THE ADNEWS NGEN BLOG: The art of looking sideways

When I graduated from high school, my sister Michelle put together a “things you will need in life” kit as a present. I was leaving the nest, venturing out into the world and this box contained everything she deemed necessary for me to do well.

Of the many items in it, there was a book entitled The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher. My sister gave this to me so that I didn’t walk through life with blinders on, and learned to approach any situation I faced from all angles. It is the type of book that you can flip arbitrarily to any page and find value in.

Eight years on, I haven’t come close to touching on every page. Each time I pick it up again, this book continues to challenge every idea of how things should be, because creative thinking should not be limited by how things should be.

It might seem like an obvious concept in the world of media and advertising but at the same time, there is still a lot that can be done to make people take notice of your brand. Too often, I have seen a brand run a promotion, only to have their competitor run the same promotion plus a little bit more. Understandably, this comes down to what the message is, what the client wants and what the budget allows, but this doesn’t mean something more can’t be done.

With 28 Lions at Cannes, it is hard to ignore 'Dumb Ways to Die' as a prime example of breaking out from the mould. Who would have thought a comical animation, a song that rivals the catchiness of Gotye and a smartphone game could communicate railway safety so well?

It would have been easier to put up warning signs and posters across the Melbourne Metro network. This would have reached the target audience and would result in little to no wasted ad space. If you were looking at efficient audience targeting, this would have hit the nail on the head.

But realistically, how many of us would have noticed? How many of us would still be talking about it a year later? American artist Georgia O’Keeffe once said, “Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small – we haven’t time – and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." If people won’t see a natural thing of beauty, why would they stop to look at your ad?

This isn’t a revolutionary way of thinking, but more of a gentle reminder to step back, and try looking at the world from a different perspective. Not everything is black and white, there is a colourful spectrum in between for you to explore.

Challenge your thinking, try going to a new café, take a different walk home from work or simply order a beer you’ve never tasted before. You may find the little discoveries in your personal life begin to inspire and reflect in your work.

Anthony Hess
Digital Assistant
OMD