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Mo's Wakow

Are We Afraid To Ask?

Or is it that we don’t know what to ask?

We’re speaking about a typical brief here. Most are incomplete, or so it seems. The question about incomplete briefs popped up at the last Friday Morning Meeting. Hence this post.

Creative always blames Client Service for incomplete briefs and Client Service in turn blames the client. The world over, without exception. But is the client to blame? Is Client Servicing to blame? The latter to a certain extent maybe. (Boy! Did we just hear a collective hiss and the sound of a collective drawing of swords? Ice it will ya!) The ones to take the blame really-really-really are the ones in creative.

Was that a pop-eye? Shouldn’t be.

You don’t just sit there and complain. You do something about it. You ought to because you know that the product of that incomplete brief will be something half-baked that even your naïve baby nephew who usually falls for the smallest persuasion wouldn’t buy.

Heard of the dude who learnt to ride an elephant by post? The second lesson instructed him step-by-step how to mount an elephant. Noooo, not that mount. So he mounted the elephant and looked for further instructions only to find that these ‘further instructions’ would reach him by post the following week. So much for half baked instructions. But you get the drift don’t you?

So what exactly are the questions you need to ask Client Servicing? Or the client?

-- What are we trying to communicate? A sale? A promotion? A free gift? A...what?

-- Who are we talking to? Children? Moms? Cabbies?

-- Why do you need that execution? (That banner...that website...that poster... Why can’t it be a post-it-note?)

-- Can I see an example of their previous communication? What was the result of this communication?

-- Who are their competitors? What is the competitor's communication like?

-- Tell me more about this product or service. Can I visit the premises of the client to get a better understanding of the product or service? (This one wouldn’t always be possible, especially when your client is overseas, but hey, they wont cut your head off for asking… you need one when you’re writing copy or doing your scribbles, don’t you?)

-- Can I have product/service literature, if there is nothing on their website?

-- What is the desired response? Should the target audience go “Whoopee! Just what I need” or “I didn’t know that, must try it out sometime…” or “Where’s my telephone when I need it?”

-- Is there something I must not communicate? Something I must not do?

-- When do you need this delivered? No. Strike this one out. They'll always tell you they need it 'yesterday'. They tell you that ask them: "Yesterday? You telling me you didn't get it already? You need to check your mail once again, because I sent it you already. Yesterday!"

Psst! You could perhaps pass this on to Client Servicing. They might only grunt. But never mind. They can't afford to cut off your head remember. Click here to download 'The Client Brief - A best practice guide to briefing communications agencies.' Even if it's meant for the client, everyone can learn a new thing or two.

Mo's new home

Lookee! Mo has his very own home. Shobhana, downstairs drew this on the board as she was waiting for Ranjit.

A light moment

Rekha imagines she's a dacoit.

Seth Godin: How do I persuade you?

This is form Seth Godin's blog:

Do I show you a powerpoint filled with bullets?Or give you a spirited sales pitch while looking you in the eye... Perhaps I should send a very attractive salesperson. Do I amplify my word of mouth and be sure you hear about my idea from three people you trust? Do I minimize fear or maximize gain?

Are you best persuaded in a group, surrounded by your boss or your employees or your family or people you trust? Will it matter if those around you give me a standing ovation? Can I persuade you over time, drip, drip, drip, or do you respond better if you feel an avalanche is coming?

Will you change your mind if I'm funny? Or if I scare you to pieces?
Perhaps there's no way you'll be persuaded. Perhaps nothing I can say will make a difference. However, you've told yourself that before and been wrong...

Will you buy if you get a discount?

What if the price is high and going up tomorrow?

Do you want to be the first person to embrace an idea (or the last)?

Here's the thing: unlike every other species, human beings make decisions differently from one another. And the thing that persuades you is unlikely to be the thing that persuades the next guy. Our personal outlook is a lousy indicator of what works for anyone else.

Copywriters have been taught to consider their individual feelings towards a product or service before they put pen to paper and try to persuade others via their advertisements. One test they do is to 'get into the other person's shoes' and see if the 'persuation piece' is really presuasive. Would these copywriters buy the product or subscribe for the service themselves after reading the piece? They've been doing that for quite sometime.

And now here comes confusion. Here comes Seth Godin saying that "Our personal outlook is a lousy indicator of what works for anyone else." That's scary. Can someone illumine all of us on this score and bring us back to the Land of the Smug?

Outside: A renovation and some dust...

Our office shares a wall with the Adyar Ayyappan Temple. This quaint temple made of granite is undergoing a massive renovation now. They had been sand blasting the granite walls for over a week and the sound was grating. Dust was all over the place and we had to keep our corridor windows all shuttered up.

When we looked out the other day, when all suddenly fell silent, we saw the holy premises covered up in traditional palm leaf shades. All the patch and paint work will happen behind covers, until the grand day for the festivities arrives.

That's a view from our office terrace. You see the already renovated portion of the temple as well as the ICICI Towers.

How Boring!

Everyone's glued to their seats and computers on a Monday morning. Mid-morning rather. What's with you people?

The design bay was all serious. Aren't we supposed to have some healthy fun at work? Good for the system. Good for the ideation. Most design places harp on play don't they? Never mind...

Aruna was busy with her copy too, though she sensed the camera behind her. Look at that I-know-what-you-are-doing smile on her face.

Ramkee is another busy person this mid-morning. Hello people, what's with all of you? Have you forgotten to smile and take things a wee bit lighter?