Monday, March 13, 2017

I have no time for you.


I got a call just now from an old advertising friend of mine. He was one of those guys from the old school—a school which was ruled by common sense, decency and a firm sense of how things should be done.

(By the way, if you're from that same old school, check out the short trailer above. I particularly like this quotations which appears at about 2:02. "Up until 1960, 1970, if Gutenberg came back, Gutenberg would have been very comfortable in that studio." That is, a studio of the old school.)

I don't lament the demise of a lot of that--nor does my friend. What I do lament is the destruction of TIME. The idea that because something can be done fast, it should be done fast.

We have lost all sense of proportion.

If Descartes were around today, along with Gutenberg, he'd say not, "Cogito ergo sum," I think, therefore I am, but "Blurtito ergo sum," I blurt, therefore I earn a day rate.

Years ago, when you wrote a treatise on a brand and the direction it might take, it was a week-long project. You spoke to clients, you spoke to customers, you sifted through numerous articles and facts. 

We called those treatises "manifestos." 

Much of any success I've enjoyed in my career stems from my ability to write such things.

About ten years ago, writing manifestos was condensed to about one day. 

I called these shorter things: "minifestos."

Today, an entire day to write anything--even your will--is completely out of the question. We need to "work at the pace of business." We need to be faster faster faster.

Now I call these brand treatises: "minutefestos."

How much blather you can write in 60 seconds.

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