I recommend a book by Simon Sinek: “Start With Why.” It changed the way we advertise at TiVo. There’s also a TED Talk for folks with short attention spans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

Most companies know WHAT they do, and WHAT they sell. They may know HOW they do it, but very few know WHY. As an example, Simon explores how Apple could sell us everything from iPhones and iPads to iBlenders based on the simple notion that their WHY is “to challenge convention”.

So often in advertising, we don’t stop to think about why customers should care about us. We act like if only they knew about our 15 new features, they would surely buy our product. In fact, we reason, there could be no possible argument against buying it. But that’s where we get hung up on WHATs.

As Simon reminds us: “Customers don’t buy WHAT you do. They buy WHY you do it.”

Here are some recent campaigns with strong WHYs: Mini “Let’s Motor,” HP “Invent”, Levi’s “Go Forth”, Jet Blue “Happy Jetting”, VW “Drivers wanted,” and of course Nike “Just Do It”.

So if your client or company suggests advertising their new product with a list of WHATs, perhaps it’s time to Think Different.

The other day I spotted a silver sedan on the road with absolutely no logos, markings or other identification. It struck me as really odd, and reminded me just how many brands we are exposed to as part of our daily landscape. Interestingly, not having a logo made this car stand out. But it felt generic. I imagined buying this car. Would I feel safe in it? Tell my friends about it? Trust the company that made it?

This got me thinking about the importance of branding and how much value those little logos carry. Take a look at the two cars above. One costs about $30K more than the other. Can you guess which? And of that $30K, how much can you attribute to the logo?

This is the value of branding. It requires bold creative, consistently applied, and a long-term investment. It’s about finding something to stand for, and then staying with it, so customers can believe it, identify with it, and share it. And the funny thing is, as with the photo above, a logo doesn’t have to be huge. It just has to be there.

It’s like the old story about cows that are let out of a barn. The ones who stop at the first grass they come across end up chewing well-trod bits of weeds and muddy tufts. The more adventurous cows who make it past the first (or second) pastures find the good, deep, tasty stuff. Just don’t go too far and become roadkill.

Of course, obstacles are everywhere. No budget. Weak coffee. A creative partner who’s been beaten down. Focus groups. The client’s wife. They all form a virtually impenetrable wall separating you from success. And then there’s the problem that Crispin already did whatever you’re thinking of doing.

The painful reality is that this business is not just about finding the Big Idea. It’s just as important to sell the Big Idea. So unless you have the right attitude, advertising will kill you. For every 100 ideas you have, it’s just a fact of life that 99 of your babies will die. You have to be completely OK with rejection from your partner, the creative director, the account team, and the client. And if somehow your idea gets produced? Well, congratulations. Now you can be rejected by the consumer.

The bottom line: be Teflon. Don’t let failure stick—smile and roll with it. Because when it comes to getting to the Big Idea, if you don’t enjoy the journey, you’ll never make it to the destination.  

Then he added, “But we’d like to.”

Rob Bagot, Josh Denberg, Paul Hirsch and Brad Cohn / McCann Erickson
Jon Soto and Jae Goodman / Publicis & Hal Riney
Greg Bell and Paul Venables / VB&P
Paul Curtin / Eleven
PJ Pereira / AKQA
Bruce Campbell / Clear Ink
Robin Raj / HWY1
Jim Lesser / BBDO