Accomplished creative veteran Glen Hunt was appointed head of Cossette creative in September. He rejoined the agency world after an extended “career hiatus” that saw him do a lot of reading about the industry—he estimates about 140 books. Hunt shared insights from some of his favourites.
Who Moved My Cheese?
By Spencer Johnson
The central story in this book is an allegory, written with an almost childlike simplicity and thoughtfulness. In it, a couple of mice keep coming back to the same place to get their cheese. Then, one day, it’s not there and their happiness is gone. We are working in an industry where the cheese moves all the time. If you continue to do the same thing today that you did yesterday, you will go hungry. Past practice does not ensure future success.
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable
By Seth Godin
Viewing a field of look-alike cows, there’s not much to say. But if one of them is purple, everything changes. The message is, you need to bake your uniqueness into your product.
If it’s purple, and if you focus on its purpleness, it’s no longer boring and people will talk about it. Today, your audience is your audience, so there is currency in content… if you make it purple.
The Orange Code: How ING Direct Succeeded By Being A Rebel With A Cause
By Arkadi Kuhlmann and Bruce Philp
This is about the creation of ING Direct as a disruptor brand, founded with purpose and driven by passion. Every company needs a single purpose because everything emanates from that… from engagement with employees, to connection with customers and ultimately to profits. The lesson is that a team with purpose is infinitely more powerful than a team with process.
The End of Business As Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consumer Revolution
By Brian Solis
This book really defi nes the level of disruption that digital is having on our daily lives and aptly describes the new roles that we can play in servicing the needs of our customers, as well as enlisting them as powerful advocates. If you want to take your digital IQ from zero-to-60 in just one book, this is a pretty good one.
Start Something That Matters
By Blake Mykoskie
Written by the inspired ex-Amazing Race contestant who launched “TOMS Shoes” —a combined commercial and philanthropic venture that sends one pair of shoes to developing countries for every pair purchased—this book shows how companies that do good, do well. Some people describe this trend as “conscious capitalism,” the belief that corporate value and societal value are linked. It’s also more evidence to suggest that the path to connection with today’s hyper-aware youth is through authenticity and transparency.
The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less
By Richard Koch
Basically, the theory is that 80% of success comes from 20% of your activities. So focus on the things you do well and forget about the things that you’re not so good at. With time and resources becoming increasingly scarce these days, finding ways to maximize your impact has never been more important. The old notion that being “well-rounded” is something to aspire to is exactly that—old.
