Notes to Self

Greg Hoffman, NIKE x Steve Bartlett, Diary of a CEO

See what others see, find what others don’t

Greg Hoffman talks all about getting under the skin of things: the city, the culture, the people. Find the inner truth that resides there and reveal it through storytelling. Don’t just observe behaviour: address the true problem that needs to be solved.

Play to win. Be intentional.

Love the art and beauty of being human.

Wheatfield—a Confrontation by Agnes Denes (also pictured), 1982.

Courtesy of the Public Art Fund, New York. Photo by John McGrail.

Purpose has been hung out to dry, in adland anyway. A few years ago, brands were clamouring to proclaim their purpose-driven brand mission. Profit, oh no, we’re too right on for that. Weirdly punters saw through the falsehoods of much of the frontage. Humans, it turns out, can spot claptrap instinctively. But, but. There is merit in the pursuit. Creatives have great ideas. Brands have budgets. It might be just about making sure the purpose actually serves real people, and not the agency’s ego-cabinet. Look at this here example. Sure, Agnes Denes is an artist. It’s sacrilege to even mix her up in this. But it shows the power of ideas. Acres of grain. Planted on valuable real estate. Lady Liberty punching the air. And you call it Wheatfield – A Confrontation. After the harvest the seeds went to the public, the hay to NYC Police horses. 

Then, in 1992, she created Tree Mountain, 11,000 people, 11,000 trees – 4 months. It’s pretty. It makes an impression. And it provides a natural water filter, flood protection, and a nice habitat for the earth’s other beings. But she’s not selling anything, or working for (apologies in collaboration with) wheaty puff morning cereal, or ‘under the tree at Spar’ you say. Totally. But, if she was, would it be so bad. If human purpose and brand purpose can actually unite to benefit and create value, boosting profits because people start seeing themselves and align with a brand that is doing more than fluff pieces, is that not showing how creativity is fundamentally beneficial to commerce.