STRAT_SCRAPS v118

Think in bright colors

Jun 28, 2023

A note from my phone that feels important but unrelated to anything that follows:

“Efficiency is not the point. Not with ads. And not with doing the work. I can type faster than I can write, but outlines are more effective when done by hand.

Computers are tools of execution. Writing is a tool for thought”

////

Also,

So you know, see substack for full post or whatever.

/////

Moving on.

////

MORE RE; CREATIVES ON STRATEGISTS SURVEY RESULTS

LinkedIn says there are about 500,000 Creative Directors in the U.S. (which is absolutely a suspect number).

But even if it were true, after 60 responses, I can say with math supported confidence that Creatives want Strategists to stop over complicating things.

In the words of one respondent:

“Say more with less”

~~~~~~~

And I think this gets at the inherent tension of strategy. the curse of expertise…

Because the industry is full of stuff like this:

And this is all stuff that you should know…

BUT AT THE SAME TIME:

“The final strategy should be simple.
Advertising isn't "rocket surgery." Most people live and think in broad strokes.
Like we said earlier, ask some guy in a mall about cars and he'll tell you Volvos are safe, Porsches are fast.
Where's the genius here?
There isn't any.
You want people who feel X about your product to feel Y.
That's about it.
We're talking one adjective here.
Most of the time, we're talking about going into a customer's brain and spot-welding one adjective onto a client's brand. 'That's all.
DeWalt tools = tough. Coke = happiness.
Don't let the people on your team or the client make you overthink it.
Try not to slice too thin.
Think in bright colors.”

- Hey Whipple, Squeeze This.

»»»»

ULTIMATELY, there was one response that hit a little close to home, but isn’t wrong:

“You need to realize that academics that obsess over planning/strategy (there a couple planner bros that are the leading voices in the field) are a bit disconnected from reality right now and haven't been doing the actual work in a while. They want you to obsess over being a strategist and frameworks and planner struggles etc because then they can build their community and sell courses etc. You should obsess over creativity and spend more time hanging out with creatives than you do other strategists.”

There is absolutely value in the academics and the classes and the communities. But only so much as it is then utilized. Take what is learned and go and obsess over creativity. Hang out with your creatives. Or someone else’s.

***************

ANYWAY… A few relevant finds from the archives

////

Remember, this applies to you and your brief as well:

////

////

////

Strategy needs to remember to focus on the pieces other than credibility (if that’s all you are focused on, you end up losing credibility, not gaining it).

////

_______________

I was talking to a therapist the other day who opened the meeting with “I’m part of a group of professionals who regularly meet and discuss treatments, approaches, and other client related information. No names are ever used and everything stays completely anonymous, but I’m a big believer in never trying to advise in a silo.”

…

Made me think about freelance work and that if there is a HIPA compliant way to talk things over with other independent professionals in your field, why can’t there be a way to do so in other industries. I’d love an hour a week to chop it up with a support group of people doing the same thing.

////