Gareth Kay: Think Small
Big problems don’t need big solutions. They need long lasting ideas built of small ideas. These small ideas are made of small actions that change people’s behavior and make a brand feel personal. To succeed in these actions you have to be humble, empathetic and interested in people’s lives.
This is what Gareth Kay explained throughout several posts on his blog a month ago after a presentation gave during Future Flash 2011 in Collingwood, Canada.
On his last ramble, as he says, he sets up a list of things agencies need to do to make small ideas happen.
1. Build brands from the bottom up rather than the top down.
Brands are build in people’s minds like a bird’s nest, little by little.
2. Be useful, interesting, entertaining and playful in the service of people.
3. Think about what communication strategy can learn from user experience design.
The best customer service is the one that’s not noticed.
4. Do something and interesting things will happen.
Be action oriented rather than word oriented.
5. Build a culture of experimentation, not planning.
Do and learn, not learn and do. Try to do new things and see where they get you.
6. Realize perfection is the enemy.
Things are not always ready when they need to be ready. We need to realize that good enough is more often than not good enough.
7. Be rewarded for good behavior.
Do your job the best you can, don’t try to get as much undeserved money from the client as you can.
These seven points are a great advice to the industry but also a list of everything that this industry often does wrong.
Hero has followed Gareth’s work since we met at Boulder Digital Works. He’s one of our favorite sharp thinkers. Gareth brings clarity and a comforting sense of do-able to world of advertising and branding.
You can follow Gareth Kay’s thoughts on his personal blog.
