Don’t Discount Your “Bad” Ideas
We recently read an interesting Wall Street Journal article about the film industry and we thought we’d share an anecdote from it with you.
A few years ago, New Line Cinemas was set to release an action movie starring Samuel L. Jackson. The studio executives fretted over what the film should be called, given that its working title seemed too ridiculous to print on a poster. When they decided to go with Pacific Flight 121, the film’s star balked. “Are you kidding me?” Jackson reacted, explaining that the quirky working name was exactly what had drawn him to the project. And so, on August 18, 2006, Snakes on a Plane was released, making headlines with its unconventional title. And despite terrible reviews and a kooky plot, the film went on to become a moderate success, earning $65 million worldwide.
Why do we tell you this story? Well, for starters, it’s a great example of how small things can make a big difference. Something little as a name can have a massive impact. In fact, in this instance the name alone is what made the movie a success. And that leads us to another powerful truth we’ve learned in business. (We’ll get to that in a minute.)
Consider if the movie studio had chosen to go the safe route, calling the film Pacific Flight 121. Chances are, in the face of terrible reviews and stiff competition from other summer blockbusters, the movie would have flopped. But, the executives did something different. They decided to listen to the star of the film and go with the offbeat name. They embraced the illogical.
Sure, embracing the illogical sounds risky, but adopting a conventional way of thinking is far more dangerous. By taking the road less travelled and going for an idea that sounds unusual, you increase your chances of making a creative breakthrough. Stop being afraid of disrupting industry norms or taking a counterintuitive approach. Instead, look the unexpected solution and wrap your arms around it! If your mind is open to any possibility (especially the ones that go against the grain), you’re much more likely to end up with an idea that’s disruptive, polarizing, and simply can’t be ignored.
A few years ago, New Line Cinemas was set to release an action movie starring Samuel L. Jackson. The studio executives fretted over what the film should be called, given that its working title seemed too ridiculous to print on a poster. When they decided to go with Pacific Flight 121, the film’s star balked. “Are you kidding me?” Jackson reacted, explaining that the quirky working name was exactly what had drawn him to the project. And so, on August 18, 2006, Snakes on a Plane was released, making headlines with its unconventional title. And despite terrible reviews and a kooky plot, the film went on to become a moderate success, earning $65 million worldwide.
Why do we tell you this story? Well, for starters, it’s a great example of how small things can make a big difference. Something little as a name can have a massive impact. In fact, in this instance the name alone is what made the movie a success. And that leads us to another powerful truth we’ve learned in business. (We’ll get to that in a minute.)
Consider if the movie studio had chosen to go the safe route, calling the film Pacific Flight 121. Chances are, in the face of terrible reviews and stiff competition from other summer blockbusters, the movie would have flopped. But, the executives did something different. They decided to listen to the star of the film and go with the offbeat name. They embraced the illogical.
Sure, embracing the illogical sounds risky, but adopting a conventional way of thinking is far more dangerous. By taking the road less travelled and going for an idea that sounds unusual, you increase your chances of making a creative breakthrough. Stop being afraid of disrupting industry norms or taking a counterintuitive approach. Instead, look the unexpected solution and wrap your arms around it! If your mind is open to any possibility (especially the ones that go against the grain), you’re much more likely to end up with an idea that’s disruptive, polarizing, and simply can’t be ignored.
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