Rethink’s Post

Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy UK once said..."people should generally avoid hypercompetition." Before I go on, let me say this... Competition in business at a decent level is a good thing. It drives improvement, eliminates those who can’t keep up ensuring the highest of quality for consumers, etc. But as they say, too much of a good thing is bad. Hypercompetition on the other hand is when the prize isn’t worth the price. Meaning you’re in a market that is too saturated that the level of success you would achieve doesn’t match or supersede the insane amount of work you’re putting in to grow that business. And it just doesn’t make the journey worthwhile. You would need an insane level of sacrifice, work ethic and LUCK to succeed in such a market. Two of which you can control (but to what lengths?) and the last being luck that you have no control over. Instead, focus on a market with a decent level of competition and one where the success is worth the time you're putting in. Happy New Year!!

One thing I’ve learnt during my years in business is to celebrate the successes openly & be proud, especially when you get feedback like this 👇🏼. This was a bit of a rebranding exercise to boost brand awareness, presence and reputation in newly identified markets, ultimately to drive more frequent, specifically financially targeted contracts to promote empowerment within the organisation’s infrastructure, as well as ensure longevity & financial sustainability for the business. It’s always a pleasure to work with Caleb and Stuart, partly because of their values and desire to boost other individuals and businesses, but also because they are genuinely great people! I may even stretch to some cocktails to celebrate later today… 🍸😃 (that may not be a surprise to some 🤣) #marketing #brandpresence #brandreputation #sustainability #longevity #marketingaudit #marketingplanning #strategicplanning

"We take risk on the execution, not on the insight or the strategy - we've moved from 'Will it work?' to 'Is it true?'" My highlight from a brilliant Day 1 at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was the McDonald's session on how to convince the C-suite of the impact of creativity, with Jill McDonald, Morgan Flatley and Ian Borden. Amidst a treasure trove of insights about how to align creative and business goals, this little nugget on managing creative risk stood out. McDonald's now work to ensure that they are rock solid on the insight (or Fan Truth) and the strategy - and that gives them the foundations to take greater risks on the creative execution. The lesson: if you want to develop winning, brand building creative you need to stop focusing on whether the execution will work, and start focusing on making sure the insight is true, and speaks to a real human motivation. #canneslions24 #insight #creativity #humanfirst

A few things we learned in 2023: Building meaningful brands starts with putting people first. A shout out to Haven Home Safe 💙 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gpgUJy6U

Great minds think alike, but diverse minds? They reshape industries. These minds are the catalysts for truly groundbreaking work. Whether through the merging of agencies, as seen with BBDO Dublin and TBWA\Ireland, or by creating inclusion within existing teams, diversity fuels innovation. When people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together, the result is both a blend of talents and a powerful spark that challenges conventional thinking and opens new possibilities. Deirdre Waldron's reflection on the recent merger highlights a key truth: diverse thought drives the creative process forward. Potential is created by creating an environment where different viewpoints meet and inspire something entirely new. The greatest creative breakthroughs come when we disrupt the familiar and open ourselves to fresh ways of thinking. Don't you agree?

I often ask Chief Strategy Officers what the secret is to the best creative work. and all will emphasise that there is nothing more powerful than the dynamic between a Strategist and a Creative. It often ties into an iconic memorable and career defining story back to that one place there was a creative-collaboration-magic feeling of connection between the two. I see peoples faces light up when they think back to that one moment. That one campaign  That one pitch win  That one award And that one creative team powerhouse behind it. Memorable moments and ground breaking work comes from that relationship. When strategy and creative are great. The work speaks VOLUMES. Ideating together rather than in silo’ed teams makes the BEST moments and the BEST work. So much so that now they are being valued to move from agency to agency as a pair. Which is why the Droga move is so interesting.. As 30 years ago strategy was still a relatively new discipline and not considered on par with creative leaders. It’s great to see it valued the way it should, despite a little way to go.

We have been noodling with some of the top marketers in the country over the past few months. Insights abound in this great piece by Jason Cieslak. Small preview here: "AI: “This is the dumbest it will ever be.” There wasn’t a single attendee who didn’t have an AI story to share. Every organization is looking at AI, whether casually playing around or aggressively applying it to reduce costs. The stories of lessons learned abound, each brander sharing what not to do when implementing AI. While there are wild swings in the tools and appropriate applications, all attendees agreed that the speed at which AI is improving is profound."

The Funniest Companies in the World   In high anticipation of this year’s fast-approaching April Fool’s Day, let’s put the spotlight on the funniest companies in the world. Each year Stand-Up Strategist compiles the definitive rankings of the best corporate April Fools campaigns from around the world. You can see the ’23 winners, their highly entertaining campaigns, and the illustrious panel of guest judges here: https://lnkd.in/e9-qqCt4   To celebrate and showcase the importance of humor, Stand-Up Strategist has been compiling the Top 23 annual rankings since 2018 (suspended in ‘20 and ’21 due to the pandemic) and we have seen noteworthy patterns emerge. Participation in April foolery is truly global – involving all continents with the notable exception of Antarctica. It spans across diverse industries – with airline, automotive, hi-tech, and consumer goods being the most prominent. And, it often features the CEO/Founder of the company personally – most famously John Legere, former CEO of T-Mobile USA.   To get the fascinating, behind the scenes peek at how the rankings are compiled, see my freshly published article in CEOWORLD magazine: https://lnkd.in/exJTASTj     May you use the remaining few days wisely, to perfect your display of humor on April 1st.    Art Reid, Jamie Anderson, Sasa Spasic, Jeff Hoffman, Sameer Somal, CFA, CFP®, CAIA, Tatyana Mikayil, SEAN SWARNER, Karyn Buxman, Neurohumorist, Speaker Hall of Fame, Roger Sargent Solo Stove Airthings Duolingo NAVER Corp Kotak Mahindra Bank KLM Royal Dutch Airlines   #humor #leadership #corporateculture #smartstrategy #transformation #aprilfools  

This was a fun piece I pulled together after multiple dinners with some of the West Coast's leading marketing and brand leaders. The conversations focused on the state of our economy and the trends shaping day-to-day brand and marketing decisions. The dialogue was honest and far reaching, and too good not to share. 2024, for many, is proving to be uncharted waters. Influences such as AI, return to the office, an election year, interest rates, and other trends are forcing marketers and their brands to think differently. #Branding #Simplicity #AI

Achieving true brand loyalty is no easy task, but worth the effort. In a new Forbes article, Amy Stern, Managing Director, Research and Strategy, BI WORLDWIDE and Recognition Professionals International board member, contributes her insights. https://lnkd.in/gyictGjj #BrandLoyalty #EmployeeRecognition