Beauty In Everyday Things..

The finest ale in the land.

Or, 'It's the little differences that matter'.

So...you've read some books on advertising, checked out what the billings and comings and goings are at in the agency world. You read Campaign, and know about the creative process (that is to say, how good and bad ads come about).

Yet, you are still missing a valuable weapon. Particularly if you have designs on becoming more than someone who does admin and nothing else.

That weapon is an appreciation (cue the American Beauty soundtrack) of how little things make experiences more worthwhile. The picture above is a little ticket which was apologising for the lack of the distinctive bottles that the ale usually comes in (another reason to love it).

Now, knowing about the little differences may not get you a job (you still have to do the leg work). But imagine, if after discussing your favourite ad and whatever, you drop in that your favourite brand has done something to make you happy - whether it's a clever piece of ambient or an inspired bit of DM. It's something which means you are thinking (much as I hate the term) holistically - about how experiences, not 30 second TV spots, necessarily, help build brands.

Be careful not to overstate though. The clever tag above was charming, but only because I have drunk the beer before - how would my reaction have changed if I'd never tried the stuff before? (Probably not a lot in this case, as I loved the ale). And it's a tiny tiny thing in the world of the brand - but these real life, experential devices are growing in popularity, and you should be aware of them.

What brands have affected you in this way? If not, what could your favourite brands do?

For those who are interested - that pint was from the St Peters Brewery, served at a pub called Jerusalem; surely one of London's finest.