I can beat Tiger Woods
April 10th, 2008
It’s Masters Weekend and the the sports world has turned its attention to one amazing man in one amazing place. If I were among those competing against him, I’d probably be thinking, “Second place rocks!” Or as Ricky Bobby says, ” If you ain’t first, you’re last.”
But hey, I can beat Tiger.
Now, of course I’d have to play a game I know I can win, like Pictionary, or Corn Hole. Okay, I know you’re thinking, “Ha ha, very clever. Anybody can do that.” Yeah, but no one does. Too often in business we just beat our heads against the wall trying to be the best at their game, instead of trying to be the best at our game.
In a previous life, Brains on Fire was a fairly traditional advertising agency. But we were in a small town, working with local clients and modest budgets. We learned quickly that we had to change the rules so we could help our clients compete. We got a reputation for “scrappy, street smart” thinking, long before Crispin Porter made it cool. We weren’t for everybody, but for the right companies, we were and are the best. By changing the way the game is played, we grow and have become masters at helping organizations grow around the passions of people, not the placement of promises. Though we may never tame the traditional advertising “Tigers” of the world, we have shown that we can win against them.
So what are the rules limiting your greatness? How can you change the game?
Other posts by Cordell.
Jeff says:
Cordell-great post goes along with something we always tell our clients, “What are you best in the world at?” As it happens we have a really amazing corn holer here named Kyle. He holds nearly a perfected record in one on one play and is a force in doubles competition. As official members of the American Cornhole Association we are free to hold sanctioned tournaments if were ever up your way we must see whose corn hole is on fire and whose brain is.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:07 amNeal Stewart says:
Great blog post. Timely, meaningful and easy to understand.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:02 amMatty says:
I’m up for a cornhold turny… sanctioned or not, I’m ready to toss!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:38 amBilly says:
There’s an article in the April edition of Harvard Business Review (Stop laughing… I didn’t buy it. I picked my copy up from the airplane seat in front of me last week) entitled “Can You Say What Your Strategy Is?” that I think everybody on the planet should read. It’s not necessarily about “changing the game,” but it does touch mightily on figuring out how to better play it.
You can find an edited-down version at http://www.hbr.com.
I like potato chips.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:56 amKyle says:
Let’s get it on… I am 1,752 - 1 all time in cornhole play. I haven’t lost since my injury plagued 2002 season. We’ll bring the cornhole, loser buys the beers.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:05 pmDick Carlson says:
I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, because my wife and I are making a big jump and moving to SC from Seattle, Washington. We’ll arrive at the end of April. As you can imagine, we’re a little worried about how we’ll fit in (coming from the Left Coast) but so far we have made several trips and found everyone very welcoming and pleasant. Until now.
I read in your post that a favorite game is something called “Corn Hole”. I’m old enough to remember watching Burt Reynolds in Deliverance, and marveling at the differences in other parts of the country. Now I know that there are probably other differences between Georgia and South Carolina, but it did make me a bit nervous.
Finally, I clicked the link and do feel much, much better. In fact I may be willing to come up from Columbia and play with you folks, if you spot me a couple of holes because of my rookie status.
BTW — the post is also making me think. My work will certainly undergo quite a change as I move 3,000 miles, and now’s the time to become the best. Guess I’d better pick something.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:16 pmBilly says:
http://www.hbr.org, not .com
At least .org is a publication. The (.com) version scares the crap out of me.
Broccoli.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pmAdam Landrum says:
Great post. Companies do have a tendency to let the market and its expectations define our product offerings. Shame on us and I’ve been guilty of that myself.
Freedom comes when you start to say “No, that’s not what you need!” but it also takes, umm, some conjones for the company who’ll blaze the trail and refuse to play the game.
Companies that have made it, like: Apple, Southwest and Dell changed the rules. Heroes.
But I wonder about all of those companies that tried to change the game but are no longer with us. How convenient it is to forget about: WebVan, Enron and Song.
Greatness requires the game to be changed, yes. But game changing plays are not for the feint of heart…
April 10th, 2008 at 3:37 pmMatt Galloway says:
Greg,
I enjoyed your post. I’ve not read the Brains blog in a bit but I check in on you kids now and again. Something you said compelled me to comment. I have no professional experience with you guys, but I’ve read much about you and by you and met many of you in person. As far as I can tell, you get it. Really. Deeply. You care about your clients and changing the game, for them and for you.
In contrast, CPB is a bunch of self serving morons that are more interested in attention for themselves than the health and growth of their clients. In most of their work, it’s hard to even identify the client. Sure some narrow minded dilettantes might have given them some prizes or the cover of a magazine but to me they represent everything that is wrong with advertising and brand identity today. Certainly not cool. Not in my book anyway.
Obviously you feel differently (lest you wouldn’t have pulled them into your boat) but I for one think of Brains and having much more credibility, integrity and heart than the likes of CPB.
Sorry for the rant, this just struck me the wrong way.
-Matt
P.S. Tell Spike I said howdy.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:52 pmKristofer Mencáks tankar kring… » Jag kan slå Tiger Woods says:
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April 24th, 2008 at 2:50 am