Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, America, Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Communication Strategy, Creativity, Culture, Insight, Management, Marketing, Metallica, New Zealand, Professionalism, Relationships, Relevance, Resonance, Teamwork, Uncorporated
On the 10th September, Metallica launched their Blacklist album – a reissue of their iconic ‘Black album’ from 1991.
It’s a very special album because not only is reissuing a 30 year old classic something to be handled with great care … it also features their songs being sung by a greater assortment of artists than you’d find in a packet of Bertie Basset’s Liquorice Allsorts.
From Elton John and Miley Cyrus through to Depeche Mode and Yo-yo Ma.
Add to it that each track sold goes to a specific charity of the artists choice, and you can imagine it was quite a complex beast to make sure it all ran smoothly.
I had a small part in that.
Specifically the charity management and distribution for the artists.
Getting closer to the launch date, the amount of details that needed to be finalised was pretty intense. What made it even more complicated – at least for me – was that by being based in NZ, I’m a full 16 hours ahead of NYC, so trying to co-ordinate timings with HQ became a bit of a logistical nightmare.
Or should I say, a mathematical one.
The night before, things were particularly tense so to make sure we stayed motivated and focused for literally the final hurdle, the band and record company management sent out some individual emails to various members of the team to inspire them to the finish line.
When JFK was in this situation, he asked America to think about what they could do to help the nation change and progress.
When Al Pacino’s character in the movie ‘Any Given Sunday’ needed to motivate his team to glory, he unleashed his iconic “inches” speech and watched them dig deep to record an unlikely win.
This is what I got.
While it may look like they’re taking the piss, I think there’s a really valuable lesson to learn from their approach.
Motivation isn’t just about what you say – or even how you say it – it’s knowing the people you are trying to motivate so well, that you know exactly what will connect with them.
Not many leaders do that.
Hell, not many leaders even understand that.
But those who do – whether its rock band management or the iconic Brian Clough – achieve loyalty and incredible performance out of all who work with them and for them. Though I appreciate I could be saying all this to ignore the other possibility of why they chose to send this meme to me. Hahaha.
You can buy something very special – that will literally and directly help tens of thousands of people around the World – here and learn more about the project and artists involved below
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Comment, Corporate Evil, Culture, Marketing, Marketing Fail
Monday.
God it’s hard isn’t it.
If this is the point of the week where you have the most energy, how the hell will you be feeling on Wednesday?
Well I’m going to help you with that.
I’m going to give you a surge of energy that will see you through.
And that energy is going to be created through anger.
Remember last week how I wrote about McKinsey and their moral compass free attitude towards making cash?
That they thought nothing of putting in proposals that allowed their client to continue killing people as long as they made money?
Well, I guess there was a small chance that someone could say it was all a mistake. A misunderstanding. A misquote.
OK, so no one really thinks that, but I may have been willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
OK, I wasn’t … because there was no way they ‘made a mistake’.
McKinsey doesn’t make those.
Every single thing they do is deliberate.
Everything.
Thought out. Considered. Evaluated. Proposed.
Their driving force is optimising profit. For themselves as much as their client – especially as they never execute what they recommend to clients. Implication free advice … morally, ethically and, in some cases, legally.
And why am I being so harsh?
Because of this:
Nothing highlights McKinsey’s knowledge of what they did – and what they didn’t do – than shredding files in relation to their client.
A long time ago there was a book called The Corporation. In it, the author argued that corporations are basically psychopaths on a relentless quest for money and power.
It’s literally why McKinsey are in business.
Who else would want to work with a company that charges huge amounts for work they don’t execute that encourages illicit or even illegal behaviour? And yet so many of the companies that work with them go on about their ‘purpose’, their ‘focus on the community’.
While there are exceptions, Joel Bakan – the author of The Corporation – was generally absolutely correct in his judgement.
When Arthur Anderson was caught shredding the files of the illegal work they did for Enron, their reputation was so tainted that they went bankrupt. That McKinsey continues to walk around like the Masters of the Universe should make you furious.
Absolutely furious.
And with that, you now have the energy to get through your week.
You’re welcome.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Comment, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Effectiveness, Fake Attitude, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Michael Mann, Professionalism, Resonance, Teamwork
Teamwork.
A word used so much, by so many, to ironically control others into doing what they want them to do. It’s often got far more in common with production line subserviency than teamwork.
Then there’s the other version.
Where people spout teamwork with a big smile on their face while openly trying to fuck others over so they look better to the people who matter most. The boss, for example.
But what is even worse is when people are called out for not being a team player simply because they have a different opinion.
The great irony is they’re not doing it to be a pain or problematic or to express an ego. It’s to try and offer a viewpoint they think may help get an even better outcome so literally everyone wins.
But no.
They’re criticised, belittled, undermined and made to feel like they’re the problem.
Of course teamwork is important.
It can make a huge difference to the end result.
An exponential difference.
But to do that it’s not simply telling people to practice teamwork.
It’s about having the right people in the mix – by discipline, standards and character. It’s about ensuring everyone has clarity on what they’re all working towards beyond their individual discipline. It’s about ensuring everyone knows what is expected of them and how that works in relation to those around them. It’s about giving them the freedom to use their talent to push the standards and capabilities of what they are responsible for creating, while remaining true to the overall goal everyone is working towards achieving.
I learnt that last bit from the film director Michael Mann.
I found myself with him in a meeting so asked him how he makes films given the amount of different people and disciplines involved.
He told me he starts every project by sitting with the entire production team and explaining his vision for his movie.
The story he wants to make.
What is really important to him.
What he wants people to feel watching it.
He then added this vital element:
“I want everyone to use their talent to make this film better than I could imagine. But it’s has to be my vision of the film. Not one they think I should be making.”
I love that. I love it because his version of teamwork is encouraging everyone to play up to a standard rather than down to a tick box. Which all goes to show that real teamwork is so much more than just sticking a bunch of random people and companies in a room and expecting them to “be a team”.
But that’s what so many companies and managers do.
Either because they’re lazy or just want overall control.
Once upon a time a very good friend of mine went into his annual review.
He had done incredibly well and was hoping he would be recognised for it.
Instead he was bollocked …
Bollocked for having opinions.
Bollocked for asking questions.
Bollocked for not being a ‘team player’.
He listened patiently before replying with what is still the best fuck you, power play I’ve ever heard to that accusation.
“Oh I’m a team player …”, he said, “… I’m just the captain of the team”.
Forever proving – as the pic at the top of this post shows – that as much as people may try to tell you otherwise, there is most definitely an ‘I’ in team.
Legend.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Communication Strategy, Crap Campaigns In History, Creativity, Culture, Football, Marketing, Marketing Fail
The celebrity endorsement.
Favoured by brands who have nothing interesting to say.
Or by companies who want to look more important than they are.
Of course they’re exceptions.
NIKE for example … because at least their choices are directly connected to the category they operate in, which is more than can be said for Clooney and Nespresso. Or the new entrant. Another handsome, old, white male actor – who, according to his ex-wife – may have domestic abuse issues to answer for.
Maybe that’s why Brad Pitt agreed to do one of the worst ads I’ve seen in a long time. To pay for any legal trial … whereas at least Clooney does it to raise the money for the films he personally wants to make.
In the old days, celebs went to Japan to top up their pension – safe in the knowledge that no one would see their stuff. Then the internet happened and not only could everyone see the rubbish they’d do for a big pay day, they realised they could do it now in their home country given everyone had seen their willingness to sell their credibility for cash.
Which leads to this …
Neymar.
For a financial investment firm.
If that isn’t weird enough, they’ve weirdly made Neymar look like he’s the financial advisor.
What the fuck?
Are they suggesting he is so rich he can give people expert financial advice?
If they are, is his advice, “become a professional footballer for PSG”.
Or is something else …
Is he paid so badly he’s had to get a second job selling financial advice?
That would at least make some sense as Neymar HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF TAX AVOIDANCE!!!
Yeah, this financial company decided that the best celebratory endorser they could use to promote their company internationally was a convicted tax dodger.
Did no one think about that?
Did no one question what that would say about them?
Did they think that because Qatar – where QNB is based – don’t charge personal tax, it means Neymar’s crime basically doesn’t exist?
Did no one ask why were they photographing the football star as if he was a financial advisor?
Nope.
And was that because they were starstruck?
Or was it because they didn’t think about it?
Or care?
Or think anyone else would care?
Or was it all of the above … because let’s face it, there’s enough examples to show many investment firms don’t give a damn about rules, customers or tax obligations … so maybe using Neymar was the most truthful and inspired choice they could make.
How nice of QNB to make it so much easier for the authorities to find people exploiting the financial rules for personal gain, because now all they have to do is ask one question:
“Do you use QNB?”
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Comment, Creativity, Culture, Effectiveness, Emotion, Empathy, Insight, Management, Marketing, Planners, Planning, Point Of View, Relevance, Resonance
OK, I should start this post by saying I have only physically been in the company of Matt Tanter twice in my life, so I appreciate there is a chance I may be bombarded by people writing in and saying, “you’re wrong Rob, he’s a massive dick”.
But I doubt it.
Not because I think how people behave with me represents how they behave with everyone – and even if that was the case, they’d be likely act with me much worse than they would act with anyone else – but because of what he hasn’t done.
He has a big job at Mother.
He’s part of big campaigns for big clients.
He used to be the chair of the UK Account Planning Group.
And yet, while many would may let these achievement go to their head and act like they’re hot shit, Matt doesn’t. Quite the opposite in fact.
He doesn’t big himself up.
He doesn’t enter mindless twitter spats.
He doesn’t act like he has intellectual superiority.
He doesn’t do any of those things, instead he just gives a shit .. for his family … his team … and people in general.
Now I appreciate some may read this and think “what a wimp” … because for the industry likes to paint anyone who doesn’t spend every waking minute thinking about making ads as possessing some fatal flaw.
Obviously this is utterly stupid.
Not just because the standard of work out there means anyone spending every waking minute thinking about making ads is not making the work culture wanst to spend every waking minute watching, reading or tapping … but also because in my experience, the very best in the biz all seem to share one particular trait.
A love of seeking, understanding and learning from what’s going on outside the small bubble of adland.
Doesn’t matter what it is.
Doesn’t matter where it is.
Doesn’t matter who it involves.
They understand all of it contributes to their ability to make work that can shape culture rather than just adds to the cultural landfill so many brands are intent on polluting the World with.
Which leads to another trait the best in the biz all seem to have.
Being great people who are also very talented.
I cannot emphasise how important this is.
Because while these people are fierce about the standards of the work being made and hungry to push and provoke boundaries and limitations – rather than just wanting to be ‘liked’ by clients and colleagues alike – they find a way to bring people on the journey with them rather than just make it all about them.
Oh there’s loads of those others types too, but people like Matt help you grow rather than just be used up and for that, we should be celebrating them.
I have seen this first hand throughout my career.
Matt could talk himself up.
Matt should celebrate what he has done for the Mother planning team – because it’s ace.
But he doesn’t and he won’t.
Because Matt is a much better human than me.
God, what a prick, hahaha.