At a time when consumer spending seems uncertain, caution probably feels like a sensible path to take, but slow and steady will not win this race. Do something different, command attention or risk getting lost in the sea of same and at worst, forgotten, says Toby Boon, Powered by Nine’s Director of Strategy & Creative Solutions.  

“I want my MTV”, Mohammed Ali as St Sebastian on the cover of Esquire, Bobby Kennedy’s election campaign – when it comes to Big Ideas, there are few people in advertising who can claim to have had more than George Lois. 

In fact the legendary ad man, who passed away late last year, was often known as the “father of the Big Idea” – defining a concept that doesn’t just connect with consumers, but “sears the virtues of the product into the viewer’s brain and heart”.  

For most of us working in media, marketing and advertising it was probably the “big ideas” that first attracted us to our trade, and it is the pursuit of them which keeps many of us in the business.

But for every “I still call Australia home” or “Tonight, I’ll be eating …” there are hundreds of hardworking campaigns that manage to drive sales, raise awareness and nudge their brand in the right direction. And surely that’s enough, right? 

Maybe not. In 2021, Havas’ Meaningful Brands study described an “age of cynicism” with respondents stating that 75 per cent of brands could simply disappear overnight and be easily replaced.  

Cost-of-living pressures are another factor driving changes in Australians’ consumer behaviour as they seek to balance a desire to align with brands that reflect their values and the realities of their budget. According to McKinsey, Australian shoppers are increasingly switching brands and open to experimentation with how and where they shop.  

So what will it take for brands to survive and thrive in 2023 – to stand out from the pack and build those meaningful, longer-lasting connections with consumers? Put simply, it will take bigger, better ideas. But big ideas don’t always come easy. George Lois told us that “you can be cautious, or you can be creative (but there is no such thing as a cautious creative)”.  

At a time when consumer spending seems uncertain, caution probably feels like a sensible path to take, but slow and steady will not win this race.  

I believe there is a path for brands to cut through and navigate the choppier waters of 2023’s consumer behaviour. And whilst Lois could define the options in two “C”s – creativity and caution – it will take me three (or maybe four) to make my case.