Pursue timeless archetypes and channels over novelty

In advertising, pursuing pure novelty is tempting. The shiny new platform, the viral trend, the ad format everyone's talking about merely because it's new (with little concern if it actually works).

If anything, our industry is overly obsessed with novelty and we get why this is: for years being early to things has indeed paid off. But we're nearing the end of some major innovation cycles, and what's next will be what lasts.

The brands that win tomorrow won't just thoughtlessly chase what’s new because it's new. They'll double down on what’s timeless. There's a great quote from Jeff Bezos we love about this:

“I very frequently get the question: ‘What’s going to change in the next 10 years?’ I almost never get the question: ‘What’s not going to change in the next 10 years?’

And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two — because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time. In our retail business, we know customers want low prices, fast delivery, and vast selection. Those things are not going to change in the next 10 years. So we can put energy into them knowing the payoff will be long term.”

We want advertisers to (once again) benefit from this wisdom, it applies heavily to our craft, and many of us don't fully appreciate it.

For instance, timeless creative concepts have survived decades of changing media:

• Aspirational storytelling: showing your customer the better version of themselves your product helps create.

• Humor & wit: people remember what makes them smile.

• Dramatic transformation: before-and-after journeys that prove your value.

• Emotional connection: messages that stir something real and strike deep into hearts and minds.

And the same is true for channels. If your entire marketing mix is built on the bleeding edge of digital or social media trends, you’re potentially building on sand. These moments flare up and vanish, with brands justifying what they did because they think they have to "show up" everywhere. True in some cases. But how many companies still have a Chief Metaverse officer?

The goal isn’t even to reject novelty, it’s to make sure it’s layered on top of timeless fundamentals, not replacing them. Great creative paired with channels that actually work compounds over time. Some things don't actually change, people just get caught up in bubbles and hype. There's a great book about this from Morgan Housel we highly recommend.

And remember, we're always here to talk about how you can stop chasing shiny objects and start building something that lasts.