Execution used to be about bringing a concept to reality--getting it online, in a magazine or on TV. Now execution returns to its semantic roots. Now it is about killing things. Killing spark. Killing innovation. Killing juice.
Like a Roman emperor, allow me make the ceremonial snuffing out of life easy. As the gladiators were forced to sing in the Colosseum, "Ave imperator, morituri te salutant."
So, here goes--27 executions to begin with. Save time, save sturm, save drang! Pass them to your account people, your clients. Let's go home at 5!
1. "The logo's too small."
2. "The lawyers won't let us."
3. "It tested poorly."
4. "It takes too long to get it."
5. "Not enough product sell."
6. "The client hates it."
7. "It might offend someone."
8. "They'll rip us a new one."
9. "Too negative."
10 "Doesn't fit the format."
11. “Too confrontational.”
12. “The client warned us about that.”
13. “It’s not P.C.”
14. “Makes people uncomfortable.”
15. “It’s not measurable.”
16. “I wouldn’t have done it that way.”
17. “We ran it up the flagpole and no one saluted.”
18. “We couldn’t get consensus.”
19. “I don’t get it.”
20. “We already have too many ideas.”
21. “The benefit isn’t obvious.”
22. “It’ll go right over their heads.”
23. “I think I’ve seen something like that before.”
24. “It’s not what I was thinking of.”
25. “It’s too expensive.”
26. “It might backfire on us.”
27. “It’s outside of scope.”
Execution #28: Last week a client said, "Oh that's way too creative for us."
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Keeps those killing remarks coming. Let's see if we can get to 1000.
ReplyDelete#29: We never did that before.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few I've heard recently:
ReplyDelete#30: It won't work as an animatic
#31: The clients want a real people testimonial
#32: The client hates elephants
#33: "It's perfect, but we need to change it."
ReplyDelete#34 It's too upscale.
ReplyDelete#35 It's not upscale enough.
#36: It's polarizing
ReplyDelete#37: It's not branded up front
THIS IS FUN.
38: "Let's save it for next year."
ReplyDelete39. The client isn't really ready for any big ideas-it's a political thing...
ReplyDelete#40: We'd like you to meet X, our new CMO.
ReplyDelete#41: It needs to have a higher level of energy
ReplyDelete#42: It is way too different from anything they've ever seen
#43: It needs more branding elements
#44: We need to add emotion
#45: All that white space? They'll never buy that