May the Advertising Force Be With You.

Sullivan Higdon & Sink’s own Advertising Jedi, John January, along with friend Tug McTighe of Callahan Creek, have harnessed the wisdom of the Jedi from “Star Wars” and wielded its power for the world of advertising. As the newest chapter of the Star Wars saga, “The Clone Wars,” debuts, they pass along their knowledge in what they call the Secret Tenets of the Advertising Force.

TENET ONE: Be a Padawan Learner.

All Jedi are born with their innate talents. But not all Jedi are the same. For instance, Kit Fisto can sense his opponents’ uncertainties. Oppo Rancisis uses the Force to induce nausea in opponents. And Mace Windu? Well, he is just a complete bad a**. The point is that we all have different strengths that should be nurtured and honored. The Jedi Knights do this by assigning every student or Padawan learner a mentor. To become an Advertising Jedi, you need a mentor, too. Even if you already hold a high title, seek an opinion you can absolutely trust. Not to give you answers, but to help you find them.

TENET TWO: Concept the Jedi Way.

Jedi almost always collaborate to solve a problem. Today, we’re all talking about creating integrated solutions. In this sense, the big idea is diced into a thousand touch points. The traditional creative team can benefit from collaborating from the outset with the big brains in media, PR, strategy, etc. If the Jedi can get intergalactic races to collaborate, surely getting ad people to work together isn’t that hard.

TENET THREE: Concentrate on the Here and Now.

Master Yoda said this about Luke: “This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away-to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was-what he was doing.” The same can be said for many advertising folks. Always thinking of the day when they will move to the next agency, the next client or the next project instead of making the absolute most of the opportunities that are right there on their desks.

TENET FOUR: Beware the Dark Side.

Yoda also said: “Anger, fear, aggression: the Dark Side of the Force are they. Easily they flow. Quick to join you in a fight.” The Advertising Jedi add pettiness, envy and insecurity to Yoda’s list. There is plenty of room in advertising for all of us to succeed in our own way and in our own time. So, don’t allow yourself to indulge in useless negativity. Instead, focus your energies on living tenets one through three. You’ll soon find yourself impervious to such Dark Side emotions.

TENET FIVE: Do or Do Not. There Is No Try.

Yoda sees no gray. And when it comes to your motivations, neither should you. Not every idea you have is going to be a blockbuster. And, conversely, you are not going to sell every blockbuster idea you do have. This is the way of things.

It’s important that you do not focus on what didn’t sell and who is to blame. Instead focus only on bringing the best ideas you can to the first creative review each and every time. Fight with yourself ruthlessly. You either had a good idea or you didn’t. This is where you should seek your personal satisfaction because once you share your idea, the rest is largely out of your control. There will be victories. And losses. But you cannot allow yourself to be afraid of loss or be consumed by the anger of it. This is why the Jedi shunned attachments. Fight yourself to do your best, cast the results to fate then roll with the punches that will inevitably come. Remember, the Jedi could not control the events that led to the Clone Wars nor were they spared suffering in The Great Jedi Purge. Still, they never strayed from the ways of The Force. And, in the end, they triumphed.

TENET SIX: Celebrate Seriously.

You’ll note that several of the “Star Wars” movies end with a big celebration scene. There’s a important lesson for us here as well. It’s critical to celebrate victories both big and minute. It’s critical because this is, after all, the advertising business. And no matter how well you did today, no matter what adverbeast or Sith Lord you slayed, somewhere out there, someone is building another Death Star.

And, it’s coming for you.

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