The Unchangeable. Poetic manifest helps agencies and brands cope with change.
Peter Ampe, creative director of FamousGrey and member of the European board of the Grey Network, writes a poetic manifesto about collaboration and leadership.
With the poetic-economic manifesto "The Unchangeable", creative director of advertising agency FamousGrey Peter Ampe invites everyone to return to six timeless truths as a handhold in these changing times. One of the building blocks is the search for new, unexpected collaborations. Ampe compares the forming of this kind of collaborations to the creation of a mythological creature. Just as mythological creatures, that arose thousands of years ago out of man's imagination, unexpected collaborations lead to true success stories.
"The Unchangeable " allows you to think about the vision, structure and dynamics within your own professional environment, but above all it is an invitation to look outside your own sector, to enter into new collaborations and thus create new insights, new products, new business models. "Two existing worlds always lead to a new world", explains Ampe. The publication itself is an example of this, because Ampe worked together with French illustrator Anne Brugni. "Her work is just figurative enough to give you something to hold on to, and abstract enough to put your own imagination to work. That's exactly what I want to do with my manifesto. It's an incubation text that doesn't provide solutions but inspires you to find those solutions yourself.”
Create a mythological creature
Unusual collaborations were already known in antiquity, where mythological figures appealed to the imagination because they combined two life forms that had special powers. Just think of the god Hermes, by giving him winged sandals he became the dreamed messenger of the gods. Closer to the world of the author is the example of advertising icon Bill Bernbach, who combined the strengths of copywriters and art directors for the first time in the 1950s. Today, in the communications sector, we put strategists and data together, set up creative agencies and consultancy firms, and bring together technologists and creatives. The search for new collaborations is something that can lead to growth and innovation in all sectors. As a Master of Linguistics and Literature, Ampe has always been looking to bring literature and communication together. Collaborations are not only good for the stimulation of creativity; they can also be used as a business tool. What new products can you think of? What new services? What business models from other sectors can complement your business? Which mythological creature will you put together?
An invitation to look beyond the obvious
In the five other timeless truths Peter Ampe points out other unexpected ideas and offers a steady hand by focusing on the unchangeable. The manifesto is written for everyone who wants to successfully lead or form a group – in a professional or private context, as long as you’re doing it together. Six timeless truths should help you to remain relevant and leave your mark on society. Peter Ampe encourages everyone to read “The Unchangeable” – “perhaps the answer to a question you’ve been struggling with for a long time will come to you while reading.”
The Unchangeable was commissioned by ACC Belgium, the Belgium Association of Communication Companies. You can download it here: https://famousgrey.com/media/pdf/the-unchangeable-EN.pdf
Peter Ampe is Chief Creative Officer of FamousGrey and member of the European board of the Grey Network.