The Consumer Eye - February Part 2

Through the process of simplification, we overcomplicate things.

I blame this on the need to name everything. I understand that by somehow naming things we give objects and services emotional life; but what happens when you start naming things that are neither an object or service.

Take Purpose. The dictionary version makes total sense. The business version not so much. The agency version is just downright psychedelic.

And like a herd of sheep every organisation feels the need to have the same shiny things without really aligning on their meaning.

Is purpose different to a vision?

Is vision different to a mission statement?

Is mission statement different to a manifesto?

Is manifesto different to a brand essence?

All these words that have never truly been defined, aimlessly batted around organisations like the crappy afternoon game of ping pong in the office cafeteria.

This is before organisations overlay DNA, heritage, tone of voice, personality, behaviours (of people and brands), ways of working, culture. It goes on and on and on.

It’s all a muddle.

We seem to ‘name’ everything without having a clue on how they all connect.

And that’s before people add their own special acronyms or coined phrases into the mix.

It’s no wonder most employees’ clock in and clock out!

I wonder if humanity will ever lose its fascination with naming stuff. And if businesses will ever eradicate the ‘red tape’ that this ‘naming’ creates.

I believe that If you speak to people normally, using language they understand, delivered in a clear and concise way, you might realise you don’t need all of these trendy words after all.