Some Writing on the Subjects
Make it Should. Everything Else is Anodyne: A Love Letter to the New Nihilism.
So What you want and what should be aren’t the same anymore — if they ever were. Want used to come from ego, that comfortable anodyne space where we pretend our choices are our own. But ‘should’ — that’s mutating into something else entirely. >>>
We’re Eating Our Own. They’re Stale.
If you cram a bunch of rats together with no way out, they’ll get stressed and start killing and eating the weaker ones to survive. Now think of the cage as an unknown, a boogieman next door that you can’t escape, and a real motivation to either kill, fuck, or marry. That scary beast has been lurking next door to creative departments for a while now — not in the shadows, but right in the glow of our monitors. And while I spent a lot of time shouting at it and prognosticating when it’d finally pounce, I’ve come to some different conclusions. >>>
Truth: Bad Work Costs More.
The interesting thing about agency work is that it’s mostly not done for the client. AND what I mean is that it’s not done for a singular person… Or their spouse, or their kids or the guy in the finance department that they think they’re asking as a little impromptu focus group. >>>
Hiring for Creativity isn’t about Team Photos
So much to unpack from something that came so easily out of the mouth of the little troll of a man. I’d just been hired to head up everything associated with creative at an office for one of America’s last large independent agencies >>>
When shit gets real, it comes with a bill.
As AI evolves, we will see laws and actions, such as U.S. President Joe Biden's October ‘23 executive order, which introduces guardrails for its development and use. And as we know, once things begin to happen, that's where real confusion meets utter disarray. >>>
The difference is brief
AI might be doing its best to bludgeon creative, there is one Rosetta Stone of reason that might be the saviour for all effectiveness. At its best, it translates the brilliance, bombast, and beauty of human desire into the unique voice of a brand.
the future of creative is found in the past.
The young designers of today often lack core skills, are ill-prepared, come with unrealistic expectations, and are believed to possess some magical insights into youth. Today’s young Turks are even more ill-prepared, lacking basic colour theory, understanding of type rules, or the realization that solutions often need to be churned quickly. They find themselves going up against seasoned pros who know that the first answer is merely there for the client to reject, necessitating five more rounds to make them feel valued by the agency. >>>
if you can’t make something good, you’d better be able to make something truly awful.
Let’s face it: most creative endeavors cannot sink as low as the works of those armed with just enough knowledge to display skill but possess zero instinct or appreciation for what is genuinely good. Sure, there’s a sort of allure to the bad — it’s just not the quirky charm of a cult movie or the rebellious vibe of a mullet; it’s more of a general, unmistakable dumbness.
Rigged pitches, over-promising and client theft.
If you’re an agency, you’ve been fodder for it. If you’re a client, you’ve done it, and if you’re an agency person, you might have even lost your job due to its overuse and, in some cases, overabuse as round after round of revisions are requested even as there’s no intention of awarding the job.
Sanctuary Brands: The Safe Room with a Pizza Slot.
The idea of escapism and sheltering in place aren’t all that different when we find ourselves seeking actual sanctuary from the sanctuary we were promised—a safe and satisfying future. Brands come to us as a promise, and trust grows from that promise. It’s an interesting take, isn’t it? What happens when you wish the faceless corporation would just put its mask back on?
The Imperfection of Truth May Be the Most Honest Thing About AI.
Hating people can be exhausting, especially when their incompetence and lack of emotional intelligence are so profound that there’s no satisfaction even in confronting them. It feels like AI has already won. It can mimic humanity, intelligence, and empathy better than some humans.
A brief conversation is the AI briefing tool you need.
The numbers, the PPT from “headquarters,” the directions from beyond locales, and even the how to get to the “release” aren’t enough. It’s about more than that. It’s about knowing you — your individual desires, both professional and personal.
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