Predatory Thinking

Key Takeaways

1. Context is King: Out-Think the Problem

Nothing exists in limbo. Everything exists in context.

Change the game. Most problems aren't solved by attacking them head-on, but by shifting the context in which they exist. Instead of trying to solve a problem directly, look for ways to change the situation so that the problem becomes easier to solve or even disappears. This is about getting upstream and changing the rules of the game.

Break it down. Complex problems can be overwhelming, but they can be made manageable by breaking them down into smaller, more solvable pieces. Identify the pressure point, the one piece that, when changed, will have a ripple effect on the entire system. This is about finding the leverage point.

• Henry Ford's quote: "There’s no problem that can’t be solved if you break it down into small enough pieces."
• Find the piece that changes everything else.

Beyond textbooks. True learning comes from experience and stories, not from dry formulas and rules. Principles endure, while formulas don't. The most powerful lessons are those you work out for yourself, not those you memorize. This is about active learning.

2. Creativity is Action, Not Just Ideas

Creativity is creating something out of nothing.

Ideas are not enough. Creativity isn't just about having a good idea; it's about making that idea a reality. It's about shaping matter to fit the concept. The real creativity lies in the dogged determination to do whatever it takes to bring an idea to life.

• The story of the old lady who dug a pit for her abusive husband.
• The difference between having an idea and making it happen.

Mind shapes matter. Concepts don't exist until we create them in our minds. Then, we shape matter to fit the concept. Without a mind to envision a ship, to build a ship, to use it as a ship, there isn't a ship. This is about the power of the human mind.

• The Ship of Theseus thought experiment.
• The concept of a ship needs a mind to exist.

Simplicity is key. The most creative solutions are often the simplest. Understatement and letting imagination do the rest can be more powerful than complex actions. This is about the power of less.

• The ex-student who left colored squares on the CEO's floor.
• Letting imagination do the rest.

3. Embrace Ignorance: Question Everything

The wise man knows he doesn’t know. The fool doesn’t know he doesn’t know.

The power of "I don't know." Instead of defending what we think we know, we should embrace what we don't know. Saying "I don't know" opens up the way to new possibilities and discoveries. This is about intellectual humility.

• Lao Tzu's quote: "The wise man knows he doesn’t know. The fool doesn’t know he doesn’t know."
• It's more powerful to say "I don't know" than to have an immediate opinion.

Experience is a filter. We interpret everything through the lens of our own experience. What we know is all there is to know, until we learn something new. This is about the limitations of our own perspective.

• The story of Stanley Pollitt and the sheep.
• We interpret situations using our own experience.

Childlike curiosity. A child's mind works the same way as an adult's mind. We think what we know is all there is to know. We should embrace the childlike curiosity that allows us to question everything. This is about the power of an enquiring mind.

• The story of the son and the phone bill.
• At four years old, you don't even know the world of paying for things exists.

4. Life is a Zero-Sum Game: Choose Your Role

Marketing, like war, is a zero-sum game. If you want something you have to take it from someone else.

Predator or prey. In a zero-sum game, for someone to win, someone has to lose. You must choose whether you want to be the predator or the prey. If you don't choose, the choice will be made for you. This is about taking responsibility.

• Adam Morgan's description: "like a knife-fight in a phone box."
• There isn't any place for bystanders.

Hard choices. There are two kinds of liberties: the freedom to do things and the freedom from things. The more you have of one, the less you have of the other. No one wants to face these hard choices. This is about trade-offs.

• Isaiah Berlin's two kinds of liberties.
• If you want more of one, you have to have less of the other.

Single-minded propositions. You can't have more than 100%. Adding more to a message doesn't make it stronger; it dilutes it. Propositions should be single-minded to concentrate the message. This is about focus.

• The story of the Twiglets and strawberry ice cream.
• More is less.

5. Advertising's Real Battle: Getting Noticed

The real issue isn’t, is our advertising saying the right things? The real issue is, how do we even get noticed?

Civilians, not policemen. Consumers are not trained to notice every detail of every ad. They are sleepwalking civilians, filtering out distractions. We must treat them as such, not as if they were all trained policemen. This is about understanding the audience.

• The police inspector's lesson about observation.
• People don't notice what's going on around them.

The invisible majority. Most advertising is invisible. The vast majority of ads are not noticed or remembered. The real question isn't whether the ad is right, but whether anyone will even notice it. This is about cutting through the noise.

• 89% of ads are not noticed or remembered.
• The worrying number is the 89%.

"What's in it for me?" Everything is an advertising problem. To get someone to do or think what you want, you must answer the question, "What's in it for them?" This is about understanding motivation.

• The story of the Young Creative Council workshop.
• How can you make me want what you want?

6. Believability Trumps Truth: Know Your Audience

A simple lie is often more powerful than a complicated truth. At least when it comes to mass communication.

The power of belief. It doesn't matter if something is true; what matters is whether the target market wants to believe it. Something that captures the imagination is more powerful than something that captures reason. This is about emotional connection.

• The story of Group Captain John Cunningham and the carrots.
• It didn't matter that it wasn't true.

Forget clever. We are often too clever for our own good. We create solutions that make sense to intelligent people like us, but most people aren't like us. We need to penetrate their world, not our own. This is about empathy.

• Margaret Thatcher's appeal to housewives.
• We need to forget about what works for us.

Trust is the brand. Building a brand is about building trust. It's about showing, not just telling. It's about being honest and reliable. This is about long-term relationships.

• The story of the plumber who didn't charge for a small fix.
• He invalidated all the competition for a much bigger job, without even a pitch.

7. Less is More: Focus on the Essential

It doesn’t matter what went into it. What matters is what people get out of it.

Quality over quantity. We often focus on how much time or effort we put into something, but what really matters is the quality of the result. We should judge on quality, not quantity. This is about value.

• The story of George and the big books.
• Counting has taken over from what counts.

The consumer's telescope. Clients look at the world through the lens of their brand, but consumers see it from a different perspective. We must understand the consumer's world to be effective. This is about perspective.

• The story of the teabags.
• We can't assume everyone knows what we know.

One-to-one communication. Even in mass media, we are only ever talking to one person at a time. We must reach people in their immediate consciousness. This is about intimacy.

• The story of the plane crash in New York.
• You're only ever talking to one person.

8. Rejection is a Speed Bump: Keep Asking

If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Fear of rejection. Most of us are afraid to ask for what we want because we fear rejection. But rejection isn't death; it's just a speed bump. If you avoid rejection, you avoid opportunity. This is about courage.

• The story of Farmer Jones and the plough.
• We react to situations that haven't happened yet.

The numbers game. Rejection is part of the creative process. You have to do a lot of work to get a few good results. If you want more good ads, you have to write more ads. This is about persistence.

• The numbers of ads needed to get a good one to run.
• If you want 2 good ads to run, write 32 ads.

Criticism is growth. Criticism isn't always negative; it can be a chance to grow. Praise won't help you grow; it tells you, "You're doing it right, don't change." This is about learning.

• Randy Pausch's lesson from his football coach.
• Criticism can be a chance to grow.

9. Learn from Losing: Criticism is Growth

One sometimes learns more from a lost race than a victory.

Criticism is a gift. Criticism is often more useful than praise. It's a chance to learn and grow. We should define ourselves by how open we are to learning and growing. This is about self-improvement.

• Enzo Ferrari's quote about lost races.
• Criticism is often more useful than praise.

Let go of the past. Holding on to past injustices only hurts you. It takes your attention off the present and the future. Revenge is like drinking poison and waiting for your enemy to die. This is about moving forward.

• Gandhi's quote about revenge.
• You only actually hurt yourself.

Prove them wrong. Use criticism as motivation to prove your doubters wrong. Don't let others define your potential. This is about self-belief.

• The story of Tim Martin and his teacher, Wetherspoon.
• Tim Martin grew up wanting to prove him wrong.

10. Form Follows Function: Design for Purpose

Form follows function.

Function first. The form of something should follow its function. Get the brief for the function right in the first place, then the form will come out of it. Don't change the form to suit a different function. This is about purpose.

• The story of the sawn-off shotgun.
• Don't change the form to suit a different function.

Connected minds. Great ideas come from collaboration and discussion, not from isolated moments of inspiration. Chance favors the connected mind. This is about teamwork.

• The story of the car-parts incubator.
• Ideas usually aren't 'Eureka' moments.

The big picture. We must see the big picture, not just our own area of expertise. We must understand how all the pieces fit together. This is about systems thinking.

• The story of the missing radios.
• Specialists who can't see the bigger picture.

11. The Human Mind is the Medium: Connect Deeply

The only medium that doesn’t change is people.

Wrong brief, wrong solution. You can't get the right solution if you've got the wrong brief. Question the brief. If the answer doesn't work, maybe the brief is wrong. This is about problem-solving.

• The story of the Panama Canal.
• The French hadn't questioned the brief.

Effectiveness over efficiency. It's more important to do the right things than to do things right. Focus on effectiveness, not just efficiency. This is about priorities.

• The story of the man under the steamroller.
• Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.

Imagination is key. The human mind is our medium. We must tap into the power of imagination to create truly great work. This is about creativity.

• The story of the horror movie sound effects.
• Imagination is more important than knowledge.

12. The Journey is the Destination: Value the Process

The journey is the destination.

The power of the process. Life is about the journey, not just the destination. We should value the process, not just the result. This is about being present.

• The story of Mick Dean and the pilgrimage.
• He wanted it to be about the journey, the part that actually existed.

Logic is a superstition. We often rely too much on logic and reason. We should be open to other ways of thinking. This is about challenging assumptions.

• The story of the washing up.
• Logic is our superstition.

The team is the key. The best creative directors build teams that can do great work without them. They focus on enabling others, not just doing it themselves. This is about leadership.

• Kenny Dalglish's advice about being a manager.
• You'll know you've got the team right when you can't get on it.

Last updated: February 17, 2025

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