I see this. Satchi's new campaign entitled: One Word Equity.
Now I pride myself on being a bridge builder and translator, so I am usual empathetic. Heck, I am out there trying to educate how the new world operates, but I had just one reaction to this (probably emboldened by spending the weekend with folks who "get-it"). I do indeed believe that branding is more important than ever [iphone anyone!], But, I mean---
Are you people nuts?!! THIS is what you come up with?
WARNING: short burst of RANT ahead [to be followed by rational thinking when I cool down}
- Have you learned nothing over the past few years about how HUMANS function in the REAL world? And the impact of technology in enabling this behavior?
- Is this your response to the growing wrenching bile & acid in your stomach that gets worse with the daily realization that you are becoming IRRELEVANT?!!
- Are you SO arrogant that you think you can OWN a word - OWN anything you have not PAID for?
- Do you think it is OK to OWN a word? And then make a stupid Flash movie about it.
I am still fuming and must tear myself away from keyboard to do some work. Read Brian and Umair's detailed observations & rational thoughts till I return. I pity anyone on the highway driving slow in front of me in the fast lane today.
Aaaaah.
Maybe I am slow or something (like the site is) but am I missing something?
Posted by: Ken | August 13, 2007 at 12:00 PM
My first reaction is "what a load of pompous rubbish"...On listening I do admire him for raising it.
Is it really that big a breakthrough - haven't we always learnt that you should have 1 word at the centre of your brand onion to describe you (well that's what my old Account Director at Satchi's use to teach us)
As for padding - yes well a nice summary of social teenager changes..
But he should sack his agency because that would have to be the worst presentation of an idea...and as you say where is the place for comments. Here we are commenting in blogs - he should be owning this conversation.
Posted by: Jackie Shervington | August 15, 2007 at 09:22 PM
i remember getting infuriated by it about a year ago when he did the interview and the website went up.
i don't know any worthwhile stories or conversations that contain one word, or that focus just on one word. Any brand needs more than that to craft its narrative.
The age we live in is very much about creating new meaningful connections. no connections if there is only one things.
Great brands can become iconic. Talking about one word alone gives an iconic impression. but that's a result, not a cause. so again - we have branding re-branded. let's throw it in the same bin with love-marks.
Posted by: Uri Baruchin | August 16, 2007 at 09:04 AM
Thanks for bringing this up! Love you're write up, love to rip on traditional media mavens, brought the conversation to my blog over at http://jburg.typepad.com/future/2007/08/video-didnt-kil.html . Great write up keep up the amazing work!
Posted by: Jon Burg | August 16, 2007 at 09:35 AM
The ultra-ironic thing about this campaign is that if you type
enter one word equity
into Google, you get a scathing critique of the campaign as the #1 hit, three more reviews and comments in the top 10, and 6 completely irrelevant pages (or relevant to something else) in the rest of the page.
So clueless that they don't even own page one for their own campaign slogan!
If you search for just
equity
you lose even worse - no sign of Saatchi or their campaign, though Actors Equity hits the front page.
They do own "Saatchi" results, but that's hardly something to crow about.
Posted by: Ed Vielmetti | August 21, 2007 at 07:28 AM
this doesn't do much for me either. nice catch Edward and I'm sure Deborah's posts will make it to the top of the returns.
Posted by: itsdEx | September 01, 2007 at 01:52 PM
I fully appreciate Lord Richard’s call for one-word equity as a coherent summation of the brand meaning into a simple trigger that allow for brand appreciation
I believe that every great brand becomes stronger by integrating its multi-variegated points of mental association into a central word that can diffuse its substantive meaning to the consumers
Posted by: Bayo Adekanmbi | February 01, 2008 at 07:30 AM