved
Is that bollocks?
Sure, but that doesn’t mean they don’t think it, which is why one of the best bits of airline research I’ve ever read was when the wonderful David Lin – who worked for me at Wieden, and is now Mr Important at Apple – told me that ‘business class was the politest way to say ‘fuck off’ to everyone who always wanted their time or attention.
But there’s more …
Because added to this is the fact many Koru Black members feel annoyed they already have to share ‘their’ airport lounge facilities with people from other airlines who happen to hold a business class ticket – which results in situations where there’s no seats available to rest in – and you start to think Air NZ may not understand their top customers as much as they may like to think they do.
What makes it worse is that it would have been so easy to discover …
The main one being just sit in the airport lounge and listen to the conversations when it’s full.
But it seems they didn’t. Or haven’t. Because what else would explain their disastrous decision to set all ‘black tier’ customers frequent flyer points to zero when they launched Koru.
Sure, they did a u-turn on when they discovered how angry it had made customers … but they still did it, which not only undermined their launch, but left customer with a horrible taste in their mouth they’ll remember for a long time.
I mean, you’d think it would be obvious to not do that, but apparently it wasn’t – which not only suggests Air NZ put their faith in the wrong research and creative partners – not to mention are incapable of evaluating standards with an objective, global perspective – it highlights how you can have all the data in the world, but if you don’t look for, or understand, the fucked-up, hypocritical truth of your customers, you’ve got nothing.
Also see every research company who announced with the upmost confidence that Trump wasn’t going to win the Presidency in his first term … either because they were arrogant, blinkered or simply failed to understand people rarely tell you what they think, instead they tell you what they think will protect them from revealing what they really believe.