Welcome to “The New Clutter”: Everyone Who’s Trying to “Cut Through The Clutter”
Posted on | July 9, 2008 | steve whigham
Seems like everyone’s feverishly yapping these days about the need to ”cut through the clutter” while spazzing out on their fourth Red Bull of the morning. But just what happens when everyone starts cutting through the clutter at the same time–and in the same way? Take a look around. Welcome to 2008, The Birth of “The New Clutter.”
To say you’re wanting to “cut through the clutter” and then actually doing it are two separate issues. Unfortunately, they are rarely connected. That’s good news for the serious idea person (which I’m assuming you are–or at least want to be.) Cutting through the clutter is still a simple proposition, but a simplicity most are not willing to embrace. Why? Because it’s hard. Simple, but hard. But it’s doable with a certain discipline to your idea making. And that’s what I’d like to discuss with you… about going to the 15th.
I’m firmly convinced that all of us are capable of producing good ideas given the chance, motivation and method. If you find yourself in a brainstorming session with colleagues and the group starts hammering at a problem and pelting it with a spray of random ideas, you’ll probably find that you’ll discover a couple good ideas among the lot. For most, that’s enough. They’ve got a good idea or two to champion and they’re off to implement them.
But the difference between a good idea and a great idea is huge. Not only in the quality of the idea, but also in its effect. A great idea can work 100x harder than a good idea.
“The New Clutter” is a gathering of good ideas (thinking they’re great ideas) trying to get noticed in an over-crowded, increasingly jaded marketplace. Did you know that the average American consumer gets exposed to 3,000 to 5,000 ad messages a day? And each of these messages are good. Their creators all think their ideas “cut through the clutter” when, in fact, they’re just adding to the noise.
But then there are others. These are the ads we remember. The ads that change our behavior. These are the ads we tell our friends over drinks or at the coffee maker at work. They’ve caused us to rethink our thinking. They’ve ignited a connection to the brand and product. They’ve given us an extra something that completely causes us to forget the 4,999 other ads we saw that day. These ads have cut us to the quick.
So, what’s the difference? The creators of the one great ad do what rest are unwilling to do. They’ve gone to the 15th.
After graduation from my M.B.A. program in 19… (well, let’s just say Ronald Reagan was still in the White House), my uncle gave me this small little book on advertising by a guy named John Caples, legendary ad guy from the ’60’s. I awkwardly thanked my uncle for the book, though inwardly I was thinking, “what does some old ad guy from the ’60’s have to teach me? Doesn’t my uncle know the advertising business has changed and the ideas from decades long gone have no relevance today?” Well, I thought that and didn’t express my disappointment outwardly.
But one day, in a fit of boredom and lack of inspiration, I pulled out the Caples book. And I read it. You need to know I had been a successful creative director at an agency for some time. And, as I read, many of my original misgivings remained. But there was one thing he said in that book that made a ton of sense. A simple thing. But a hard thing. He talked about going to the 15th. And it was the idea that transformed my idea creation from being nominally “good” to “great.”
Here’s Caples’ idea: when he was tasked to write a new ad, he had a method. Once presented with a client problem that needed an advertising solution, Caples would spend a day or two digesting the client situation thoroughly. He’d talk to experts and read as much as he possibly could about the client, its products and the market. Then Caples would go home, eat a nice dinner and go to sleep. He wouldn’t even try to solve the client problem yet.
The next morning Caples would then come into the office and pull out 15 clean sheets of paper and sit down at his desk and force himself to come up with 15 different ways to solve the client problem. He’d jot down his first idea in loose form, then place it on the credenza behind him. He’d then take sheet #2 and force himself to come up with another idea. Then he’d think of a third, a fourth, a fifth… then a fourteenth, then a fifteenth.
I decided to give Caples’ idea a try. Fortunately, a client came to me with a problem the very next day. And I went to the 15th on that problem–just the way Caples would have if he were in my position. And I was able to come up with a stunning, “clutter exploding” solution. I had produced really good work for that client in the past. But this idea… this idea that came from a collection of 15 separate ideas… that’s the one that levitated into the rare air of “great.”
Had I become a genius overnight? No. I just had a plan. A simple, albeit hard, plan. Most are either too lazy or too much in a hurry to go to the 15th. And they stop at their first good idea or two, just like I used to do. And its their ideas that are creating the “New Clutter.” Caples taught me to get past my good ideas by generating a lot of ideas… 15 ideas to be exact. And that’s where the magic begins!
So “cut through the clutter” till your heart’s content. Just make sure you go the the 15th to get there.
Happy ideating!
Steve Whigham
Comments
4 Responses to “Welcome to “The New Clutter”: Everyone Who’s Trying to “Cut Through The Clutter””
Leave a Reply
July 9th, 2008 @ 10:55 am
Uh oh…I just realized I’m lazy.
Going to the 15th would surely take a lot of time and energy, but I guess like you said that’s what separates the good from the great.
I’m definitely going to attack the next project with a different mindset.
Thanks for sharing this
July 10th, 2008 @ 8:58 am
Wow… what a great idea for solving just about anything. This idea is more than just an advertising solution, it’s a life solution that can impact event the smallest challenges with big results.
Let’s see… I’ve got a few projects in New Media that might be solved by going to the 15th. I’ll let you know how it works out.
I wonder if we could solve the gas crisis this way? Maybe our government leaders need to go to the 15th.
July 19th, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
Hey! I think I remember you from the neighboring cubicle in the sixth grade, around 19… (well, let’s just say Richard Nixon might have still been in the White House). Nice article. It sounds like you’re doing well.
July 22nd, 2008 @ 4:39 pm
Who ever came up with this is a damm genius. He probably had an office right next to an even bigger genius with a bald head and a smart mouth.