005: More metaphors
[After - Session 1] When I worked in rural Maine, I had a boss who would say, "All's done except for finishing." 🤔
Shipping the first of anything is typically the hardest. In the case of this curriculum, my struggle has been all the macro/micro dynamics, and potential story arch choreography. We could structure things one way, but that might prohibit others? And how can we keep referencing back to the key message so we’re consistent? The Future of Advertising is nothing if not lots and lots and lots of choices. Count your blessings you are not inside my brain.
But then it’s 9:00pm this past Monday and the dust has settled and the course is underway. One session down, 14 to go. Two of the students said, “this has been really useful.” 😊
But the actual future future isn’t quite here yet.
Next week we’re going to take a sojourn through Behavioral Economics, essentially. After reading Rory Sutherland’s very brilliant book Alchemy, I’ve come to believe Advertising is just a playground for Behavioral Economics. I’m open for debate on that, btw.
We’ve got a savvy guest speaker lined up. More on her in next week’s Before post. The goal will be to illuminate the role of Strategy, specifically actionable (audience) insights—that important piece of the puzzle which might spark a creative brief. Slowly but surely we’re tightening our conception of Advertising.
I first heard the business futurist Cecily Sommers speak maybe ten years ago. She gave us a quote which holds a lot of meaning for this point in our journey. It’s also great advice for anyone in Marketing:
“Hold tight to purpose, and play loose with tactics.”
We’ve got lots of tactics coming up to explore. The trick is that first bit.
So we’re using our first few sessions to cement some amalgam of purpose.
Marketing = Create Change
Advertising = TBD
Thanks for riding along.