Unfair advantage

An ode to Dave Trott

Jim Clark OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965, he also won the Indianapolis 500 in 1965.

In marketing and advertising we are usually asked to create something that will give our client an unfair advantage, typically over a competitor. And in a world where 90% is ignored we have to be wary of falling into style over substance, or into a comfort zone, where the work is liked because it falls into the “liked by committee” category. Or as that #rudeboycouture legend Lucian Trestler put it “The point about taste reminds me of a passage from Brideshead Revisited when Anthony describes the artistic failings of Charles’ paintings / exhibition.”

Getting back to Jim Clark – in a blog post by Dave Trott written 21st June 2021 (know everyone else’s job) he talks about how Jim Clark beat Graham Hill after getting an oil leak 6 laps from the finish of a race. Jim goes on to beat Hill due to his deep knowledge of how an engine works, anyone else i.e. most drivers would not have had a clue and would inevitably lose the race.

Dave goes on to say: “If we understand their jobs then we are more able to take the decisions that impact on us and our work, rather than leaving it up to them.

I’ve seen this many times, we often beat people because we looked places they didn’t.

They didn’t look because they didn’t think it was their job.

Well they’re right, it isn’t their job.

Which is exactly why knowing about it gives you an unfair advantage.”

They didn’t look because they didn’t think it was their job.

Anyone with street smarts knows, to succeed in finding a way to get what you want, you have to bend the rules, or find a way to push it to the limit. Failing that, involve the people that are pushing back.

Steve Wozniack (Apple co-founder) said, “I think misbehaviour is very strongly correlated with and responsible for creative thought.”

Our job is about changing things, to dominate an environment to capture the attention everyone’s competing for. If we don’t rock the boat, we’re invisible – if our work is invisible, why are we even bothering?

Maybe it’s not our job to know the deeper workings of our clients activity, however the more research we do, the more we understand their product or service and the better chance we have of finding the approach that works.

If you’ve never come across Dave’s work I can highly recommend his book The Power of Ignorance

If you’re a Twitter fan you could a lot worse than follow the ramblings of a misbehaving, pissed-off adman that’s genius at encapsulating what we all know to be the truth about modern-day advertising and marketing. Dave Trott Twitter

Getting back to Jim Clark, go and visit THE JIM CLARK MOTORSPORT MUSEUM and discover the story of one of the greatest racing drivers of all time. You’ll find it at Platform 1, Station Road, Duns, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, TD11 3HS; believe me it’s worth a visit.