Hope Is Not A Strategy

Times are changing and the industry cannot resign itself to fate. It must learn to be less precious and speed up, writes Memac Ogilvy’s Paul Shearer

- Paul Shearer

So, once again our industry is in a catastrophic, end-of-the-world cycle of doom and despair. We are doooooooomed, as Fraser from Dad’s Army would say.

Clients who are under pressure are demanding it yesterday, demanding it their way, more for less and, on top if this, we are close to pulling the plug on TV ads.

With this Armageddon coming, you would think most people would be preparing for the worst.

The biggest networks have, and I am sure the rest are in the process.

All out they’re getting their brains in top gear and ready for the changing world that’s bearing down on us.

You’d think. Right?

But there is also an ever-growing band of people who seem to think that hoping everything will get back to normal is the best strategy.

Hoping that the world of marketing will sort itself out. Calm down. Be like a goldfish and forget everything every few minutes.

These people seem to be caught in the headlights and are unable to move.

I have news for them.

Hope is not a strategy.

Hope is not even close to being right.

Not even the last resort. Hope is something that is best suited to those who follow football or play blackjack.

There’s a quote that goes something like “Hope is an anchor for the soul”.

Creative people don’t need an anchor.

Hope is for the indecisive people.

And believe me we need more than ever to be decisive.