M&C Saatchi: BRUTAL SIMPLICITY OF THOUGHT BOOK

Credits & Description:

Category: Self Promotion

Advertiser: M&C SAATCHI

Product/Service: CREATIVE AGENCY

Agency: M&C SAATCHI

Chairman: Jeremy Sinclair (M&C Saatchi)

Art Director: Bill Gallacher (M&C Saatchi)

Senior Designer: Jonathan Muddell (M&C Saatchi)

Media placement: Book - Distributed To Suppliers Worldwide - 19.09.2011

Media placement: Launch Exhibition - V&A Museum During The London Design Festival - 19.09.2011

Media placement: Website - Online - 19.09.2011



Describe the brief from the client

To make our core philosophy, Brutal Simplicity of Thought, famous on a global scale.

Saatchi is the one advertising name the general public can cite, so we sought to harness this fame and create a ‘talked about’ reputation.

We wanted to create something that would inspire and guide our own staff.

It is easier to complicate than simplify. We therefore wanted to remind people that be it in design, business or art, simplicity rules.



Describe the challenges and key objectives

The ultimate objective was to help us earn consideration from prospective clients.

Obviously, we are by no means alone in trying to do this. Therefore, the challenge was how to outflank our competitor agencies, rather than more obvious attempts at self-promotion.

We reckoned we could attract more interest with the idea of ‘Brutal Simplicity of Thought’ than as an advertising agency trying to peddle its wares.



Describe how you arrived at the final design

Our idea was to show how brutally simple ideas have the power to change the world. Not simply through examples of better marketing campaigns, but phenomena that genuinely change the way human beings live.

The book shines a light on some deceptively simple examples we have long since taken for granted.

The final design epitomises Brutal Simplicity of Thought. Each page is art-directed like a DPS ad: designed to catch your attention, inform you and then leave you, having sold you the power of simplicity. It is pure economy in words and pictures, with plenty of room left for intrigue.



Give some indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

To date, 18,608 copies have been despatched and the book has been sold in 7 territories worldwide.

The launch exhibition at the V&A museum, as part of the London Design Festival, attracted a record audience of 99,135.

The book received worldwide PR coverage in over 14 countries, reaching around 30m people.

In addition, we have received 11 new business introductions due in some way to the book or the marketing activity around it.

And the cost of this self-publicity?

Well the book has made us a small profit. Therefore, this particular piece of self-publicity is self-funding.