Change The Game

Creativity loves a problem, but it hates a lousy audience.

If everyone is sure the economy is tanking, that the end is near, that time is up and the company is headed for the tubes, it almost impossible to find a creative solution.

Creativity changes the game, whatever game is being played. “We’re going to run out of cash by the end of the year,” is accurate unless you count creativity into the equation. Then the accurate statement is, “Under the current rules and assumptions, we’re going to run out of cash …” Big difference.

(From Seth’s blog)

Advertising and marketing is supposed to be THE creative industry, yet so many agencies remain bound by their own rules. We can only do advertising. We only charge clients for our time, not our production. We can’t make products … because our product is ideas. Bullshit.

At this point in time, people are looking at the revenues shrinking and are cutting costs to “remain efficient”. Instead, we should be looking to use those “inefficient” resources to grow our revenues. The best time to invest in market (whether it be for real estate, stocks or talent) is in a downturn. It’s when it’s cheap.

Instead the vast majority of marketing departments and agencies are getting rid of their resources and tightening their belts. They’re cutting spending. They’re creating a culture of fear. Is it right? No. Will it provides the best long term return? No. But it’s what everybody else is doing. The problem with doing what everyone else is doing is that you don’t give yourself a chance to break from the pack and be spectacular.

The companies and individuals who are going to win are those with positive outlooks. People that see opportunities instead of fear. That breed positive momentum. That recognize the shit you can’t control and the the shit that you can. People that break the rules. People that change the game.

- Christian