John, a brilliant writer and good friend of 52, contributed this piece in December of 2009. How do you think these methods have stacked up so far in 2010?
I thought up a wish around Christmas 2008. (You remember, this was when the economy fell into a well, only to crawl out in an algae-soaked stupor around mid-year.) By the end of 2009 I got some of the stuff I hoped for: Cool projects. Money. And I made some great new relationships with passionate professionals. I was lucky. But some things never came. That’s the era we’re in.
IMHO, 2010 isn’t going to be the year of getting back to the big getting that we sometimes enjoy. (My stimulus package is pretty much BOGO at the 
supermarket.) Sure, Obama’s president. I have hope. But the economy remains iffy. Building brands will be fun but no less exacting than 2009—given lean budgets, challenged clients and the speed of change. But you’ve got a great secret weapon. It’s called: an idea.
If I, you—we—do nothing this year but die for our ideas or the ideas our brand teams come up with, you’ll make it to 2011. People will admire you. Will want to work with you. And if you play it right, they’ll pay you well. What’s truly thrilling is how powerful ideas can be now. As in: effective, gorgeous, persuasive, cash-generating, transforming, life-building, whatever.
This year, the best ideas won’t only be what’s said. You’ll also see outrageously great ideas in the how, where, when and to whom. And it doesn’t take premium budgets anymore. What’s different is media fractionalization, consumer say-so, dispersed technology and digital access are all so in place that Davids can slay Goliaths all day long. As a creative or client, if you can think and explain things, you now have more chances than ever to put the rocks—the great ideas—in David’s slingshot. Anybody can now advance any brand 
myth of any size to anyone. Including giving all the rocks to consumers and letting them build myth. Each of us has control—limited only by our ideas and our desire to die for them so they’ll come to life.
We’ll kick around some samples of great ideas soon. And, some ways to decide if an idea is good. But for now, when time and times are tight, you’ll have to be firm to get more good ideas on the table. Noodle more. Scribble on the bus. Or before a movie starts. Get up 30 minutes earlier and empty your first, fresh thoughts over coffee. Walk outside more and let your mind wander. Reject. You’ll get a better pile of ideas or executional angles because you’ll be editing out the bad ones that would’ve otherwise survived because you didn’t put enough time into it.
It’s really about giving yourself more permission to play. Then use yours other skills to fight for your ideas. And you’re going to fail at times. Failing is heart-wrenching, especially if you hate to lose. But it doesn’t cost you anything other than time to come with up an idea that might fail. So why not die trying to succeed? You’ll have more fun. And you’ll increase your odds of having your ideas be good, be chosen and be effective. That’s where the rewards are this year (rather than the big checks we saw in 2006-2008)—and how I plan to play.
Independent writer/CD John Malarkey spouts his worldview from Portland, Oregon.
Tags: copywriting, creative jobs, creative work, Design