“What does a fish know about the water in which it swims all its life”?
Smart guy – that Einstein character. I’m telling you – Einstein would have made a great planner. It also says something about the value of interdisciplinary endeavors. It reminds me of the Ronald Jones seminar we had at an agency that I do work for. Read about it here.
It also says something about what to look for when you hire communications people. A wide set of skills and experiences will lead to more innovative results (I realize I’m a bit biased here, but hey, it’s my blog). It’s proven by research. And let’s be honest – our business is a tiny pond. When I went to ad school 90% of the people there where rich kids from nice neighborhoods. That’s the real discrimination going on in this business. And it’s stupid.
At another seminar I attended, I learned that Sweden is the most segregated country in the world and that Gothenburg is the most segregated city in Sweden. I would say that the business of advertising is probably one of the most segregated businesses.
This might not have been a huge problem before when the business was stable. But now, with a media intelligence in rapid change, innovation is key. And that makes an interdisciplinary staff a major competitive advantage.