STRATSCRAPS_v192

Angle of consumption

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Early on in the world of advertising, creative advertising was called Commercial Art. This is still a degree you can get, but isn’t really used to describe an industry anymore. If anything it is used as a sub category of pop art reserved for Andy Warhol.

I think there needs to be a new branch of Advertising called Commercial Art. This is the only way to save the industry in my mind.

Commercial Art would be a form of advertising where the end output would be more permanent displays (but could certainly be supported by media).

The brief would provide the artist or agency with the subject matter and any core imagery. Then, the artist/agency would get to work. Maybe it is a mural, or an installation or a video or post cards or an exhibit. But it would be art built with brand assets. No constant rounds of review. No CTAs. Just art that has a commercial objective. to make people think of the brand or product positively.

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Who has two thumbs and was interviewed by Laura Markwardt for the NicheID podcast?

(me. the answer is me). It was also translated into a substack post which can be read here.

p.s. This is probably my favorite introduction I’ve ever received;

“This is an ad guy who doesn’t believe in capitalism…”

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If we are what we’re doing, then atrophy is the greatest risk to the things we want to be.

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If diagnosis is “Buyers don’t understand the problem we solve”
Guiding policy: “Build the category before building the brand”
(Success metric: problem awareness, not product awareness)

If diagnosis is “Market sees us as commodity”
Guiding policy: “Compete for culture share, not just market share”

If diagnosis is “Can’t afford to compete on brand reach with incumbents”
Guiding policy: “Win through fragmented fame in concentrated communities”

If diagnosis is “Strong consideration but low conversion”
Guiding policy: “Remove all friction from value realization”

If diagnosis is “Growth requires reaching beyond early adopters”
Guiding policy: “Maintain cultural edge while building broad mental availability”

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Can’t remember where I saw this, but saved it because its a cool concept:

“there is no such thing as “OUR username” platforms”

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I’ve shared this before but my family business is construction/building/contracting. Sometimes I work out of the offices. And every time I do, I see this hung on the wall and I am struck by how important it is to have a document like this in our industry too.

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Planner nerdery;

this is one of those things that planners should understand and appreciate but never find themselves presenting

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oof.

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I wish more people would explore the boundaries of their expertise.

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What can I do to fight rising authoritarianism?

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One of the most normalized symbols of our modern dystopia:

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“cut your hair right before a journey

and then not again until the end”

how do you define the journies in your life?

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Why can’t the CIA start funding artists again?? (actually never mind they would somehow make make art into a weapon of manufactured consent or a tool for infiltrating protest movements.

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WEEKLY MONSTER

My dad found this on the side of the freeway and put it in the back of his truck because [????].