I heard Jane Birkin this week on Radio 4 summing up her philosophy on life as “cautious recklessness”.
I like that (I guess I'm predisposed to like any philosophy delivered in an accent like hers) and it set me thinking all week.
Now isn’t it fair to say that ‘cautious recklessness’ is a large part of the brand truth of all agencies who promise creativity and innovation?
In effect we’re asking prospective partners to come on a journey with us, employing new, engaging and creative ways that are uniquely ours, whilst not appearing too much of a risk.
I wonder how much ‘cautious recklessness’ will be evident in the approach and also in the end-result to the branding of Wythenshawe? I can't help but think that 'branding' is being used to solved a problem best solved another way and that there should have been maybe more ‘caution’ on all parts.
As someone with an antipathy towards conventional agency 'pitching', I was also interested to read about the Digital Departures competition. The design world and film-making world are nowhere near exact parallels, but I don't think 156 agencies would line up to demonstrate their wares in a competitive free pitch. Yet once again, I bet the judges were looking for that creativity and innovation (recklessness) in a package that they could envisage being delivered.
My hope is that all clients announcing they are looking for new agencies (I’m sure you’ll have your opinions on whether there’s a lot or a little of that sort of activity at the moment and I’m equally sure that you’ll hear all about it first on the news pages of How-Do) and that all agencies out there don’t forget the fabulous Jane Birkin.
Too much caution and not enough recklessness stifles innovation. And too much recklessness without caution? Great to watch in others but probably not a mantra on which to build a good agency.
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