I love this post from the estimable Seth Godin, on how to work with your design team, although his comments apply equally to a marketing firm, advertising agency, or any other creative enterprise. One of my favorite parts of Seth's post makes the point that great creative work is not the same as safe, mediocre work:
"It's going to offend someone," he writes. "If it doesn't offend them, then it will make them nervous. The Vietnam Vets memorial offended a lot of people. The design of Google made plenty of people nervous. Great work from a design team means new work, refreshing and remarkable and bit scary."
"If you want average (mediocre) work, ask for it. Be really clear up front that you want something beyond reproach, that's in the middle of the road, that will cause no controversy and will echo your competition. It'll save everyone a lot of time."
Very true, Mark. Unfortunately, "echoing the competition" has really become the norm, hasn't it?
It's no longer a game of follow the leader, it's more like follow the follower, where people who don't know what to do copy other people who don't know what to do.
Soon everyone's doing the wrong thing and no one knows why!
David Blaise
http://www.lawyermarketingpodcast.com
Posted by: David Blaise | June 26, 2008 at 12:04 PM