The Emerging Times

Permission Room

Permission Room

When you're producing something that's above the norm, not easy, even risky, you might end up hitting a small glitch while preparing your idea for the 'big' meeting. It happens, don't freak out.

On the flip side, when you hit that bump while you're producing the norm, the standard, the I've seen those before' kind of work—it's a whole other ball game. The bump comes unexpectedly. It's surprising. It raises questions.

Both bumps require you to push off a deliverable for a day or so, but only one of them will be viewed more acceptable to your client.

Inspiration that's always free

Inspiration that's always free
Why should I use my own words to inspire you today? There's plenty right here.

(Thanks for making my birthday easy today Seth.)

Reminder Note

Here's a small note I wrote down and eventually hung on my wall yesterday.

When we make presentations most of us have all the same tools, data, Googles and research reports out there to our disposal. It's easy to make a logical presentation. Unfortunately, that's so expected.

I hope you agree.

What is your reminder note? Write your own. Send me one. Or even use this one.

 

 

 

Evolving Character

If your product isn't the best in the market, there are two roads you can choose:

    1. Make a better product than your competition.
    2. Create character, or a different product experience.

Not being first comes with total permission to do great things. You're not bound by the clear tracks of success, leadership, and comfort that comes with being first or the best.

Character is the brand's personality, it's soul. Usually it comes into play through in the experiential purchasing process. The industrial design, the online store expereince etc. Think Apple. Or the experience you get from booking a trip on Priceline vs. going to AmericanAirlines.com.

What else comes with your product that helps you evolve your character's personality?

However you decide to go up against that market leader I ask you to please remember one thing— the value of being second, third, fourth or fifth is that you have the opportunity to be different. Technology today makes it so much easier to bake-in the difference.

The challenge is making that difference obvious to everyone. Because if you don't you're gonna have to be happy with the standard, not-so-different kind of results.

 

Honor vs. Reward

What do you think motivates you or your employees to go to work in the morning? Pick one of the following:

       A) Honor: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions
       B) Reward: something given or received in return or recompense for service, merit, hardship, etc.

Which do you think motivates people the most in the short term? And in the long term?

I recently got back from a trip to Japan—a culture and heritage based on honor instead of reward. In Japan, it's considered rude to tip your waiter, the door man, even your assistant. Why? Because it's embarrassing for them to think they dishonored you by not doing their job well.

While in Japan I had the best food and hotel service of my entire life and I was treated with the upmost respect from the moment I landed till the moment I left—even at the airport. I think it's because of the culture of honor.

Most people, owners, and companies build a culture based on rewards and forget the value of building a culture based in honor. And that's a huge difference.

In the long run, people being motivated by honor will always surpass the results of those being motivated by reward.

I hope you agree.

 

 

 

 

 

Good stuff from smart people

Image: Jill Seitz

Good stuff from smart people

Today I want to link you to some great words and inspiration from Seth Godin and PSFK. Enjoy.

http://www.psfk.com/2010/06/seth-godin-archetypes-at-work.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Process of Creation

"The creation of the art is as much a part of the final product as the art itself."
-Christo and Jeanne-Claude 

After 25 years of pitching, these artists erected The Gates. Imagine dedicating 25 years to your work and life, all to make your mark on the world.

How much does process matter to you? Does it have value? Does it make you happy? Or does it take you down every time? Do you know why? The best way to enjoy the process (and what you do) is to produce work that matters.

PS. Every week Wednesday is about a little inspiration—a little drive. Is this what you want? Please give me some of your feedback. I've been planning on a new blog format/schedule and would like to start gathering feedback. Email me some

Good Work vs. Bad Work

"It takes as much time to do bad work as it does to do good work. So if your're going to spend the next three months of your life doing something—what do you want it to be?"

-Lance Jenson, Founder of Modernista in Boston

Doing your thing (and getting noticed for it)

Doing your thing (and getting noticed for it)

I do __________ better than anyone else.

Can you complete this statement about yourself?

Whether you're an agency owner, a young creative, or a store clerk—you need to know the answer of this question. After you figure that out (most of you already have by now), you're going to then start to wonder how you get credit for your talents. The answer is easy—you do it again the next day, and the day after that. Repetition is the key.

Bring it today.

What If They're Right

What If They're Right

Each of us has our own process on how to create effective work—the right kind of work. But how we get there isn't always 'right'.

So why is it that almost every time there is a new agency brief, or a new job at hand, do we tend to jump the gun too quickly? So many of us typically go with their immediate gut reaction and assume that it's the best idea. It's creative intuition—it's great, but it's not always right.

Then something happens on the big day when you're reviewing the work with the account team or client, you run a wall. A battle starts over who's right, how to interpret the brief, or perhaps you over-analyze ways to get the work back on brief. It usually spirals a bit before both parties leave the room in the grey area. The client is sometimes left feeling uncomfortable, and (usually) the creatives are left thinking "what a shitty client" or "they don't know good work.". The account person is the one stuck in the middle battling two worlds: the client's business and the agency's creative product.

All of the above is a reality of the business. Your best bet is to listen with big ears.

"What if they're right?"
In tough times like these, perhaps we all need to refer to this famous David Ogilvy quote. Rumor has it that he used to keep these words on a note pad in his desk's top drawer.


Look back on your day
What if YOU jumped the gun and did what you liked instead of what's right? Or perhaps you let the goals of the agency come before the client. Did your boss make a personal promise to get 1 million Facebook fans by the end of the year? What if you we're pushing a new media trend that you needed for your agency new business presentation or in order to get a bonus on your next review at something something agency? Just do what's right.
There are too many reasons why you, creatives and agencies in general push certain ideas on clients. I'll leave this up to you to figure out. Until then, remember that you won't always nail the idea the first time, every time. It rarely happens.

Grow bigger ears
As we mature along the journey of positioning, creating, and selling our ideas—remember to listen to "them" while trusting your gut at the same time. And if you ever find yourself being to over protective, open your top drawer and remember Mr. Ogilvy's words: "What if they're right?

PS. Sorry for any typos. My editing brain is on vacation today.