I’mo do me, you gots to do you.
—Heather B.
Dre and D.O.C. said it best: It’s the formula. Business loves a sure thing; and nothing’s surer than what’s already been done. Most every client wants the predictable, stable formula. And if that means biting everyone else’s formula then so be it. Long as it sells, ride the formula. And should it fail, CYA—blame the formula.
That’s why so many emcees are still trying to out-jigga Jay-Z, out-TRL Em, Nelly or Usher, out-crunk the Dirty South, or out-thug Fiddy who’s trying to out-thug Tupac’s ghost. Every singer is trying to out-pop the latest prepackaged MTV princess. And the fashion industry is so homogenized that you can’t tell Old Navy from GAP from American Eagle from Banana Republic from Abercrombie & Fitch from J. Crew from Polo from Calvin Klein from Sean John from Phat Farm from Rocawear… No matter what restaurant you go to all the food tastes the same… Every sitcom has the same 20 jokes per 22-minute episode. Every movie is a sequel, a remake, a cartoon, a comic book, a kitschy TV show, or some ‘high-concept’ that’s been done to death. It’s raining commodities and cookie cutters and consumers are getting soaked.
But clones don’t last. At some point formulas get stale and people get wise. At some point you have to look in a mirror and ask, “What am I?” At some point you have to stand on that foundation and stand up for it. At some point, you have to let people see your truth as an individual and as a company and let it ride. At some point you just have to do you.
Do You. It’s not a question or a fragment; it’s the complete solution for the business world’s lack of innovation and integrity. For example:
That’s why so many emcees are still trying to out-jigga Jay-Z, out-TRL Em, Nelly or Usher, out-crunk the Dirty South, or out-thug Fiddy who’s trying to out-thug Tupac’s ghost. Every singer is trying to out-pop the latest prepackaged MTV princess. And the fashion industry is so homogenized that you can’t tell Old Navy from GAP from American Eagle from Banana Republic from Abercrombie & Fitch from J. Crew from Polo from Calvin Klein from Sean John from Phat Farm from Rocawear… No matter what restaurant you go to all the food tastes the same… Every sitcom has the same 20 jokes per 22-minute episode. Every movie is a sequel, a remake, a cartoon, a comic book, a kitschy TV show, or some ‘high-concept’ that’s been done to death. It’s raining commodities and cookie cutters and consumers are getting soaked.
But clones don’t last. At some point formulas get stale and people get wise. At some point you have to look in a mirror and ask, “What am I?” At some point you have to stand on that foundation and stand up for it. At some point, you have to let people see your truth as an individual and as a company and let it ride. At some point you just have to do you.
Do You. It’s not a question or a fragment; it’s the complete solution for the business world’s lack of innovation and integrity. For example:
Unlike Any Other. (Sorta.)
From about 2001 to early 2005 I worked on a leading luxury European car account. Once, they were jewel of the Nile, the industry standard. They were the ultimate “I got it made” mobile. Everyone wanted one. When you saw one parked you’d stop, stare, and wonder how much the owner was worth. In fact, Black folks used to joke that if you were truly successful, you had three things: (1) A house in the ‘burbs. (2) A white girl. (3) One of these stupid cars. (Yes, they were truly that serious.)
But times change. Between a few generations of competition, slip ‘n’ slide economies and evolving tastes the company struggled. Sales dropped. The brand weakened. And with the exception of their highest-end models, they really weren’t moving units. So as part of their comeback tour they decided to get all “multicultural,” which meant reaching out to Black, Hispanic, and Asian car buyers—folks they traditionally ignored.
This is where I came in. My job was to help them become more “relevant.” Translation: Work some blackness into their brand. Get a few dark faces and urban slang into their ads. Give them some soul. Help them “be down.”
Anyway, before I did any ads, I analyzed their brand, the marketplace, trends, etc. and discovered that they had three serious problems.
But times change. Between a few generations of competition, slip ‘n’ slide economies and evolving tastes the company struggled. Sales dropped. The brand weakened. And with the exception of their highest-end models, they really weren’t moving units. So as part of their comeback tour they decided to get all “multicultural,” which meant reaching out to Black, Hispanic, and Asian car buyers—folks they traditionally ignored.
This is where I came in. My job was to help them become more “relevant.” Translation: Work some blackness into their brand. Get a few dark faces and urban slang into their ads. Give them some soul. Help them “be down.”
Anyway, before I did any ads, I analyzed their brand, the marketplace, trends, etc. and discovered that they had three serious problems.
