Why We Must Always Challenge Conventional Wisdom

There’s a lot that’s right in the UK ad industry – but conventional wisdom must always be challenged. We can never accept the accepted way of doing things as dyed in the wool; change is happening all around us, all of the time.

Conventional wisdom is to innovation what rain is to a barbecue.

It nullifies creativity and distrusts new ideas.

It’s built on old beliefs that may not be as relevant as they once were.

It constructs stereotypes that, in turn, invite lazy planning and narrow perspectives.

It disconnects brands from their customers.

It pulls agencies away from the bespoke interests of their clients.

It fosters an over-reliance on the acceptance of others.

It provokes an aversion to risk.

It undermines the value of diversity.

It removes the need to take personal responsibility for decisions and actions.

It creates jaded individuals who ask no questions.

It saps the fun out of everything.

It plasters inventiveness with warning signs.

It breeds a fear of change.

It allows a small number of people to hold all the power.

There’s a lot that’s right in the UK ad industry – but conventional wisdom must always be challenged. We can never accept the accepted way of doing things as dyed in the wool; change is happening all around us, all of the time. Media agencies have a duty to adapt and ask questions. What works for one brand will not work for another. So, ruffle a few feathers – if it’s to the benefit of clients and your business – and never be afraid to think differently.

As in life, fortune favours the brave. Independent media agencies are perfectly positioned to push the envelope and rewrite the rulebook, so it’s time to pick up a pen and start a new page. If events in the UK over the past three years have told us anything, it’s that what works today may not work tomorrow.