The stopwatch is not a shortcut to creativity in new Cliché Killers episode
The Drum has launched the latest in a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.
Episode eight, The Stopwatch, ponders why, in a digital age, the stopwatch remains such a pointless cliché in B2B advertising.
“The stopwatch is like the mental timer in my head, 30 seconds before I leave the agency sitting there with all their clichés,” said David Burnand, marketing lead for Northern Europe, Adobe Marketing Cloud.
Cliché Killers, running throughout summer 2016, stars a cast of ad industry figures discussing and dismissing the clichés commonly used in B2B advertising.
The clichés discussed, looking at their history and use today, range from the stopwatch to the dynamic team and, in episode eight, The Stopwatch.
“If you’re trying to show the speed of a service, the stopwatch is a pretty lame way to do it,” said Kesah Trowell, head of CSR at Dixons Carphone. “What you should be doing instead is showing the actual benefits of the service.”
Cliché Killers stars web psychologist Nathalie Nahai; Kesah Trowell, head of CSR at Dixons Carphone; David Burnand, marketing lead for Northern Europe, Adobe Marketing Cloud; Google head of marketing Nishma Robb; Stein IAS chief executive Tom Stein; and Stein IAS creative director EMEA Reuben Webb.
The Cliché Killers series was based on a book by Stein’s Reuben Webb.
The entire series can be found on the Cliché Killers hub on The Drum.
Other episodes in the series

Episode 1
Why the dynamic team image does not reflect office reality– Cliché Killers
The Drum has launched episode three of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 2
Another handshake image? Cliché Killers will not shake on it
The Drum has launched episode four of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 3
Repel or attract? Cliché Killers explains why the magnet does not pull clients in
The Drum has launched episode five of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, a humorous take on B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 4
Creatives need to find another word for ‘saves money’ – Cliché Killers on the irrelevant piggybank
The Drum has launched episode six of Cliché Killers, a 12-part video series, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 5
The safe cliché is not the only way to convey trust - new Cliché Killers
The Drum has launched episode seven of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 7
Why do businesses call themselves superheroes?
The Drum has launched episode nine of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 8
Cliché Killers explains why brands miss the target with pointless cliché
The Drum has launched episode ten of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.
Episode 9
Cliché Killers: Jigsaw has no place in the digital world
The Drum has launched episode 11 of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.

Episode 10
Why ‘tailored services’ offered by companies are no longer relevant - Cliché Killers finale
The Drum has launched the final episode of a 12-part video series, Cliché Killers, produced in partnership with Stein IAS, exploring B2B advertising clichés.