Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Audacious, Culture, England, Football, Freddie, Music, My Childhood, Pride, Queen, Sport
Today, England play their first ever football final on foreign soil.
Do we deserve to be here?
Well, the fact we’re here means the answer has to be yes, however if truth be told, we owe a lot to luck.
And persistence.
And skill.
But mainly luck.
Because apart from one 45 minute spell, we have been pretty rubbish but that means nothing given we’re now just 90 minutes from history. Maybe not history for everyone else, but it definitely is for England, in terms of team and nation.
And while I think Spain will win it, it is quite the achievement. Especially for the manager, who has faced an endless barrage of abuse and yet leads us to the 2nd European Final in a row.
That said I hope we win.
Not just for the players and the country – though I fear what some of the fans may do whether we win or lose – but also for the new Government. Because nothing will piss off the Tories more than Labour coming in on a massive majority and then having the national men’s team win a major European football title, hahahaha.
But for the England team … I can’t imagine how they must be feeling today.
The conflict of emotions.
Fear and excitement.
Nerves and belief.
Pressure and energy.
But that said, I do have an idea of what they will feel like as they play and if they win.
Not because of anything I’ve done, but because of things I’ve witnessed.
From watching Queen achieve music immortality as they performed to the World at Live Aid back in 1985 through to watching Robert Plant – of Led Zeppelin – reaction as he watched Heart perform ‘Stairway To Heaven’ as part of his bands induction into the Kennedy Centre Honours List. It made such an impression on me that I wrote about it here and you can watch the film I’m referring to below.
Both still give me shivers even now, years later … so I cannot imagine what it must have felt like – or still feels like – for the artists. Just like I can’t imagine what the players tonight are experiencing or will experience, should they win. Or should they lose.
And that’s why I hope they – and the England fans around the World – remember that while 2nd place is never as good as first, it’s still an incredible achievement to find yourself in a position where you can make history.
Literally make history.
To achieve something that will be written about, referred to, commented on for decades, if not centuries. Fucking hell, that must be an utterly extroidinary and intense experience to try and deal with. To manage. And carry.
So good luck. I hope you pull it off England.
May the next 90 minutes be full of joy, rather than fear or regret.
Let’s go …
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Cars, Chaos, Complicity, Culture, Equality
So recently someone sent me this:
In front of you are 2 cars.
Two ‘family’ cars.
One from around 1987 – a Ford Escort, albeit the XR3i, ‘boy racer’ version. One from 2024 – a Tesla Model Y.
I appreciate a lot has changed in the intervening 37 years … but of all the features, technology and emission differences, surely their physical size is one of the most extreme changes.
It’s happening everywhere, for example, here’s average US ‘ute’ size …
Or if you want to be completely messed with, here’s an average ‘ute’ next to – admittedly – a smaller car.
Now I know there will be a lot of reasons for it.
From technical and safety innovations through to comfort, status and just plain consumer tastes – let alone humanities capacity to become fat bastards as we crave more and more pampered convenience – however seeing them side-by-side is pretty bloody confronting.
But the impact of this is more than just scale …
The roads we drive on are not made to deal with the vast increases in weight.
In fact, they were not designed for cars, full-stop.
And while over time, the automobile succeeded in hijacking the tarmac … a major contributing factor to its ability to do that was cars were far smaller and lighter back then – not to mention a lot less of them – so basic infrastructure didn’t really need to change.
Zoom forward today – and with everything from climate change to population increases – the cars we have are not fit for the roads we drive on and the cost to maintain this or change this is almost beyond anyones pocket.
Now you may think this is going to become an anti-car/pro-environmental post.
You’re wrong.
I’d be a fucking hypocrite given I drive an SUV – though Otis is making sure that won’t be the case much longer.
No, what this post is about is thinking things through.
Considering implications to actions.
Not blindly running at what offers immediate benefits … but a consideration of what it may change or create.
Oh, we may all think we do that, but we don’t really do that. More often than not, short-term wins or instant gratification conquers all.
We’re seeing it with AI.
I’m not against AI. I believe it can do great things. But the people who are pushing it aren’t the people I trust to do it.
Tech bro billionaires who are not used to saying no … or dealing with consequences of their actions … are not the people we should be relying on to evolve this technology.
Not simply because of the damage it could cause, but the implications of what it could change.
In Apple’s iOS 18, the calculator can do mathematical equations in realtime and give you answers IN YOUR OWN HANDWRITING.
Oh it’s cool, no doubt about that … but why will kids want to learn maths anymore?
Hell, why will schools even teach it?
And while it would be nice to buy into the argument of ‘it will enhance the learning journey’ … humans have an incredible capacity to ‘outsource’ their responsibility and engagement to alternatives that they think can do it easier, quicker or more conveniently.
From GPS through to VAR in football … we are forever looking for the shortcut.
A way to remove ‘challenge’ from our life … or – more cynically – have someone/something we can blame when things go wrong.
Look, I get this is MASSIVELY hypocritical coming from me … a fucking gadget loving, wifi-craving, tech groupie … but I am shocked at how many decisions are made with a short-sighted focus.
Over the years I’ve seen some incredibly daft things be approved simply because it satisfied ego or offered a quick win to buy the time to get out unscathed.
And just to be clear, this has not come from the ‘irresponsible class’ … which is the label often given to those in the creative industry … but those who are supposed to be the sensible ones.
CEO’s.
Bankers.
Accountants.
Jesus … even Governments.
In fact, in my experience – while creative people are always looking forwards – they always want to make things that last. That will stand the test of time. Far more than many of the ‘protection and insurance’ discipline/industries that have somehow gained the label of being ‘the responsible ones’ in the boardroom.
Thinking through implications does not mean you are adding obstacles or stopping possibilities, it means you are building something sustainable.
An idea that can benefit all, not just the few.
And while I accept in this day and age, that sort of thing sounds like a bunch of hippy bollocks … the attitude of ‘prosper now and leave any shit to the next generation’ is not working. Even more so when we try and position independent thinking as the enemy of progress.
Somewhere along the line we need to think beyond the next quarter.
We need to go beyond ‘what the short-term data’ is telling us.
We need to value more than ‘how much money it can make us’.
We need to consider more than ‘what this enables’.
And ask ourselves two additional questions …
The first is:
“What could be the implications of this decision on the next generation”
And the second – which is from my friend Paul Stechshulte:
“What if we’re wrong?”
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Context, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Egovertising, Empathy, Honesty, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Professionalism, Provocative, Relevance, Reputation, Research, Resonance, Respect
A few weeks ago, I saw this post from the CEO/Founder of Liquid Death …
Putting aside that another bunch of kids somewhere in the US had done a similar thing with my ol’ mate Rick Astley … Mike at Liquid Death’s admiration for what they did kinda explains why I like hiring people who have done interesting stuff rather than those who just know interesting stuff. Even more so when the interesting stuff they spout is something someone else actually did or said.
Don’t get me wrong … opinions, considerations and evaluations have an important role to play in the industry, but if you haven’t actually made any actual work worthy of note, then the question is ‘do you really understand what it takes?’
The challenges.
The decisions.
The choices.
The craft.
The reality is anything is easy if you’ve never done it or have to do it … which is why those who try – even if they fail – will likely have more interesting perspectives than those who just express from a pedestal or vacuum.
It’s why I find so many of those newsletters being flogged on Linkedin amusing … because many are written by people who are not associated with any work of note. Or any work for that matter. And so while they are absolutely entitled to their opinion, it is just that – an opinion with a bit of context rather than the ‘undeniable fact’ they like present themselves as having.
To a much lesser degree, the same could be said about certain marketing practice experts who love to suggest they have all the answers and yet have also never actually made – or built – something of significance. Unless you count their own publicity machines.
OK, I know I’m being a condescending bastard. And the reality is I don’t mean it as much as I’ve made it sound.
[At least where the marketing practice experts are concerned anyway. Or some of them, ha]
But here’s the thing …
Do you know what else is massively condescending?
Listening to people who have never actually made anything of note putting down the credibility, expertise and knowledge of those who have … just so they can raise their own profile and ego.
Shockjocking for the clicks.
Shameless in their desire for the attention.
One minute claiming a discipline is dead … and then next minute, flogging their own ‘system’ that’s basically the same discipline they said was caput. But with added over-inflated academic value and self-congratulations for personal pleasure and good measure. Or associating themselves with famous work because they were employed – albeit for 2 seconds – at the company who originally made it. Despite not working on it or even being within 1000 feet of it. But still offering tips on how to make it like they are the CEO of said brand.
OK Rob, calm-the-fuck-down.
B-R-E-E-E-E-E-E-A-T-H-E-E-E-E-E-E.
OK, I feel a bit better now.
Look, I’m not saying there isn’t value in what they think and do – there is. Or at least with many of them. But the way they dismiss the work and value of those who literally create the stuff they claim to be an experts in – despite having never made it at that level, or in some cases, at all – is pretty shit.
And do you know what the great irony of all this is?
The reason there’s so much bad work out there is because of them. Because these ‘hypeists’ have succeeded in getting senior execs to believe their opinion is more valuable than the people who have actually been there, done that and keep doing it.
So instead of listening to those with the real experience, they are choosing to follow those who talk loudly from their self-built pedestal.
Where they talk and shout about why they are right.
Talk and shout about what they say is good work.
Talk and shout about why only their process is the one to follow.
Despite the fact – at best – they’ve never made the work they reference or – at worst – have never made any work at all. Certainly not at anything approaching the level their ego plays at.
So sure, I’m probably being a condescending asshole, but then so are the people who casually dismiss the value of those brave enough to put their ideas out into the world to be judged by people who don’t even know how to create it, let alone actually make it.
You don’t have to like it. But you should acknowledge you’ve also never done it.
Filed under: Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Context, Culture, Politics, UK
Following on from yesterday’s post about the UK election …
The campaigning has stopped.
The Tory lies has been told.
The votes are cast.
And now we wait.
We wait for the hopeful demonstration of judgement.
Of their lies.
Of their corruption.
Of their hypocrisy and shame.
Of their wilful disregard of care.
Of their viscous attacks on the young, the poor and the NHS.
But most of all, we wait – I hope – for the people’s revenge.
And yet there are those that will still vote for them.
Who spout lines such as, “taxes will be higher under a labour government” … and then quoting the 1970’s, while conveniently ignoring the destruction of a country and it’s people’s in the present day. A present day that has been presided over by the government they still see as positive despite the last 14 years.
As I said to someone yesterday, if you can still see the good in them, then you’re either very rich or very evil.
And it got worse …
I’ve seen some ad agencies putting out [obviously self-funded] ‘ads’ that tell people what policy they should vote for. Except they show no political affiliation and the cause they’re ‘standing for’ is rather ambiguous … mainly because it’s pretty obvious their real motivation is to try and hijack the moment to gain some PR for their ego.
It’s embarrassing.
Actually it’s more than that, it’s insulting – given the poverty and depravation millions are trying to deal with.
If you want to take a stand, say it.
If you want to make a difference, try harder.
But if you have nothing to say, shut the fuck up.
But there was a bright point …
A clip that beautifully and systematically surmised and destroyed the incompetence of a Tory Government who forgot their job was to lead the country, rather than serve themselves.
And within this clip was a line, that is possibly the best bit of writing since Arsène Wenger said, “Kevin Keegan thinks tactics are a small mint” … and I include all of Succession’s viscous tongue masterpieces in this declaration as well.
It was this:
[ex-Minister of culture] “Nadine Dorries. A woman so stupid, she thinks Channel 4 is a brand of perfume”.
How good is that?
What a reminder of the power of words. The art and craft of them.
How tragic so many brands think they’re just for decoration around a product shot or a Getty Image pic.
But that aside, check out the clip.
I should warn you it’s NSFW. However it is very appropriate to describe 14 years of Conservative lies and destruction.
So click on it as we wait.
And hope sanity finally prevails.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Audacious, Brands, Comment, Communication Strategy, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Differentiation, Distinction, Emotion, Empathy, Experience, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Nike, Perspective, Provocative, Relevance, Resonance, Strategy
Take a look at this photo of Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.
How good is it?
Two icons of tennis …
Hell, for people of a certain age, they’re still icons, despite this pic being taken in 1978.
But this isn’t about them, this is about McEnroe’s shirt.
McEnroe’s NIKE shirt.
Notice anything about it? Anything different at all?
Well let me put you out of your misery, because the answer is there’s absolutely nothing different about it whatsoever.
It’s the same logo as you see today.
It’s the same font as you see today.
It’s the same flawed genius athlete as you see today.
It is a demonstration of a brand who has always known who the fuck it is, what/who it stands for and what it believes.
A brand that made that logo ‘an asset’ through the decisions it makes and the athletes it associates with.
For over 50+ years.
No ‘relaunch’.
No ‘brand purpose’ statement.
No ‘one colour’ brand systems.
No ‘system 2’ decision making.
Hell, they’re even OK with making mistakes because they are focused on fighting, challenging, pushing and provoking athletes and sport rather than chasing popularity and convenience.
In fact, the greatest irony is the reason they’re currently in the shit is because certain people decided their 50+ years of pushing who they are, what/who they stand for and what they believe was now out of date. Irrelevant. Not ‘optimising or maximising’ their commercial value enough. So they turned their back on who they are to embrace what many modern marketing guru’s said they should be … ignoring the fact these people have never done – or achieved – anything close to what NIKE has and does.
Now it is very true there are certain things NIKE have been slow to embrace. Some are mindblowingly ridiculous and stupid. However, I would argue that is more because they shed so many people who loved and live for sport while replacing them with people who love and live for marketing processes and practices.
Because while there is – if done correctly – value in those things, it’s important to remember they never MAKE a brand, they – at best – help empower it. A bit.
That we’ve chosen to forget this to enable us to profit from an increasing number of companies who seek to disguise the fact they don’t know who they fuck they are, what/who they stand for and what they believe, highlights how much marketing has become an industry of platitudes, not provocation.
Which is why I will always remember what a friend of my Dad once told me.
He was a lawyer, but his words were very pertinent for marketing.
Especially a lot of what passes – or is celebrated – in marketing today.
He basically said: “Great companies don’t change who they are but always fight to change where they are”
Sadly, it feels too many have got things the wrong way around these days.