Can We Make the Logo Bigger?

“Can we make the logo bigger?”

If you've ever worked in advertising, you probably just laughed.

If you've ever been a marketing director, you may have just looked away.

Years ago, our agency was invited to speak at a large conference attended by hotel marketing directors from around the country.

Our topic was how creative is born.

We could have opened with a presentation about strategy. Talked about collaboration. Shown some award-winning work.

Instead, we played a song.

“Make the Logo Bigger.”

Yes. Someone actually recorded one.

And as this wonderfully ridiculous song played, you could feel the room getting the joke.

Because almost everyone in that audience had been on one side or the other of that conversation.

“Can we make the logo bigger?”

“Can we move it up?”

“Can we make it pop?”

Creative people and marketing people have been driving each other crazy with conversations like these forever.

And yet, the best work I've ever been part of usually happened when both sides stopped defending their territory and started trusting each other a little more.

Maybe that's how creative is really born.

A good idea. A little trust. A willingness to listen.

And occasionally…

a slightly bigger logo.

Lesson #10: Never underestimate the value of being able to laugh at ourselves.