10 More Things// Libraries, Pete Twix & 1970s coffee

In this edition: join your local library, Pete Wicks + Twix = Pete Twix & how to sell coffee in the 1970s

If you are enjoying the newsletter please consider sharing it with someone you think will enjoy it. I only gain subscribers when I share on LinkedIn which is not my favourite thing to do (for international readers that is British for I hate it). Thanks for your support.

Libraries

I started writing a piece on how the industry approaches trends that needs a lot more thinking before I can publish it publicly. So I’ve put that aside and instead bring you an important update:

I joined my local library this week. Mainly because the flat I just moved into is already at full book capacity after a decade of schlepping a small collection around different London flats. Oh, and I refuse to buy books on an e-reader.

I assumed the wait list for books would be long so I ordered 3 books to hedge my bets: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman, Second-hand Time: The Last Of The Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich & The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd. A work book, non-fiction & fiction. The classic trilogy.

Within 1 week I was told all 3 were ready to pick up. Which is to say, if we had any evening plans in the next month I’m officially cancelling them.

It costs £1 to reserve a book after which you have 3 weeks to read it. If no one else has reserved it, which is likely if you’re not reading Harry Potter, you can extend indefinitely. Although it’s quite nice having an imposed 3 week deadline to read a book (even if you can extend it).

I’m still planning to buy some books, even those I’ve first read at the library. Instead of a book shelf cataloguing all the books I’ve read it will become a shelf of books I want to read again.

Find your local library here.

Strategy and all that stuff

Six Orientations To Envisage A Better Future. “When did imagination become the one-size-fits-all answer for building the future? There’s no denying the essays are inspiring — but it started to feel like we were circling the same idea over and over again”. I see this framework as ways to sell in imagination which is necessary to the strategic process. On one side you have social dreaming (telling) and on the other side pre-enact (doing) with different cross-disciplinary skills in the middle that sell in imagination in different ways.

Chili’s CEO Breaks Down the Changes That Turned the Restaurant Around. It’s rare to hear a leader straddle both minute detail and wider strategic vision. I enjoyed this whole video but in particular the anecdote about the fries being under-seasoned, which, let’s face it, is quite crucial for a fast-food joint. Why were they under-seasoned? The staff needed to shake the seasoning 30 times over the fries. Why didn’t they? Because your arm gets tired after about 5 times of shaking. What did they do? Made a shaker with bigger holes so you only need to shake 5 times. Simple!

Framing A Message. This is clunkily written and the author doesn’t seem to understand the difference between income inequality (which has been static for decades) & wealth inequality (which has risen sharply) but sharing because of this framework. I really like the addition of opposing force: what are you giving up?

Dealing with Intuitive, Non-Strategists. A reminder from the great strategist Roger Martin the point isn’t strategy, it’s to solve problems. Be useful first and strategic second (of course, use strategy skills to be useful).

Creativity & campaigns

Pete Twix. Twix partnered with Pete Wicks as part of their latest ‘Two Is More Than One’ campaign. I’m proud to say I contributed the pun, then the brilliant Mars team contacted him the next day, developed the idea to fit the broader campaign and made it all happen.

Diamond Heist. Netflix put a real diamond in a billboard to promote the crime series Diamond Heist. CCTV and round the clock security are protecting it from any chancers.

Feathers McGraw Lamp-post. Celebrating an icon and bringing a little bit of unexpected joy.

Pick N Mix

Could COFFEE Catch on in BRITAIN? My favourite thing I’ve seen in the last week. A BBC camera crew follows BBDO as they create an advertising campaign for the international coffee organisation in 1970. What’s notable is how simple everything is and how eloquently they talk about those relatively simple decisions.

Acquired Taste. “Acquired taste is a matter of learning subtle knowledge, and experiencing minute differences in properties”.

Book Recommendations. Some cultural books in that link and some work books in this link.

Peace out ✌️

Alex