Sail with the Shipwrecked

“The mariner to sail with is he who has been shipwrecked, for he knows where the dangerous reefs are”

Quote from Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe (no, not the actor from Platoon). 

A prolific writer in the 18th century, he produced more than three hundred works. Books, pamphlets and journals on a plethora of diverse subjects including politics, crime, religion, marriage and psychology. 

Not afraid to verse his opinions, it’s safe to say he wasn’t fearful to sail close to the wind and he knew his onions. 

But how, I hear you ask, is this mariner quote relevant to today’s business world?

Let’s think about advertising.

You’ve probably heard the saying: ‘Nobody got fired for choosing IBM’. It’s a safe bet. Throw your money at it and you’ll be A-okay. 

Well, that’s fine if you’re a marketer in a huge brand. The top dogs in each category have the freedom to experiment and if it’s not successful? Heck - who cares if you lose a couple of K’s? Have another go mate. The kids’ll still get to go to rowing school over the summer. The budget’s are big and the worries small.

The seminar research from Paul Dyson and Kantar show that large brands can get away with mediocre, just by being mahooosive.

They have an advantage. They can be mediocre. Their relationship with their Ad agency and suppliers doesn’t have to be shit hot. 

But you know who doesn’t have that advantage. The Underdog. 

With much less physical and mental availability, smaller budgets, competition coming at you from everywhere… the odds are stacked against the Underdog. 

There’s absolutely NO room to be mediocre. 

You’ve got to choose your partner carefully. Someone who has sailed in the choppiest of waters… who has sailed in the most dangerous of reefs… with no throaty diesel engine as a backup.

Someone who has found that line. And crossed that line. Because the person who has been shipwrecked knows just how hard you have to paddle to get noticed. 

So, when Colin in procurement insists you run an RFP before choosing your next partner. Consider those that have sailed those choppy waters, that have been shipwrecked. 

To maximise every opportunity you have, you need someone who knows where all the dangerous reefs are if you want to grow.

Underdog brands need Underdog thinking.