Continuing with my Sketchy posts…. here is the way the core idea shifting happens as it passes multiple stages of approvals and suggestions in a typical MNC.
- The idea originator slogs (sometimes day and night) to come up with an idea that is as close to the consumer insight/need as possible.
- He takes it to the boss. The boss has his own take on things. No major deviations if one is lucky. A few compromises are made by the idea originator in the interest of seeing his idea thru.
- The agency is briefed. There is a loss in translation in the to and fro process. Multiple iterations still see the end product, ready for exposure to the world, as close to to the original idea as possible.
- You go to the HiPP and there is a HiPPO. 90% of the times, heartburn! Random comments see everyone bending backward to see that he approves the idea.
Here is a brilliant cartoon by Tom Fishburne on the cuts that happen to the idea.
