The London specific January-Grey Pantone looks even deeper through the windows of Google’s Technicolor offices. Not only did we have a fascinating meeting but we were given The Tour. Their office is spectacular in many ways. Not just the incredible views of London but the myriad facilities. On the face of it it is not unlike the Wieden + Kennedy scene in Portlandia where a new advertising employee is – hopelessly – trying to get to their meeting past a host of creative endeavours and holistic activities.
The thing that really stood out is the areas they have set aside for thinking. I understand that they are common in large innovative companies but they are not exactly universal in modern business. Especially businesses where we are either making things, thinking about making things or talking about making things. I have had several discussions about this recently. One creative director I know says “it is almost if we have legislated against thinking”. Another says “you can’t sell ideas – only the producing of ideas”. We are constantly encouraged to go straight to doing. There is, apparently, no time. That is obviously not right. To quote the Ruth Artmonsky book title: “Do you want it Good or do you want it Tuesday?”.
I build all mine in at the start – paid for or not it has to happen somewhere. ‘Just doing’ is the start of the path that ends in deciding something is good because it is done – not because it is good. It leads to thin products, weak messages and the fading away of brands.
The irony of Google having quiet spaces for contemplation is only that contemplation has become the one thing that Google makes worse: instead of thinking we look things up. They are both an inherent part of many activities – including the making of things – but one does not replace the other.
Afterwards – in The Likely Lads like pub over the road from Google London – we debriefed and planned out some thinking. London Grey-ed to black.
ideas/forms/functions 