🍣 If you want memorable work, you need to do this first
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Hey friend – Rob here. At its peak, Crispin Porter + Bogusky lived and died by a thought: “Don't write the idea, write the news headline.” This is true for creatives, but should also be true for our briefs. Sure – back them up, add context, explain where we’re coming from. But never lose sight of the headline of what you're asking. Friedrich Nietzsche once said: "I want to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book." How often do you see briefs that are comprehensive, but not clear? Loads of information, with very little intention on what you’re asking. I know i've seen my fair share, i’ve even written a few (and tried to learn). But increasingly i love to read advice for creatives as advice for planners.
All of these are proxy questions for:
Titles aside, strategy is also a deep act of creativity. So, similar rules of thumb should apply. You maximise the odds of memorable comms by writing memorable briefs. So as you write your next one, consider the headline you put in. Because that’s probably going to be what creatives take out. Keep swimming, Rob
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Salmon Theory, by Rob Estreitinho
Helping savvy strategists swim upstream.
Hey friend – Rob here. This is the last newsletter of the year, and goodness me what a year it's been. I was made redundant. I started a business. I lost my mother. I had my best year ever in terms of cash and confidence building. Ebbs and flows, eh? I hope you have a chance to take a break, genuinely turn off those notifications, and sleep in if you feel like it. I bring below 3x articles i wrote recently, and an event we're running in January. See you in 2025, and thanks for supporting...
Hey friend – Rob here. Here's what's been swimming around our brains lately: Synthesis-as-a-Service 5 things i’ve learned from Theophilus Wells IV The question i ask whenever i open a book [Bonus!] Social strategy, deconstructed Grab a cup of caramel tea, and let's get into it. Synthesis-as-a-Service And why it may be an underrated use case for hiring independent strategists. 5 things i’ve learned from Theophilus Wells IV Including directness, self-definition and why impostor syndrome is a...
Hey friend – Rob here. Do you worry about things? Or at all? My suspicion is that you worry far too much about everything. But don't worry, so do i. I think it's part of what makes strategists minimally good at the job. We are always wondering what else we might be missing. It's not a point of advantage, but it's definitely a point of parity. Worrying means we don't take anything for granted. And that's the first ingredient you need to challenge preconceptions about a problem. However. As you...