• On Mediocrity

    Posted on October 16th, 2007 by and currently 16 commenting.

    Have you picked up a copy of CP+B’s Hoolpla? (It’s hard to (physically), since the cover is made of sandpaper.) It’s a great self-promotional piece about the history of the agency, their famous campaigns, etc.

    My favorite part of the book though, is about six pages of inter-office emails. And buried in those exchanges is the best line of the entire book, from Alex Bogusky’s friend (whose name is never mentioned):

    ‘It astounds me how people are afraid of so many things, but mediocrity never seems to be one of them.’

    That rings true on both the client side and the agency side. Mediocrity is an ever-present enemy. And something we all need to be on the lookout for as it tires to creep into our daily lives.

    Yep, that one’s going into the little leather book-of-quotes on my desk.

    Onward.

  • http://thebrandbuilder.blogspot.com olivier Blanchard

    From dictionary.com:

    Mediocrity -
    noun
    Ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding [syn: averageness]

    I wonder if mediocrity is a choice or a default mode. What do you think makes some of us steer clear of it while so many others don’t mind it? (I smell a nature vs. nurture conversation brewing.)

  • http://brainsonfire.com Spike

    Great question, O.

    Maybe it does have a lot to do with personality. But I’m going to go as far as to say it might just have a lot to do with company culture. Does mediocrity attract mediocrity?

    Mediocrity is safe. And in a world where the average life span of a CMO is 19 months, safe is good, right? Which baffles me, because I would think that knowing they have 19 months to save their job, they would do the exact opposite of mediocrity, which is excellence.

    Thanks for making us think.

  • http://blog.brandingfire.com Darrin Dickey

    Funny. I just got my copy of Hoopla in from Amazon two days ago. I’m trying to finish reading Punk Marketing first, then on to it. I can’t wait.

    Re: Mediocrity. Being mediocre is (supposedly) safe. If you don’t draw attention to yourself, no one will notice you when things go bad. Problem is, being mediocre gets you mediocre results.

    My last job was working at a marketing agency. One of my first assignments was to write content for a client’s brochure. I slammed it. My writing tends to be a bit vocal and edgy anyway. I mean, if you’re not excited enough about your product to want to stand on rooftops and scream about it, why are you doing the work you do? The reaction I got from the agency owner was, “This is great! I LOVE this! I’m really glad to know you can write like this. The client will never approve it. It’s too over the top. He likes stuff that is softer and doesn’t hit you in the face like this.”

    Sure enough, I came to find out that the client liked his stuff subdued and quiet. Very mediocre. Hmmm… You can just stay quiet and melt into the woodwork. Why bother marketing at all?

  • http://www.whatsthediff.com Christy

    Hm. I wonder if we need a more objective definition of “mediocrity” in marketing. It’s easy to criticize any work by calling it “mediocre.”

    To some, the over-the-top writing in Darrin’s example could have been considered “mediocre” by calling it “too common,” noting that the language is not precise enough to convey the value without screaming. Not that I’d agree, since I think the most transparent writing is often very emotional and grabs you >right there

  • http://thebrandbuilder.blogspot.com olivier Blanchard

    There’s a great little moment in “The Kingdom” when an FBI Director (played by Richard Jenkins) explains to a threatening State Department honcho (Dan Huston) that losing his job isn’t something he is afraid of – and why. (His management skills having been forged in the field during the Korean War, getting fired from a job for doing the right thing isn’t something he is particularly stressed about.)

    His philosophy is this: You have to go into every job knowing that someday, that job will end. Period.

    Once you’ve accepted that, the question you have to ask yourself is how you want to go when that day finally arrives: Standing up (standing for something) or on your knees? It’s a brilliant little scene.

  • http://reachdabbleshine.typepad.com/28yearslater/ Reach.Dabble.Shine

    Parallels perfectly with unexamined lives. Don’t rock boats, and buy into stuffing those dreams until you suffocate on mediocrity. No thank you.

  • http://brainsonfire.com Spike

    Christy – you’re right. Like a lot of things in life, I guess what is “mediocre” and what isn’t is completely subjective.

    O – ooooooohhhh. Well said. And a great perspective.

    RDS – “suffocate on mediocrity.” Can I use that somewhere in the future? Well said.

  • http://www.whatsthediff.com Christy

    Hm. Seems the form didn’t like the use of greater-than signs… lots more to that, like talking about “mediocrity” in customer service…

    Ah, serves me right for getting up on my soapbox, anyway! Or, for being too cheeky. ;-)

  • http://caseyross.typepad.com/ Casey Ross

    You made me think. I’ll get you for that.

    Here is what you made me think about…why do people accept mediocrity? If we revolted against it and withheld our dollars from it, I’m sure we’d see less of it. But the majority of us accept it. Why?

  • JB

    I’ve been working at my company for almost a year now. One of my fellow creative/weirdo team members and I frequently discuss our vision for our last day with the company.

    She has requested I gather a mob of our co-workers to forcibly remove her from the building before tossing her into the north entrance fountain. This procedure is to be followed regardless of whether she is being fired or just retiring.

    Not to be outdone, I will be accompanied to my last day of work by a marching band. As I parade through the building I will give a high five to everyone I see. Upon reaching the cafeteria solarium, I will tear off my cape (did I mention I’ll be wearing a cape?) to reveal a jet pack. After elegantly bowing to each of my co-workers I will blast through the ceiling, leaving this cold world behind. Years later my company will receive post cards detailing my fantastic battles with polar bears and life with a little known South American tribe of hunter-gatherers.

    What do plan to do for our company between now and then? Well, it involves x-ray vision and a bunch of 40+ year-olds looking at us like we’ve lost our minds.

    And this, my friends, is only a small peek into the lives of those who fear mediocrity.
    It really doesn’t surprise me to hear most people can’t handle it.

  • http://www.brandidentityguru.com Branding Agency

    I’ve learned after 18 years that a lot of clients live for the safe and conservative. It’s unfortunate but I think most people like to play it safe. They say they want to be different but a lot seem to gravitate to the dark side.

    Thank God we show multiple concepts for everything. We always keep our fingers crossed for the one we want them to choose (you know, the right one). Ultimately it’s their call, to be different or just blend in. We can only guide them.

    But being average, well that’s no way to be!

  • Pingback: Community Guy - Jake McKee » Daily Links - Tuesday, October 16

  • http://www.whatsthediff.com Christy

    Okay, Spike. You ended your post with, “Onward.” I should be moving onward, but I found an interesting story this morning about a “no complaining” campaign. You wear this bracelet and switch arms every time you complain. Go for 21 days without complaining, and you get a certificate.

    What if we turned this around a little, and instead of simply “not complaining,” we get solution-oriented, find the mediocrity, and use the bracelet to remind us to *do* something?

    Oh, and then we could all be disruptors with a bracelet to remind us that we need to disrupt every day. ;-)

    Just a thought.

    The Today Show featured this story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21319881/

  • Jenny

    okay, this has nothing to do with this post. i’ve just always wondered why mud doesn’t have a bio like the rest of the brains crew? i mean he’s a dog, but he still deserves a bio.

  • http://brainsonfire.com Spike

    Believe it or not, Jenny, you’re not the first one to point that out.

    I’ll take care of it. And thanks for looking out for Mud. He’ll appreciate it. After I wake him from his nap.

  • http://reachdabbleshine.typepad.com/28yearslater/ Reach.Dabble.Shine

    Sure, Spike – use it where you see fit :-)