Business can learn a lot from Ricky Gervais, Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Iain Morris and Damon Beesley.
Work.
It’s because of how these people do their work.
They’re brave.
The more that I absorb how emotional and life-enhancingly relatable ‘After Life’ by Ricky Gervais is.
The more that I appreciate how storyful the content, and how immediately hooky the dialogue in every Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s ‘Inside Number 9’ is.
The more that I enjoy discovering the arresting quirks and observations inside Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s ‘Fleabag’.
The more that I choke on how beautifully outrageous and real ‘The Inbetweeners’ by Iain Morris and Damon Beesley is. (Wondering why I, or anyone like me, had never thought to write down the magical shite that teenagers talk quite like this).
The more that I think back to how interesting, refreshing and challenging the (early series of) Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain’s ‘Peepshow’ were.
The more embarrassed I get for almost every other short-form TV sitcom or series that is meant to engage and surprise.
Because to me.
Almost all other programmes are just padding.
Padding.
Programmes that slot into a genre.
Programmes that read the rules.
And follow them.
The only thing that keeps these programmes alive is that they grip the generation they are targeting – early.
So that that generation sticks with them.
Like the last generation stuck with the previous clone.
Until 5 to 7 years later.
The penny drops.
This.
Is.
Shit!
The viewer realises that the programme is just meaningless padding.
So they leave it behind.
And the programme disappears.
Boring.
Anyhow.
Because I run businesses.
And because today, I am thinking about how my and others businesses are perceived.
I just wanted to say that.
If your business is just doing what everyone else like you does.
In pretty much the same way.
It’s a boring business.
It’s just padding.
And you can do better than that.
The Penny Drops.
Businesses that slot into a category.
Businesses that learn the rules.
And follow them.
The only thing that keeps these businesses alive is that they grip the target market they are for – early.
So that that market sticks with them.
Until a little while later.
The penny drops.
This.
Is.
Shit!
The customer realises that the business is just meaningless padding in their lives.
So they leave it behind.
And the business disappears.
Your Business.
You can do better than that because the creatives mentioned earlier in this story have created emotional, life-enhancingly relatable, storyful, immediately hooky, arrestingly quirky, beautifully outrageous, real, interesting, refreshing and challenging television programmes.
Which means that you can create emotional, life-enhancingly relatable, storyful, immediately hooky, arrestingly quirky, beautifully outrageous, real, interesting, refreshing and challenging businesses.
And until you do.
You’re boring.
You’re just padding, too.
