The power of imagination

You’ll know from my last post that a good quote can go a long way, so it’s fitting that this post starts with one.

“We have to believe in the power of imagination because it's all we have, and ours is stronger than theirs.”

I found it written in the booklet that came with “Out Spaced”, a B–sides and rarities compilation album by Welsh psychedelic rock band, the Super Furry Animals. Not the most obvious place to find a quote for a blog about branding, but then Super Furry Animals have always been a band full of surprises.

What I like about this quote is not so much the point it makes about reliance on our imagination, but the fact that it presents imagination as a competitive element.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard so–called brainstorms begin with those infamous words, “There’s no such thing as a bad idea”, only to have those very same words prove their author a liar at least half a dozen times within the first five minutes. All too often, people view creativity as an excuse to express their artistic alter ego, without actually applying their imagination to the problem at hand.

Imagination in branding is critical.

And it's even more critical to remember that ideas are not simply good or bad, but actually better or worse. That's the real difference that makes not only great brands but also great agencies. A refusal to settle for the mediocre in the dogged pursuit of creative excellence, even if it means having to deflate a few dreams and even shatter some egos.