Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Apathy, Attitude & Aptitude, Craft, Creativity, Culture, Mum, Mum & Dad, My Childhood, Nottingham
As I am away till next Wednesday on a work trip and I wrote about Dad yesterday to celebrate what would be his 86th birthday … I thought I’d leave you with a post about Mum, to even it all up, haha.
So Mum loved the arts.
Actually, it was more than just love, but curiosity.
Not in a suspicious or judgmental way … but from the perspective of wanting to understand more of it.
Not academically, but more about how the artist approached the work and why.
And it is because of this attitude, Mum was as keen to explore the stuff she didn’t know as much as the stuff she did.
One day she saw an ad for an orchestra coming to Nottingham.
Their name was intriguing – suggesting a new approach or experience of music – so she, along with her neighbours, bought tickets to go and see them at the Royal Concert Hall.
So a few months later, three 80 year olds caught the bus into the city and walked into the venue, only to be a little surprised at what they saw.
Because rather than a stage full of orchestral instruments, they were met with huge amplifiers and a massive lighting rig.
It didn’t take them long to discover why …
Because the orchestra they were seeing was the Electric Light Orchestra.
Also known as ELO, the rock band.
And they loved every single second of it,.
The music, the volume, the musicianship, the drama, the lighting, the whole extravaganza.
I still remember the excitement – and laughter – in Mum’s voice as she told me all about it. But there was one thing above all that stood out – and that was her happiness at discovering, experiencing and exploring a new artistic expression.
Because while she liked – and knew – some of the songs, her biggest joy was the surprise of the unexpected.
Where many would be disappointed to not have what they thought they were getting, Mum was elated.
She understood it was a gift.
A way to see more, feel more, experience more and know more than she did before.
Leaving with more than she went in with … musically, creatively and how people interpret and interact with the World.
But that was her …
A human who not loved to learn for the sheer joy of learning, but had a deep interest in what others are interested in. Even if she didn’t particularly like it, understand it or connect to it.
Because to her, knowledge wasn’t power, appreciation was.
Appreciation earned through listening, learning, experiencing and engaging.
An openness to expression and experience …
It’s why that even in her 80’s she was curious to the new.
Not so she could pretend she was young, but to protect her from becoming old.
By that, I mean in terms of her attitude to life rather than reversing her age.
And as I get older, I realise what an amazing role model she was to me.
To be comfortable with the uncomfortable and curious to the new.
Because while Mum was a person of high standards, morals and values … she never let these become barriers to exploring or welcoming the people and subjects that lived outside of them. Not so she could judge, but so she could grow.
We could do with more people like my Mum these days.
Across all areas of life. From politics to advertising.
Because we see so many people aggressively trying to live in the bubble of their making.
Actively standing in the way of new ideas and ideals … fighting hard to defend what they have or control what they don’t.
Believing they know enough and are enough so stay within the walls of their blinkered, privileged, superficial echo chamber.
Seeing anything different or new as – at best – hard work or, at worst, the enemy.
Living by headlines, not experience, curiosity and understanding.
So while Mum most definitely had her quirks, I’m increasingly grateful that she – and Dad – taught me variety isn’t the spice of life, it’s makes sense of it.
Thank you my dear, wonderful Mum.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, America, Authenticity, Creativity, Culture
Recently I was in NYC and I absolutely loved being back.
There’s many reasons for that, of which one is crazy cities are where I feel I am able to breathe.
I know that’s a bit of an oxymoron given they’re full of pollution and people, but it’s true.
I feel free, alive, engaged and present there.
It’s like oxygen to me.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Auckland A LOT – much more than some of the other places I’ve lived – but its no comparisson to the busy, demanding, restless and relentless energy of the mega city.
It’s one of the reasons we won’t be here forever and one of the reasons why Shanghai remains my favourite place I’ve ever lived.
A place where anything could happen – and often did.
A place where anything could be seen – and often was.
A place where variety was on every corner – and never stopped.
A place of the good … bad … enthralling and exciting.
How can anyone not get intoxicated by that?
OK, I know not everyone does. For example where I feel the creativity, possibilitiy and energy of the place, they tend to feel the noise, mess and pressure … which is another reason I love the big cities, because it has variety of people, not conformity. And nothing kinda captured this than the cars I saw on the streets of Soho.
Look at that …
From shiny status to crafted shitbox. And Tesla truck wankers.
Yet they not all seemed to fit perfectly into the environment, they were also all perfectly accepted.
And that’s part of what I love … that the paradox creates the energy to enable new possibilities.
Something to compare and compete against. Revealing and opening doors that would otherwise stay hidden or closed.
It’s why I find creativity becomes a true force when it has something to push or fight against.
Something that demands it to elevate its game … and push against rules and conformity.
Rebellious inspiration, so to speak.
Because while creativity has no limits, it seems to go to more interesting places when it’s provoked by the fear of complicity, conformity or routine.
Maybe that’s something companies – and cities – could do with embracing a bit more.
Because while comfort and consistency is nice, the unknown and unexpected don’t just keep things moving … they make sure you never take confront and consistency for granted.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Audacious, Authenticity, Bands, Brands, Business, Comment, Confidence, Context, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Differentiation, Distinction, Emotion, Empathy, Imagination, Individuality, Innovation, Leadership, Loyalty, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Mediocrity, Metallica, Music, Provocative, Relationships, Reputation, Resonance, Respect, Talent
Recently I watched a documentary on a band.
A household name. Not just in America, but around the World.
It was pretty good … but the most interesting part of it was the interview with the manager.
Specifically how he described what he was there to do:
He said: “My job is to do one or two things that change your life. Not ‘good moves’ but change your life”.
And while they turned out to be arguably more focused on their own fortune than the artists they represent, it cannot be denied they achieved exactly what they said for the band in question … helping turn them into the biggest band in the world for a period of time. An accolade they have managed to forge into a long-lasting career that sees them continue to be at the top end of their industry.
Now of course, there’s a lot of things that go into achieving success like that.
Songs.
Talent.
Drive.
Concerts.
Fans.
Distribution.
Copyright ownership.
But a good manager has a huge influence and role to play in all of this … which got me thinking.
What if clients saw their agency partners as people whose role was to do the same as this manager?
To help them fundamentally change the trajectory of where their business is rather than continually communicating – and reinforcing – where they are.
Dramatic change, not incremental.
OK, there’s some clients who actually do that – and a lot more who think they are, but are doing the opposite – but the reality is for all the talk of ambition and change, so much of it what is done is about keeping things exactly where they are.
Part of this is because of the influence of ‘industry guru’s’ who have positioned themselves as business liberators when really they’re more insurance salesmen [made even more hilarious by the fact the vast majority have never created any actual creative work or built a brand of note] … and part of it is because of a narrative that’s been going around that suggests agencies care more about taking clients cash through excessive timelines and pricing.
As I’ve written before, this attitude is more bullshit than fact … shaped by a procurement process that doesn’t value quality of work – just the price of it – and a corporate attitude where the expectation is complicity not challenge.
Of course that doesn’t ignore the fact some agencies have also played their part in creating this situation by devaluing creativity, devaluing training and agreeing to whatever gets them the revenue – regardless of the consequences – which just reinforces what a mess we’re in.
It’s why I loved that managers quote so much …
The goal being to create the conditions to be ‘the exception’ by being exceptional..
Not ‘a little bit better than before.
Not ‘a little bit better than those around them’.
But to fundamentally change the context and rules of the game.
Champions, not just players.
Of course, it’s easier said than done … but I’ve had the pleasure of seeing it in action up-close-and-personal through Metallica’s management, which is why I know it can be done and I know you can increase the odds of it being able to be done.
Because in their case, what they’ve helped achieve is remarkable.
Put aside the fact they have worked with the band for almost 4 decades. Put aside they’re the most successful music management duo in music history. And think about how they’ve enabled 4 old men – who write what can best be described as ‘mass niche’ music – not just continue to live at the forefront of popular culture, but do it in a way where their creativity is deeply respected by all.
Hell, they’ve become the second most successful American group of all time.
OF. ALL. TIME.
But it’s even more than that … because they’ve also helped the band find new ways to push, explore and expand what they do with their creativity and how they can do it.
Incredible.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the band having the hunger and desire to keep pushing, but their relationship – and trust – of their managers is a key part of what enables it to be possible.
Which is why there’s a couple of things Peter Mensch – one half of their management team – said to me that has had as much impact as the quote that inspired this whole post.
1. “Our job is not to market the band, but to protect their truth”.
2. “We’re not paid to kiss their ass, we’re paid to tell them the truth”.
And maybe that’s a couple of the reasons why Metallica have been able to build a business and a brand [even though they would hate those terms] which is wildly more successful –culturally and commercially – than many brands who spend tens of millions trying to be.
Not just because music connects to people in ways brands rarely can, but because many brands don’t actually know who they are and don’t want to listen to anything that asks questions of them, they don’t want to acknowledge or accept.
So it’s little surprise an agency can change a brands life when brands so often choose to delude themselves with where they currently are … where their version of a relationship is based on how much you cost and how easy you are to deal with, than the quality of the advice and results you help them gain.
For all the systems and processes our industry has latched onto in a bid to prove our credibility and method behind our approaches … how many brands can we say have fundamentally ‘changed their life’.
One?
Ten?
One Hundred?
Certainly not as many as you would expect from the US$87 billion dollars spent on market research in 2023 delivered.
Which is why I leave this post with another music reference … another perspective that had a profound affect on me.
This time it’s from the band – albeit they were more artists than musicians – The KLF, who not only captured what I believe defines a great manager, a great agency and a great brand … but what also creates the chance for someone, anyone, to properly change their life.
“Don’t give them what they want, give them what they’ll never forget”
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand, Brand Suicide, Communication Strategy, Complicity, Confidence, Content, Context, Craft, Crap Marketing Ideas From History!, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Design
A few weeks ago, I went on a trip where the people I was going to meet, had sent a car to pick me up.
If this wasn’t flashy enough, it was a Mercedes. With a driver who wore a fucking cap … and it wasn’t even a German Policeman.
As I sat in the plush leather seats, I couldn’t help but notice one thing.
This.
Brown.
Brown on brown.
Brown on brown. On brown.
It was as if the design team were a bunch of perverts who loved sewer porn. Or something.
And I have to say, I found it pretty off-putting. Well, when I say off-putting, I mean distracting … because I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Wondering why anyone would do this.
Because it wasn’t just 50 shades of brown, it was also made up of multiple materials of brown.
Leather.
Wood.
Plastic … often disguised to look like leather. And wood.
What the actual fuck?
I tell you something, when you’re literally cocooned in a car of poo, the last thing you want to do is drink the bottle of water they kindly put our for me.
At the time, I tweeted out a picture of the car and said:
“Mercedes really like brown. Though no doubt in the brochure it was called, ‘decadent dark chocolate’. 💩”
To which someone tweeted back that the official colour was, ‘Macchiato Beige’
MACCHIATO BEIGE!
BEIGE!!!
Jesus Christ … if associating with brown is alarmingly questionable, then surely associating yourself with beige is even worse?
Who the hell decided that???
I’m as confused by that as I am the people who actively chose to spend multiple tens of thousands of dollars on having it as an option.
But then history is littered with companies being able to embrace terrible decisions as long as someone has given them a reason to ignore reality.
Years ago, Bloomberg Businessweek asked me to write something for them.
One of the things I wrote about was UPS and their choice of ‘corporate brown’.
At the time I said, “if I had millions to spend, I don’t know if I’d be using it to associate with the contents of a dirty nappy.”
[Otis was approaching his 2nd birthday, so that was relevant to me rather than an attempt to be controversial]
While I appreciate the role colour has in branding – even though the way many use it. think about it and talk about it is utter bollocks – I still don’t really understand how any organisation could decide ‘brown’ in their shade.
In fact the only reason I imagine that can happen is when they hire a consultant firm and they tell them, “brown is a white space for your category, so by owning brown, you differentiate yourself from competitors”.
Which highlights five major considerations for brands:
1. When you allow ‘white space’ to define your strategic decisions, you’re ultimately seeding control to your competitors, not your truth.
2. The quest for differentiation only counts if it offers something of value, not just is different.
3. Without creativity and meaning, your ‘brand asset’ is a conformity drain.
4. Job title doesn’t equate to being smart.
5. Honesty trumps harmony … at least with companies who don’t have god complexes.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Awards, Cannes, Colenso, Colleagues, Comment, Confidence, Contribution, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture
This is kinda related to yesterday’s post. Kinda.
So after Cannes, Si – Colenso’s CCO and annoyingly wonderful human, albeit with a dash of mischievous evil – posted this photo.
Attached to it, he wrote the following:
We had a great year on stage at Cannes. But instead of posting a photo of the high, here’s a photo of the low.
I snuck this photo a few months ago. We were mid-production on Pedigree Adoptable, which won 4 lions this week including the Outdoor Grand Prix 🏆🏆🏆🏆
I love Duncan’s turmoil in this image. Not because I’m a psycho, but because that’s how much he cared about every detail.
The other thing I love is Hadleigh laughing in the corner. Comradery and fun in the hard times is the only way you make it through.
Frankly, among all the Cannes backslapping posts across Linkedin, it was a welcome relief.
But it was more than that. It was an important comment.
A reminder that the role of creativity – especially commercial creativity – is fucking tough.
And while you tend to forget all the pain and hassle you have gone through when you win, the reality is few get to. And even fewer get to do it with a Grand Prix, the creme de la creme of a category.
So I loved Si posted this. That he acknowledged it. Especially given we had a good Cannes – winning our 2nd Grand Prix in a row – so it would have been dead easy for him to bask in the glow of victory rather than highlight the hardship and pain of reality.
Because what’s often not discussed around awards – or the industry as a whole, for that matter – is how fucking stressful it is.
Don’t get me wrong, compared to the stress a nurse, a single parent or someone experiencing unemployment faces, there’s no comparison [unless you’re working in this industry and are a single parent or are going through unemployment] however, that doesn’t mean the stress you feel doing your job is any less real.
But while the impact of stress can be devastating – causing adverse effects to our health, our wellbeing and to our relationships – not all stress is equal.
At least in our industry.
Sure, there’s the really bad kind of it … the stuff that appears on the Corporate Gaslighting blog … but there’s another sort too, and that is very different, even if at the time, you may not recognise it.
You see, when the stress is born from the desire to satisfy your own, or shared vision/curiosity, for an idea – rather than succumbing to the pressure and isolation of others – it can, as Si points out above, be a sign of you simply giving a fuck.
As I’ve written before, it’s not cool to talk about ‘graft’ these days [which is very different to the dangers of ‘hustle culture’] … just like being ’emotional’ at work is a negative … however in our industry, graft … emotion … giving a fuck … are still the ingredients you need to stand any chance of making, doing or creating something special.
We don’t talk about that enough.
Don’t get me wrong, I never want to advocate for stress, but I do want to celebrate craft, creativity and care.
Or should I say, I want the people who act/claim they have all the answers, to respect and acknowledge it … especially as they’ve never made any actual work and haven’t got the faintest fucking idea what it takes or costs to make something proper good … be it commercially, creatively, emotionally or artistically.
And that’s why I want to end this post – and this week – by saying a huge well done to anyone and everyone who put their work out there to be judged and criticised, regardless of the result.
Few would.
Few do.
And that’s you should never feel bad about what you felt or went through.
Because even though what we do is business, the reality is, it’s always personal.