Comments for Bi-weekly Letters of Garrulity http://www.wmwuk.net/blog The Wilding McArdle Wilson blog Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:25:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Ask a silly question by Grant http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=333&cpage=1#comment-212 Grant Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:25:43 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=333#comment-212 My typical approach is to go with the self-deprecating, "I'm probably being a complete moron, but...". In terms of maintaining credibility and gravitas, yours is probably better! My typical approach is to go with the self-deprecating, “I’m probably being a complete moron, but…”.

In terms of maintaining credibility and gravitas, yours is probably better!

]]> Comment on Ask a silly question by Louise http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=333&cpage=1#comment-211 Louise Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:00:33 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=333#comment-211 Couldn't agree more. My favourite is to say 'I'm sorry but if I'm to communicate this I have to make sure I understand it...' and then ask the silly question. The real sign you're getting somewhere is when you see the relief in others' eyes because they now understand what's going on! Couldn’t agree more. My favourite is to say ‘I’m sorry but if I’m to communicate this I have to make sure I understand it…’ and then ask the silly question. The real sign you’re getting somewhere is when you see the relief in others’ eyes because they now understand what’s going on!

]]> Comment on Generically yours by Grant http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320&cpage=1#comment-210 Grant Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:45:07 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320#comment-210 The call to action of the finished ad was actually 'To find out more, call someone or visit a website.' The call to action of the finished ad was actually ‘To find out more, call someone or visit a website.’

]]> Comment on Generically yours by Anna http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320&cpage=1#comment-209 Anna Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:42:14 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320#comment-209 Maybe a 'generic' response was required by the audience (whatever a 'generic' response might be)? Maybe a ‘generic’ response was required by the audience (whatever a ‘generic’ response might be)?

]]> Comment on Yankee doodle not so dandy by Grant http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=327&cpage=1#comment-208 Grant Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:19:35 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=327#comment-208 Glad to lighten your dawn, Sam. I couldn't believe my luck when I found it. A rare gem. Glad to lighten your dawn, Sam.

I couldn’t believe my luck when I found it. A rare gem.

]]> Comment on Yankee doodle not so dandy by Sam http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=327&cpage=1#comment-207 Sam Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:25:22 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=327#comment-207 Ha ha ha ha ha. Oh this is just BEAUTIFUL. Grant. Thank you so much for posting this. I started work very early today and didn't expect to get my first cringe so soon - and yet, here it is. Ha ha ha ha ha. Oh this is just BEAUTIFUL. Grant. Thank you so much for posting this. I started work very early today and didn’t expect to get my first cringe so soon – and yet, here it is.

]]> Comment on Why creative is the last place you should go by Grant http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=323&cpage=1#comment-205 Grant Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:32:44 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=323#comment-205 You're absolutely right, of course. The 'perfect brief' is every creative team's favourite White Whale. And, as you say, a large part of the value a decent agency is derived from using their experience to help clients shape their thinking into something more focused. What I completely failed to mention is that, as you'll know, the benefit of a brief is not just one-way. Sure, a good one can help the creatives come up with more effective ideas. But it also makes it substantially easier to get good work signed-off (which is pretty fundamental!). Without something written down on a piece of official looking paper, it becomes wholly about individual opinions. Trying to remove subjectivity from the creative review process is another Ahabian undertaking. But at least a brief provides a touchstone that's been agreed in advance by the client so you can say, "Look - this work meets these criteria." Finally, spot on about trying to create the shortest distance between the creative people and the real decision-makers. To quote another favourite bloggist of mine, The Ad Contrarian: "Creative people make the ads. Everyone else makes the arrangements." You’re absolutely right, of course. The ‘perfect brief’ is every creative team’s favourite White Whale. And, as you say, a large part of the value a decent agency is derived from using their experience to help clients shape their thinking into something more focused.

What I completely failed to mention is that, as you’ll know, the benefit of a brief is not just one-way. Sure, a good one can help the creatives come up with more effective ideas. But it also makes it substantially easier to get good work signed-off (which is pretty fundamental!).

Without something written down on a piece of official looking paper, it becomes wholly about individual opinions. Trying to remove subjectivity from the creative review process is another Ahabian undertaking. But at least a brief provides a touchstone that’s been agreed in advance by the client so you can say, “Look – this work meets these criteria.”

Finally, spot on about trying to create the shortest distance between the creative people and the real decision-makers. To quote another favourite bloggist of mine, The Ad Contrarian:

“Creative people make the ads. Everyone else makes the arrangements.”

]]> Comment on Why creative is the last place you should go by Paul Brasington http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=323&cpage=1#comment-204 Paul Brasington Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:29:47 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=323#comment-204 I'd agree completely that you can't spend too long trying to refine your own sense of what's required. All the same it's just a facet of working in this business that you'll get vague briefs. One of the benefits of experience is that you can look at something indeterminate (or just poor) and begin to work out what might be required, and so create some real value in your response. In most agencies that task is likely to fall first to the account handlers, who'll try to finalise the brief with the client and only then turn to the creative team. But when you're trying to deal with something vague it's much better to involve an experienced creative team (and particularly copywriters) directly with the client. I suppose that's another way of saying that any structural disjuncture between the creative idea and the business requirement is unlikely to be helpful. By the way, "hear hear" on your comments earlier about value v virtue. I've put the point slightly differently in my own occasional blog (http://paulbrasington.wordpress.com/) but if this resistance to unhelpful can crass brandspeak is becoming a movement I want to join it. I’d agree completely that you can’t spend too long trying to refine your own sense of what’s required. All the same it’s just a facet of working in this business that you’ll get vague briefs. One of the benefits of experience is that you can look at something indeterminate (or just poor) and begin to work out what might be required, and so create some real value in your response. In most agencies that task is likely to fall first to the account handlers, who’ll try to finalise the brief with the client and only then turn to the creative team. But when you’re trying to deal with something vague it’s much better to involve an experienced creative team (and particularly copywriters) directly with the client. I suppose that’s another way of saying that any structural disjuncture between the creative idea and the business requirement is unlikely to be helpful.
By the way, “hear hear” on your comments earlier about value v virtue. I’ve put the point slightly differently in my own occasional blog (http://paulbrasington.wordpress.com/) but if this resistance to unhelpful can crass brandspeak is becoming a movement I want to join it.

]]> Comment on Generically yours by Grant http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320&cpage=1#comment-194 Grant Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:16:11 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320#comment-194 Poetry. Classics. You're quite the renaissance man, Neeeeeeeeeeil. Poetry. Classics. You’re quite the renaissance man, Neeeeeeeeeeil.

]]> Comment on Generically yours by Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320&cpage=1#comment-191 Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:50:33 +0000 http://www.wmwuk.net/blog/?p=320#comment-191 Alright, Sisyphus. Alright, Sisyphus.

]]>