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Welcome friends! Lovely to have you here. So where exactly is "here"? And what on earth is a ThinkerBelle? "Here" is a blog space on all things that interest this little strategist, namely design, social media and technology. I like to think that "ThinkerBelle" (my strategist persona) lives at the intersection of these three domains. I hope you enjoy this space, please comment and don't be a stranger. I appreciate you being here. Follow me in the tweetverse if you like @thaz7.
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In search of an idea…
There have been a onset of fabulously provocative articles written lately on what constitutes a good/innovative/new “idea.” My favorite is last weekend’s NY Times article (that has been RT-ed endlessly) The Elusive Big Idea. Elegantly written and very smart. While I don’t agree with every element of it–it’s a bit too cynical even for cynical little me, essentially postulating that nothing is an idea anymore because we’re so inundated with information, I do believe there are some really relevant pushes against any one who works in the “ideas business.”
There was a time where we had incredibly evocative thinkers: from Gore Vidal to Steven Pinker to Noam Chomsky, who dreamed and thought BIG…there was room for interpretation and formulating elaborate hypotheses and form thesis’ and opinions. At the time, there was value (monetary and respect) in being able to be a big thinker. Flash forward to today where we tend to thrive on very rational, numbers driven, easily monetized smaller “ideas” or thoughts. The desire for the bigness of idea tends to fall less in the public eye.
So we’re all a bunch of idiots now?
Not at all. Culturally, we’ve just evolved to value something slightly different. Something easier to process. But it doesn’t necessarily make it right.
If you work in advertising, some of this post-enlightenment era academic speak may be vaguely striking a chord…
We’ve all heard it, “Down with the big idea! They are expensive and arduous! (I agree). “Think smaller” is definitely a smart thesis in and of itself (the ever-awesome Gareth Kay describes in his excellent presentation Think Small). But when we focus solely on the small, do we run the risk of losing a little bit of the magic?
I’m currently reading Sir John Hegarty’s book “Hegarty on Advertising.” He talks a lot about “magic.” Yes, I believe it’s a bit of the old ad world’s self-importance speaking, but I can’t help but be a little inspired by his mantra. There IS an element of inspiration that I believe that this industry can bring. At it’s best, it has the power to make people FEEL something. It’s not to say that small is unfeeling, but there’s still a truth and value to bigger emotional provocations that can lead to really smart work.
Brands vie for that elusive place in a consumer’s heart. Be useful. Absolutely–it’s the smartest way to a consumer’s heart today. But we can’t forget that as a brand you also have the power to be something they love…and that’s where I believe there’s still room to play with BIG ideas that come from big, thoughtful places.
So planners, take yourself to a place where you aspire to think like a Betty Friedan or Stephan Jay Gould. It’s not an ounce of bullshit big idea talk–quite the opposite. Smart, well crafted thoughts that ladder up to this crazy thing called an idea.
Here’s the Canadian coming out of me…do we live in a world that can embrace both? Big emotional ideas, that have small, smart and utility driven elements? Maybe? Examples?
