Is your strategy based on optimism bias - or pigheaded thinking?
You know that thing where someone says something in passing without even thinking about it - and you get a total lightbulb moment?
I had that the other day, talking to Steve Baker , the MD at @Fen Technology. He was telling me about the different stages of product development and mentioned the phrase 'optimism bias' and I thought: Ooh. That's me, that is.
I just basically go into everything thinking...it's all going to work out OK.
Even when things are going badly, let's say a small frustration?like a cancelled train. Or going through redundancy twice. Or losing both my parents.
It's an instinctive lean towards things turning out alright in the end. You will get to your destination. You will bounce back and find levels of resilience you never knew you had and somehow, stay standing.
Let's take the transformation of Sookio from agency to one-woman communications consultancy.
I made decision on 21 May. And here we are two months on, the transition nearly?complete, save for some laptops to sell off and a load of stuff to shred if I'm ever going to get the dining room back.
If it sounds impulsive it really was not. It followed an extended period of very intensive thought which meant that when I came to making this difficult?decision I could move very quickly indeed. I knew it was based on very rational thinking;?head as well as heart.?
Not for a second have I doubted it would work. And it will.
Bringing this round to marketing and communications, you've got to have the courage of your convictions, haven't you? You have to believe your campaign is going to work, your creative output is good. Know when it's time to strike.
But unless you have data, you have analysis, you've taken time to listen, then it's not so much optimism bias as being flatout pigheaded.
And that, my friends, is not a strategy.
It's why Apple?panicked ?and apologised for?that?iPad campaign where they crushed symbols of creativity (they hadn't considered audience reaction), and why clothing brand?Reiss played a blinder with their 'looking for a man in finance' flashmob dance on TikTok (because they had).
Curiosity, sparked
Discover the thinking behind the super-speedy Kamala Harris rebrand.
Communicate better?with tips from?Michael Johnson, Rob Brydon and Martin Lews in the excellent podcast Communicating with Ros Atkins. ?
Explore the work of badass Mafia?photojournalist Letizia Battaglia , who I just discovered on a trip to Palermo. My new heroine.
Now’s a Good Time To...
Stop all these platforms scraping your data to train their AI! So rude.
Start here to change your settings:
And for more strategic comms advice, explore the updated services at Sookio: Audits , Strategy and Consultancy . Ciao!