Crafting An Unforgettable Creative Strategy

😕 Ever been in a room where someone presents a "foolproof" plan, laden with jargon, a rabbit hole of research & insights, complicated graphs, and a multitude of moving parts? While it might seem impressive initially, complexity often creates confusion, muddies the waters, and ironically, increases the chances of failure.

To help not be that ‘someone’ here are four things to consider when articulating a strategy, idea, or reason to exist, whether it be creative or otherwise:

🧠 Hermann Ebbinghaus' "Forgetting Curve" tells us we forget 50%-80% of new information within one day! The odds are against you when it comes to long-term retention, so reduce down the volume of information, then take a pause, sleep on it, and reduce some more.

🤯 George A. Miller's seminal paper "The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two" proposes that the average number of objects an individual can hold in working memory is about seven. Therefore don’t have too many layers, components, stages, filters that micro-manage your strategy. People cannot find a way back through the maze of complexity once they’ve left the room.

🖼 John Medina's "Brain Rules" reveals that people only remember about 10% of what they hear after 72 hours. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, retention can soar up to 65%. Add images—ideally memorable ones. They act as an instinctive short-hand to broader points.

🎈 Malcolm Gladwell's "Stickiness Factor" suggests that emotionally engaging information is more likely to be remembered. Speak from the heart to touch the heart. In a world thirsty for genuine connection, your emotional authenticity will be the lifeline people cling to.

Remember, complexity is not a sign of sophistication. A foundational truth is that heartfelt, simple strategies are:

✅ Easier to understand
✅ Easier to communicate
✅ Easier to implement

Bold, creative simplicity is baked into everything we do at Checkland Kindleysides. In a world where attention is scarce, being memorable is a competitive advantage.

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