A show all marketers should see is Martin Parr’s photos at the National Portrait Gallery
If only to see the original artwork for the excellent “Oneness” idents for BBC 1, a fine example of that classic thing – a great creative idea executed in a fresh way.
The idea – like the best ideas – is uplifting and inspiring. “Oneness” is about the joy of getting together with like minded souls who share the same passions, and how this dissolves differences between people through shared experiences and common humanity. It is also an timely idea- a big spirited riposte to the narrow mindedness engendered by Brexit
But there is another lesson. It is difficult to create something fresh and distinctive by sitting in your London office and just doing data analytics. Martin Parr travels all round Britain looking, really looking hard, and capturing the sheer diversity and quirkiness of people.
We used to call this “insight”. A vital stimulus to ideas that I fear might not come from staring at a screen.
Don’t get me wrong. I used to work at Google and I know how rich data analytics can be. But if everyone is using the same data to “optimise their message” then all the work will start to look similar.
Parr’s work for BBC 1 is a reminder of what you have to do to be fresh and different.
Get out of the office and look really hard at people and how they live
