Safe ideas don’t get remembered. And in today’s world – where AI is cranking out perfectly competent, completely forgettable content by the second – the only way to stand out is to be bold. Different. Maybe even a little dangerous. Because if your brand doesn’t make people stop, react and feel something, what’s the point?
The best brands don’t just approve brave ideas, they demand them
At Park & Battery, one of our longest and strongest client relationships is with Esquire Bank. When we started working with Esquire, they weren’t looking for “good” marketing. They wanted to break through.
- “Don’t Be Sorry, Call Ari” – a campaign that turned a trial lawyer’s name into a rallying cry for contingency fee attorneys everywhere. It was bold, in-your-face and completely unforgettable. It also won ADWEEK’s B2B Campaign of the Year
- “Champions of Social Justice” – a campaign built around social justice, showing how Esquire’s clients weren’t just winning cases, but making the legal system fairer and enabling access to justice in the process
These weren’t safe ideas. They were built to stand out.
And guess what? They worked.
Results that speak for themselves
Don’t Be Sorry, Call Ari
- 50% of law firm lending clients now originate from digital marketing initiatives.
- 2.5x higher digital and social media response rates than the industry average.
- 3,100% ROI in pipeline generated—yes, you read that right.
Champions of Social Justice
- 58.3M+ impressions
- Clickthrough rates 47% higher than industry benchmarks.
- Nearly 250,000 video views (and climbing)
- 415% year-over-year growth in video views and engagement.
Then, something else interesting (and incredible) happened…
Where’s the “really crazy” idea?
After two years of standout, award-winning and effective work, we presented Esquire with new ideas for an upcoming campaign. They, too, were bold. They were creative.
But Esquire’s response?
“Where’s the really crazy idea, P&B? Where’s the one that makes us uncomfortable?”
Not just because they wanted to be different for the sake of it. But because they understood:
- Differentiation isn’t a one-time thing, it’s a commitment – you can’t stand out one year and blend in the next.
- The bolder you’ve been, the bolder you have to be – once you set a new standard, you can’t dial it back.
- Playing it safe is the fastest way to get ignored – and ignored brands don’t grow.
This is what the best brands (and clients) get right: they don’t just tolerate bold thinking. They demand it.
You can’t afford to play it safe
Now, maybe more than ever, creativity and bravery are required. Consider the amount of mediocre content ho-hum brands and AI solutions are flooding into the market. If you’re saying the same things as everyone else, AI can say them faster and cheaper.
Nobody is looking for your advertising. They don’t’ seek interruptions to their media consumption and daily lives/business lives. Customers don’t care about “insights” if they don’t make them feel something.
At the same time, if you’re not making bold moves, someone else is. If no one is talking about your brand, your marketing isn’t working.
If you want to get the best out of your campaigns (and your agency):
- Demand ideas that make you uncomfortable. If your agency isn’t pushing you, push them. Ask, “Where’s the idea you’re afraid to show us?”
- Stop looking for consensus. The best ideas polarize. If everyone in the room agrees, it’s probably boring.
- Remember: safe is actually risky. Playing it safe won’t get you fired. It will get you ignored. And then, maybe fired.
- Challenge your agency. Great agencies don’t just execute what you ask for. They bring you ideas that make you think bigger.
So, where’s the idea that scares you? Because that’s probably the one worth doing.
